A Different Kind of Love

I had not intended to blog about this but in answering a question posed by Finn, I copied Newscoma and the Squirrel Queen and realized it was not an email but a blog post, so here we are. 

Those who follow the Facebook stuff had seen updates this week about Foster and his “New Home.”  Finn had asked what had happened that caused me to re-home this most wonderful dog.  It wasn’t a thing of something happening but more of a thing of doing what’s best for the dog.

Foster went to his new home yesterday afternoon with a great young lady named Lexi. 

I think I knew for a good while that Foster would eventually have to go somewhere else.  As he grew, he got more and more gorgeous and more and more active.  I’m also moving in a couple weeks to a smaller place and I knew that would/could be an issue.  All of this was in the back of my mind, you see. 

Here awhile back, I was having a conversation with my friend Todd about my poor ability to be able to tell people, other than my children, that I love them.  Todd asked “What about your dog?” (Todd has a 9 year old Boston Terrier that is, for all practical purposes, his child)  Without thinking, I said “Well, that’s not really what I’d call ‘love’ yet.”   That kinda bothered me because thinking back on all the other dogs I’ve had the last 20 years, I knew that it was love between me and Maybelle; me and Chloe; me and Bogie and Chelsea… when they all came into my life, it turned to love pretty quickly, as in a matter of days. 

None of my kids really liked Foster.   I mean, they liked him but being the typical herding dog he is, he had to be in the middle of everything.  They saw him as aggravating.  It got to where everytime Trevor came over, he’d want to put him in the crate because Foster (probably trying to “herd” him) was CONSTANTLY nipping at him.  Foster broke the skin a few times on Trevor and it frustrated him because he SO wanted to love him.  The kids pretty much didn’t like coming over here cause of Foster. It wasn’t fair to Foster to have be in the crate all the time when we were here either. 
I had thought maybe if he had a buddy, that would “help” so I proceeded in finding him a pal.  Found one at a wonderful rescue called Camp Chaos37206 on Sunday and made arrangements to get her. 

That same evening, I was at the dog park and met up with a guy I met over there several months ago who has a purebred Border Collie.  This guy has always loved Foster and was always talking about how if I ever got rid of him he wanted him. 

Long story short, as the conversation progressed, we decided to try him taking Foster home with him and his dog to see how things went.  He’s a young, guy who is REAL active and might be more suitable for Foster to live with cause he has a yard, etc.  Why not try it and see how it goes?  Seemed like a good idea.  Mark is a great guy and his dog is so healthy and wonderful.  I thought it would be a good fit and he was so enthusiastic about it.

Things were fine for a couple days.  Mark even texted me saying “It’s official…I’m keeping him.”  He had even given him a new name and got him a tag with “Mick” on it. 

Tuesday night, I’m chilling at the house with Millie (who is Night and Day different temperament from Foster but I’ll tell more about her later) and I get a frantic text from Mark saying “I can’t deal with this.”

Uh oh….

Apparently, Mark went to work and did not crate Foster. (I assumed he would) and Foster pretty much trashed his living room.  He said it looked like he had been robbed.  (Dumb ass….sorry but I didn’t feel bad or responsible for that.  Foster isn’t used to being left out in the house when nobody’s around.  I (wrongly) assumed this guy knew better than to leave a 6 month old Border Collie mix puppy ALONE in a new place without being crated.   (All goes back to an important lesson I learned from a boss one time…NEVER assume ANYTHING).

I did find a great home for him out here in Sumner County…a girl that’s a friend of Tara’s, actually and lives in this huge house/farm off Long Hollow Pike and has two other mutts, took him home with her yesterday.  She’s a darling 16 year old girl with cool piercings that is an animal lover.  Her dad had ok’d it and I know he will have a great home with the Lancaster’s. 

I do want to pause here and add a link to a wonderful rescue for Border Collie’s in Portland, TN.  Richard had offered to put a picture of Foster on his website, very graciously and I’m so appreciative of him and what he does.  Richard uses his Social Security to rescue these dogs that he loves so much.  Foster was adopted before he was able to get the info up. 

I didn’t realize until Foster went to Mark’s for those two nights how exhausting he was.  I really worked with him and loved it but knew that I didn’t have the same affection/love for him that I’ve had for other dogs.  It certainly wasn’t cause I didn’t try. Good grief, I’ve inundated my blog and Facebook page with pictures (and they were some CUTE pictures!) of this beautiful little creature.

  When Foster came to me, I was really fighting the Funk of losing my job, having a horrible job from hell, facing mounting monetary concerns, nursing a broken heart and really, really missing my kids, who have chosen to live with their father at this particular point and time .  It was a loooong, ass winter, y’all. 

Being without my kids all the time was not what we had originally planned when we split up but I understand their need and desire to be in their “Home.”  It’s still like missing a hand or other appendage you have to have in order to survive.  I really have not known what to do with myself not having my kids with me. 

 This winter, for the first time in my life, I came to see how people get to the point of hopelessness and think the only alternative is to jump off a bridge.  I never considered doing such, by the way,  but I certainly see why some find that’s about the only alternative.

Then Foster showed up…

Having a little guy like Foster in my world, I had to get out and walk him everyday. There was no choice in the matter-he HAD to be exercised daily.  I started taking him to the park and walking him the day I got him. 

 Foster was well known at Moss Wright Park by the kids who play ball out there, the regular walkers/runners and especially by the dogs and their people we met at the dog park.  We have met some of the nicest people over at Fenway’s Park.  The fresh air and exercise were the best anti-depressant that money can’t buy.  I saw some of the most gorgeous sunrises and sunsets and other wonderful surprises on our walks.

I like to think that his name was entirely appropriate…the word “foster” means “to care for.”  I certainly cared for him, probably better than any other dog I’ve ever had.  Foster helped me a TON.  He kept me from losing my mind this spring/summer, without a doubt. I was able to give Foster a good start in life and he gave new meaning to mine.

I hope to have another opportunity at some point to foster other little furry creatures who are in need of a place to stay.  Foster showed me that was in me.  I’ve always loved dogs and always felt like I have to have at least one around me but this whole Foster thing has indeed changed my life. 

So, to quote Uncle Bob Barker…y’all get your dogs and cats spayed (or SPADED as some people like to say) and neutered and do your part to keep the Foster’s and Millie’s of the world from being homeless. And for the love of Scooby Doo…if you’re thinking about adding a dog to your family, PLEASE go to a shelter or a rescue (like one of those linked above) before you go to a breeder.

Stay tuned for more on Miss Millie. (As hyper and wild as Foster is, Millie is just the opposite in calmness.  It’s like night and day)

~ by sistasmiff on August 21, 2009.