Professional Princess

As some might know, my little whippet is too old and has a serious health condition that means she cannot come to Australia with us. Our vet has advised strongly against it.

So it was agreed she would go and stay with my friend and dog walker who loves her as much as I do.

Because the thought of re homing her tore my heart out, I never ever thought I would have to consider it BEFORE we migrated.

Now recently, Rema has started to show the 'old dog' signs, such as confusion with time etc.

If she is left alone for an hour, she barks the place down, will eat several pieces of fabric, covers etc, whatever she can destroy, not to mention disturbing neighbours to the extent they think I am murdering her.

Then when I get back, its as though she hasn't seen me for 50 years.

I pay my dog walker alot of money (I wont say, but its alot) to have her for the whole 9 hours I am at work.

Rema seems so much happier there, its like watching a kid come home from the Nice Aunty's and back to 'bad mum' kind of thing. She refuses to eat and sulks.

It became so magnified in my head, that I convinced myself she was unhappy with me and living in my house was a chore.

When I worked as a veterinary nurse, Rema travelled all over London with me, stayed at whatever vet I worked at. She loved commuting, she loved the trains and jumps into my arms when approaching escalators as she knows the routine.

But she is too old for that now and my situation has changed and I no longer work as a vet nurse.

Anyway, turning a blind eye to her eating my bedspread and new blinds, I paid my dog walker to have her all day and Rema comes home at 7pm full of herself and her busy little day.

Now I have a broken leg and have given up work, I didnt realise how hard it would be tying my little dog to my crutches and taking her for a limited walk to the corner.

She has gone from doing field and forest walks to plodding along with me and crutches to the corner of my road to do her business.

So thinking long and hard about her love affair with her dog walker, I stayed awake last night and thought long and hard as to whether I should re home the feisty little whippet that has been through 'thick and thin' with her mad owner.

it's for the best, she would be happier, more walks, care 24/7' I sobbed to myself as this tiny elderly little dog curled up on my bed beside my plastered leg.

'What do you want Rema?' I asked the little dog, forgetting she couldn't answer let alone speak. She lifted her head with her grizzled features, white face and misty clouded eyes, staring at me for a minute, she rested her head on my broken leg and sighed.

Never ever did I think I would re home her before Australia, it never occurred to me.

Well if I and anyone else thought for one minute that the answer of this very difficult decision and question wouldn't be in the eyes of my dog, then they are mistaken because the answer to re homing her came to me the next morning.

Sliding down the stairs on my bottom with my crutches in my right hand and holding onto Remas Aztec collar (I bought that in Spain), I slid gently down the stairs with my leg throbbing. Really should have taken painkillers but hey ho.

I pulled myself up and took her lead and muzzle and balanced my crutches on the door.

Then I noticed her, I mean REALLY noticed her. She stood on the 3rd step up which I taught her years ago to save me bending down to leash her up.

Staring at me patiently as I fumbled around and tried to balance, her huge liquid brown eyes, grey face speckled with white and nearly blind eyes, her tail swished as she gazed at me.

The look on her eyes told me that she could be living in a cardboard box as long as she was with the person that rescued her from the travellers 10 years ago - me.

For what seemed like an age, I stared back and had flashbacks of the past 10 years of our dog/owner relationship;

The time when it was my graduation from Agriculture College, it was 2am and Rema, some farm boys and me wearing my mini dress and leather boots, decided to chase some poachers.

The time I smuggled her into a fashion shop and told them she was a hearing dog for the deaf.

The time Rema got banned from a pub for jumping on the beer drip tray to steal food.

And the time where Rema broke her leg chasing squirrels. She was in plaster for 6 weeks and I had to carry her up 5 flights of stairs 4 times a day for the duration. I never ever thought about giving her up because she hurt herself.

I then at that point, made my decision.

Rema's life had changed as had mine. It was different, maybe not as stimulating or active, but different.

Life is hard for me at the moment coping with her and my leg, but she is patient as I am determined.

And whilst I know I will have to re home her for Australia because it is in her best interest, I do know that until then, whatever happens to the furniture, Rema and I are for keeps and THAT is in her best interest.

So to all you people contemplating re homing or taking your dog to Australia, think long and hard about what is best for them and go with that choice.

We change, life changes and we adapt.

As for Rema and I, well she might not come to Oz with us, but her place now is in my flat, chewing my furniture and patiently walking with her owner to the block.

Through thick and thin.

(good luck to those that take their pets to Australia)

tracey.d

Another lovely post Sam, brought tears to my eyes. I hope the rest of your time together is as happy as the past 10 years have been

Tracey

steandleigh

Aww, what a lovely post. Good on ya for sticking with her.

Anne4Terry

Beautifully written from the heart. Tried to send you some karma but
I think you have to be a dog owner to fully understand, and I do fully understand. Best wishes to you both and I shall be weeping with you when you finally have to say goodbye to her.

Much love

Anne x

gobbyjock

Sam - you sound really fed up at the moment (hope you managed to have a nice birthday) It really is a big decision making your mind up about pets - you feel guilt whatever you decide. I know we are taking our boxer dog Eric (see my avatar) the only thing that worries me is that he will be 10 by the time we get to Oz and is already showing signs of slowing down. However I know I couldn`t cope with looking into his stupid lovable face and saying goodbye and leaving him here (my friend loves him to bits and offered to take him) I know it`s probably selfish of me but I also know I will feel guilty anyway so hey .

The A Team

You sound like a lovely person and Rema is very lucky to have you as her mum. For health reasons we can't take our beautiful cats with us when we go to Australia and it's going to break my heart when the time comes to say goodbye

Professional Princess

Im not too bad, leg is getting me down, it is really hurting at the break sight, even more so with the plaster one, suppose its being forced into position where as before, it wasnt.

I am use to walking loads, and doing my housework, none of which I can do, never mind.

I phoned Physio dept this morn to tell them I wouldnt be coming, when asked why? I said 'You know Ive been complaining of clicking for the past 6 weeks?' to which they replied 'Yes'

I added, 'Well it wasnt a sprain, Ive broken my leg and its in plaster'

She said 'So you wont be coming then?'

I thought that was priceless.

Must go, my grumpy old dog needs a pee and so do I. We have synchronised our pee times.

I might get a long funnel and pee through it and aim it on my neighbours head (PMSL) Wicked wicked thoughts.

Someone come and amuse me.

Still, I have the manchester meet to look forward too. BA are chucking in a wheelchair plus some assistance so I dont have to walk too far.

Ive just found my cat Gordon stuffed inside a brown paper bag, with only his tail sticking out. He was shuffling across the carpet, you should have seen him.