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A Very Personal Post And Plea

A Very Personal Post And Plea

In case you haven't heard, I have a daughter on the way. Joy!

Now the bad news. I have a dog. His name is Bonzai. he is part Golden Retriever and part Chow. The dog has to go. You see, he's big. A whopping 85 pounds, and he is 'fearful'. Don't confuse this with aggressive. He is just very fearful. I raised him from 6 seeks and don't know why he has turned out this way.

He has never bitten or attacked anyone, but you can imagine a persons reaction when a strange dog of his size growls at them when they approach to pet him. he also gets very nervous when my wife and I play (Horseplay) with our stepson. He'll bark and growl like he doesn't know which one of us to protect from being hurt. He likes to jump up and put his paws on you to make you stop. You can imagine my wifes fear of him doing it to a toddler if the child squeals to loud. Get the picture?

We tried dog training. This is one thing we can't break him of. I won't tie him up outside. I have never believed in that and have never had an outside dog, which is all the rage down here in Podunk, USA. So, for 8 months we have tried to find him a home. We have yet to find anyone with the patience to let him adjust and get over his fearfulness, which he will surely have with a new owner. We are down to crunch time. I have 18 days to find him a home, basically.

We have tried all the PET INC., and other animal rescues. Most have closed up in the past few years here. We tried the paper, friends, even a group site on Yahoo. I wasn't overly concerned, because...I hate to say, I thought if I had to, I could take him to the SPCA or Humane Society as a last resort. I have gotten 3 dogs there myself over the course of my life. That is until my wife found out this week that they put down dogs that are 'surrendered' by owners. I guess they figure if the original owner doesn't want it, no one will. They put them down the day you drop them off.

I live in Columbia, SC. My friends, fellow skinners, and any one who reads this, if you know of someone near me (I will drive..to Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee...almost anywhere I have to) that would like to take my dog, email me please.

32,997 views 189 replies
Reply #101 Top
Bump
Reply #102 Top
Hi, Bonzai!
-11 here, chill -30
schools closed
Stay warm and happy
Here's a double ear-skritch for ya: * *
Reply #104 Top
No help from Twyla's friends . . . 
Reply #105 Top
We still have hope.
Reply #106 Top
Maybe we could start an email campaign... Write an email telling the story and requesting help from the Dog Whisperer. Post it on every site that you can preferably as news, so more people see it. Ask them to send to all their friends and to the Dog Whisperer, once their servers start getting choked with emails they will be forced to send him out!

I know it sounds a tad militant, but it might be effective...
Reply #107 Top
#106: Worth a try...
Need slightly more explicit instructions, I think, unless I have another cup of coffee and a small insightful spiritual experience. Will step outside in the -8 weather for a minute...
Also feel like running this by Po' first to get his o.k.  
I like the idea, it's a positive move and takes it to the next level.
Reply #108 Top
It's ok with me. I am not sure what else to do.
Reply #109 Top

Help!

Just a test, to see how my photobucket thing works for this...

Reply #110 Top
It's a great idea to me and I would be glad to send an email or 2 or .....
Reply #112 Top
ok Po write us up the email requesting help from the dog whisperer, including his email address. oh and yours so he can reply. we can then start spreading it.
Reply #114 Top
good idea, it wouldn't hurt to include some pics in the email. everyone love cute doggy pics
Reply #115 Top
Note to Po': How old's Bonzai and is he "fixed"? Shots current? All that ad-in-the-paper stuff...
Reply #116 Top
Bonzai, are you eating this attention up boy????? *rubs Bonzai on his head*
Reply #117 Top
I don't want to rain on anyones parade, but I feel it's important to tell you something. I've worked for a local no kill animal shelter running the phone lines for a couple years. The one thing that is never encouraged is newspaper articles and the like advertising free animals. So many of those who say they want the animals are actually people from experiment labs looking for....
Anyway, among friends you have nothing to worry about, but out there in the world there are many people dying to get hold of animals they can experiment on or torture.
It is a very sad fact of life and one I have a hard time coming to grips with.
Reply #118 Top
Thanks, Cindi. That's a very real concern, and something most of us would never even think exists. That's so scary the bottoms of my feet are crawling!
Reply #119 Top
I know. I never thought of it or any of the horrible things I have learned from working there either. It will give you nightmares. Hell, it will give you daymares too.
Reply #120 Top
The one thing that is never encouraged is newspaper articles and the like advertising free animals


True.

How old's Bonzai and is he "fixed"? Shots current?


3 years old and fixed. Shots are good until March. Toe nails need clipping. Wife hasn't been able to help with that since it takes 2 people to do it with the way he is. One has to distract him and hold a half pound Kong filled with frozen peanut butter and kibble while the other clips. Tried taking him to the groomers once for the nails and had to muzzle him. I hate having to muzzle him, it breaks my heart.

I think the Dog Whisperer may be out at this late point. My wife is concerned about when she is home alone with the baby. For some reason, I am the only one he listens to when he gets too excited or fearful. Probably cause I have a big loud yankee mouth.

His worst habit is walking around with socks in his mouth. he doesn't chew them, he just gets nervous and walks around with them in his mouth. He will chew little things like Blistex, Chapstik, and 20 dollar bills, and contrary to popular opinion, the 20's are NOT retrievable. He sleeps in a crate. He LOVES his crate. First big dog I ever had that preferred a crate. We keep it by the bed. He's not wild about cars, they make him nervous. He likes to stare out the front window. We raised him the first year with another , smaller dog, and they got along well. He's NEVER had an accident in the house, not even as a pup and has never chewed anything other than what I mentioned..oh,,,and he likes to chew kleenex, napkins, paper towels, and much to my step-son's displeasure, Superman, Batman, and anyone who is of good standing with the Justice League.

Reply #121 Top
I should mention, he is used to being his crate when we are out at work or out of the house. He goes right in when he see's us getting ready to go out in the morning. He's never actually had run of the house when we weren't home. Something else I never did with a big dog, but like I said, he loves his crate. And of course, the crate comes with him. It's a large wire one, coated with the black rubber and in excellent condition.
Reply #122 Top
Po', he sounds perfect for a lot of people. My female chews up pencils or Anabel's dolls and Toby's legos occasionally, walks around everywhere with a tennis ball. No rhyme or reason. They've got the run of the house but we never leave them for more than four hours max. Sailor sleeps on his back so I can usually get in a snip or two on his nails before he wakes up fully.
3 years old is prime-time, lots of miles to go and still trainable some. Also mellowed out a lot at three.
Bumpin' it over here, boss...
Reply #123 Top
Bump 2
Reply #125 Top
The last bump before I retire for the night. Sleep well Bonzai.