The OutSPOKEn Cyclist
By Diane Jenks
The last time I penned a piece for you, I spoke about our new dog, Boomer the Border Collie, and how I wondered what I was thinking when we decided to adopt him.
Today’s entry is not so glib – and in fact, it is one of the saddest I’ve ever written and will probably write for a long time, because recently, we made the impossible decision to surrender Boomer back to the Border Collie Rescue network to be re-homed.
We turned out not to be a good family for him, even though he loves us, and we adore him. In his best interest, we realized that we were not a suitable match.
I’m probably too old for an exuberant puppy who wants 24/7 attention and has so much energy you are exhausted just listening to him bark for a walk or to just be let outside.
This is a dog who needs a JOB – and that is with all caps!
In the seven months we had him, he summarily destroyed our backyard with his digging. He ripped apart at least three leashes because he didn’t want to end the walk we were taking and decided to turn it into a vicious game of tug-of-war.
I could have chalked all of that up to his age – he’s still under a year – and his breed. I could have probably hired another trainer and even sent him to boot camp.
But suddenly, he became aggressive and territorial and couldn’t keep his mouth to himself. And that was when we had to take stock and look at the situation as a whole.
In conversations with our vet, at least two trainers, and the Border Collie Rescue organization, the conclusion was to find him a place where he could not only be “busy” all day long, but where he could thrive by fulfilling his inherent drives.
I can’t bring myself to describe that moment we saw him for the last time and the subsequent days – now turning into weeks – that we don’t cry at the very thought of him.
I keep second-guessing myself about the decision. Should we have tried harder? Should we have hired another trainer? How could I have changed MY behavior to be a better handler? Was this a huge mistake? And, I keep coming up empty.
To a person, everyone involved has said we made the right decision – and that this is best for him. But there remains that nagging thought in the back of my mind – is it?
I do know that he is adjusting to the network once again as they evaluate him and search for a suitable home. But that’s all that I know because the network has a hard and fast rule that we will have no contact with him and will never know where he ends up or who his new family will be.
So, I’ve kept his picture on my computer desktop and I think about him every day. It’s getting a little easier, but there will always be a special place in my heart for our Boomer.
