Here are the reasons why:
1. He wasn't getting the attention he needed during the day. He was a good natured puppy, but still a puppy needing more than I could give. He was using his energy to destroy our mudroom and backyard. Dan and I plan to eventually redo the mud room but having him chew up the baseboards, windowsill, and door frame was getting old! When I put him out back, weather allowing, he would hang out on the deck wanting to come back in. He tore to pieces the grill cover and started on the grill one day. He completely destroyed the sliding screen door. And when he did venture into our huge yard he figured out how to get up on the trampoline and found the one small hole and chewed it so big that we couldn't use the trampoline.
2. He really wasn't an aggressive dog, just a growing puppy! When the kids and neighbors were in the backyard he would jump on them constantly. Poor Abby got to the point that she wouldn't go into the yard with him. I think because they were at eye level, Buddy saw her as an equal and just wouldn't leave her alone no matter how hard Dan and I tried. Her golden locks were one of his favorite toys. We couldn't afford doggy school let alone keep up with repairing the things he was destroying.
3. Lastly, we just didn't know how to travel with him. Dan looked into kennels but they were too expensive. Making a trip to SC would be too difficult let alone trying to go out west.
Dan and I prayed about it, we talked to the kids, and decided now was not the time to have a big puppy. However, the only way we'd give him away was if we found the perfect person. We didn't want him crated all day or left alone too much. We found a great home for him within a week of listing him on craigslist. A bachelor from Pennsylvania, forester by profession, had just lost his 10 year old Golden Retriever 2 weeks before and was looking for another "companion". He took his Golden to work with him every day in his pick up truck. Buddy would be able to run in the woods throughout the day with constant companionship. Buddy would live on acres of land and would be taken camping and fishing often. His new owner asked us a lot of questions about Buddy and sent us a picture of him with his 10 year old Golden that had just died.
Even though we knew Buddy would be happier, man 'o man was it tough to say good bye. Of course the last few days before we gave him away Buddy was perfect and was the weather. Here are some of the picture we took on our last day with him, upon Tess's request.
He has sat on Dan's lap like this since he was a puppy, 7months old here.
This has been the toughest on Dan.
We received an update from Buddy's new owner the night he drove him the 4 hour drive to his home and got a picture with and update this week. Buddy's doing great.
Was buying Buddy a mistake? Absolutely not. The kids were terrified of dogs 8 months ago. Now they are not. I didn't not touch dogs 8 months ago. Now I do. I can even hold a puppy! We now know that we really do want to have a dog, I can handle it, just not with little kids and a new money-leaking home! Hopefully within a year or two we will be ready to buy another golden, in the spring instead of the Fall, and perhaps and older dog. It was the right decision, Buddy is better off, but we all miss "Bubby"!
With guilt money we have since purchased a new trampoline and a fun sit and spin swing for the kids that is now the favorite backyard attraction!
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