Chewing It Over So Long...I Now Have A Mouth Full of Mush!

Personally, I am not a fan of Daylight Savings Time.
I am a morning person...and being robbed of an hour of morning daylight
is not a fair tradeoff for an extra hour of evening time.


After all, by evening I am tired and ready to sit and knit.


But because daylight lasts until 9 PM and later in the summertime,
I don't have time to sit or knit.
I know.... I could make myself sit.
But when the sun is up I feel like moving.
Truth be told, by 9 PM I am ready for bed.



I awaken early...too early to go out and get to work, because now the sun isn't up.
Why do we need to let the sun sleep in?
Will somebody please answer me that one?


Oh well, I suppose this isn't going to change just for my convenience,
so enough said.


Thank you so very much for weighing in with your opinions about
this potential dog adoption.
I've got to say, this is the hardest decision I have had to make.
And at the time of writing this blog post, I still have not made up my mind.


Why, you ask?
I'm scared. (And I am rarely ever scared of anything.)...scared of making a bad decision...
a decision that can potentially affect a whole lot of other lives here on the farm.
Gosh... I didn't have this much trouble deciding to adopt Oakley....
I found him online and adopted him from Kentucky (although the rescue group fostered him before we took him home and I knew he was a keeper!)
And Annie...what a mess she was when she first came....afraid of everything and everyone.
But it all worked out.


So, why am I in such an upheaval over this potential adoption?
I vowed to not be prejudiced by breed... and here I am with worries about the pit bull "half"
of this dog.
All of the "what-ifs" keep creeping into the dark recesses of my mind.

His strength is a concern...as I am not going to get any younger.
And although I am pretty strong from farm work, a torn rotator cuff
would impede my ability to continue taking care of the farm.

We open our farm to so many children... and that is a consideration.
As you have all voiced... it is truly amazing how well everyone gets along here...
what if we upset the delicate balance?


And I hear you.... I would give every unwanted animal a home if I could.
But, that's impossible... so choosing wisely is my best plan of action.


You asked if the fact that this dog looks like Annie is a factor.
It is what drew us to him in the first place.
Annie has turned out to be such a delight.
But basing our decision on this would be irrational.

If only I had a crystal ball to see into the future to make sure that everything works out.
But then, what kind of life would it be if we always knew what lived around
every corner?
I don't think I want that... but .... just maybe this one time!

And if not this fellow.... there will be another who fits perfectly into our happy little world.
One thing we remain committed to, however, is to adopt a rescue.

**********************************************

Addendum:  Hubbs and I had a long discussion with regards to this pup.
We are listening to our gut feelings.
We are going to continue our search for a rescue dog to complete our canine family.
Sadly, this particular dog will not be the one.
I am concerned with his strength vs. mine.
The "what-ifs" haunt me unlike ever before in our dog adoptions.
He's a good boy and will make someone a great companion...
but I think it might have to be someone younger and stronger than myself.
I am sad...but a little relieved.

Decisions like this can never be taken lightly for both the sake of the dog and the family.
It's poor decision making that has our shelters over-run with unwanted animals.
There are plenty of needy pups out there...and we have lots of love to give.
The perfect match will come along.
(The chickens are relieved as well!)


Not to mention our dear little Ivy, who is just starting to feel comfortable with our
present family of dogs!


Comments

Tricky Wolf said…
in my experience staffordshire terriers are the most loyal family dogs you could ever hope to own, they are incredible with people and children and have the muscle to protect their pack from harm. The only place they fall down is they can be aggressive to other animals they do not know, but that being said there are no bad dogs, just bad owner. Which you most certainly are not, so don't worry, you'll be fine!
Peter said…
Hopefully he will find a home that is a better fit. It feels like your "gut" is telling you something. You have such a happy family now it would be a shame to make a mistake and somewhere there is another dog waiting for you. My oldest dog had to be put down a month ago and I am checking shelters for the next dog that speaks to me.
Peter
colleen said…
I think you are making a very wise decision.....one that I'm glad I didn't have to make. As I started reading I was going to tell you to go with your gut instinct and I find out that's just what you did. Usually when we don't listen to the gut we get into trouble. I'm sure he will find a good home and you will find another that will fit in perfectly and you will just KNOW the right one!
Candice said…
Don't agonize of those you can't rescue...if this dog is as loving and willing to please as you say, the right person will find him. It's great that your shelter lets potential adopters take them home to assess the fit. Hopefully they can keep him long enough for the right person. Does your shelter have a Facebook page? Maybe posting his photo and story on social media would help. That's how we found our newest rescue.

Late last year we learned of a dog on a local Facebook pet page. The dog lived his life at the end of chain. The owner had agreed to let their neighbor find him a good home. The photos of the dog were precious and we were told he was a sweet boxer/beagle mix. We thought we could offer him a great home with a fully fenced large yard to run and play in with our two other dogs. We arranged a meet-and-greet with the neighbor to see if it was a fit with our dogs. Little did we realize that he was a LARGE dog (more boxer than beagle) and was stronger than either my husband or I could control on a leash. We felt he just wasn't the right fit for our family and would be more than our over 60 year old bodies could handle. A couple of weeks later, a cute little female chihuahua who someone had dumped in the country came to live with us. She has been the perfect fit for our family ever since. You will find the right dog for your family and you'll know it the moment you meet him or her.
Country Gal said…
Yes they are strong but then so are most medium to large dogs really and the Pitt bull part should not scare people as their reputation is because of the wrong people owning and raising them . Cesar Millan the dog Whisper owns lots of these breeds and mixed Pitts all rescues and says the same thing , my friend Daniel had one named Maggie and she was such a sweety and gentle around other animals and kids cause that's how she raised her to be . I do get what your saying and you do have to feel comfy and confident with another dog in the pack but you are the pack leader and the one that makes the call of judgement to what ever the reasons are . I hope he finds a good forever home . You did what you had to for your pack and farm and for yourself if you didn't feel right then better to be safe then sorry in the end for you all . Lovely photos , Thanks for sharing , Have a good day !
Anonymous said…
Hi Bev,
Don't worry over much about your decision. You know what's right for your farm and animals. Pitbulls and Pitbull mixes aren't for everyone. They are a physically and mentally strong breed. But also with that, they are loving and loyal. My friend never has had less than 5, she currently has 8. Along with 50+ free roaming chickens, a free roaming pony, a handful of ducks, close to 100 rabbits, fluctuating numbers of stray cats coming and going, a SUPER active 4 year old son, and many neighbor children. The pits came first, and she's never had an incident with the dogs against any of the animals. As a matter of fact, her huge, intimidating brindle male, is actually terrified of the chickens and avoids them, or tries to pretend they're not there. A few of the dogs needed to be reminded these funny sounding animals weren't to be bothered, but all in all, they've all gotten along. No worries, Bev, you'll find the next branch in your farm family tree! Best of luck and I look forward to following you on your continued journey!!

It's always a good idea to listen to gut feelings. Your hesitation and inability to decide really was the answer to your question, I think.
Bee Haven Bev said…
A quick word about out local shelter. This is a privately owned rescue that is a "no-kill" shelter. They keep dogs until they are adopted. It is a great organization and for this reason I have no bad feelings about leaving this particular dog there. Someone else will adopt him....and until that time he has a good life with lots of canine companionship and room to run.
GeorgiaHoneyBee said…
Good Morning! I am happy that you listened to you instincts. Instincts often keep us on the right track. If you are not this dog's forever family, then I know there is another family out there for him.
Kara said…
Deciding on whether or not to add a new member to the pack is never an easy one. Sounds like you made the right choice for your family. We have three rescued pitbulls and they are wonderful dogs. And that is what works for us. I hate when people make assumptions about the breed that are often wrong or based on misinformation - but that's where I have an opportunity to show people what incredible dogs they are. I'm glad you had a chance to foster him and help him find the right home. Fostering is so awesome! And that's how we ended up with crazy silly pitbulls and one silly border collie/lab. Good luck in your search - the pup you find will end up hitting the jack pot! :)
I think you made the right decision.
Bee Haven Bev said…
You may have misunderstood....we did not foster this dog...we only met him when the shelter brought him to our farm for a visit.....we just decided not to adopt him.
Unknown said…
When in doubt don't....Oprah. I use this one all the time to remind me that when I hesitate...there is a good reason...one I usually know deep down. I believe you did the right thing for you and the farm. The right one is just waiting around the corner. Good luck.
Pier21cdn said…
Whew, I think you made a right choice! Based on the strength of the dog and his willingness to use it at this young an age means he knows how he can use it to his advantage. It may take lots of strong training to control it..., he will always know you are not capable of stopping him if you ever had to depending on the situation. He may become Alpha with this knowlege. I have seen it in other strong dogs where they out power their owner or the situation. They are still, afterall, and animal with instincts. How they are with you maybe totally different with new visitors. It would be sad to change the welcoming reliable personality of your current pack. More dogs (male) may bring a shift... I bet you feel relieved to have made the decision. I know we your followers are!
Deere Driver said…
Good logic. Good decision.
Rose
I knew part way though reading today's post that this dog was not meant for you and your farm--so am soo glad that you have decided not to adopt him--you made a right decision here--so have peace about it--
love and laughter, di
This N That said…
Since the time change, we are sleeping in til 8:30 !!! Way too late.By the time all the morning commitments are done it's almost time for lunch..Hope that changes as we get used to it..A little sun would help!!
jaz@octoberfarm said…
i hate DST. it's so unnatural! i always listen to my gut. ivy seems relieved by your decision!
daisy g said…
Your gut will never steer you wrong. The right pooch will come along, rest assured.
Jessica said…
Reading this post before the edit, I was thinking you had the answer already! If you knew it was right to adopt him, you wouldn't have taken this long to decide. I'm glad you made the right decision, a hard one for sure to decide not to. If only we could save them all. The right pup will come along though. :)