I'm completely and totally just fed up today. I really am. I'm trying to be positive, but it just isn't panning out. And MrNV being out of town for over a week is really not improving my demeanor at all. I'm not a single parent, not good at it and don't want to do it. Monkey gets upset when MrNV is out of town, and I don't blame him. But I'm really just generally pissed off at Roscoe the dog. I'm not a bad person, I've had dogs all my life. My parents were dog people. Growing up, I had a Great Dane puppy and raised him. He was my best pal, he would sleep on my bottom bunk and just be around me all day. If I went to play in the woods, he went to play with me. If I sat in the front yard, he sat with me. I loved that dog. And when MrNV and I moved in together, we bought Ivan at the shelter. A mix, and older dog. He had heartworms actually, but they hadn't tested him yet so he was lucky.. or they would have put him to sleep. Unlucky us, as we were broke, but coughed up the $300 for the treatment anyway. And that crazy boy lived for many years, and was another amazing pet. After he passed, we adopted Tara. She was about 2, and was a basic puppy type of dog. But she never ran away? Seriously. She would wander, but when you called her she came. We took Ivan and Tara on trips (different times, of course) and they were so much fun to have around. NEVER ran off in Colorado or other places. But Roscoe, I am at my wits end. Tonight was the frosting on the cake, with 2 of my neighbors that I don't know bringing him home.. and he was afraid to come in the front door. What have I done that is so horrible that my dog doesn't want to be here? He belonged to someone else before us, they had him for a year. They returned him for being 'rude'.. which I didn't understand. But our vet had to call them one day.. the scanner chip # was still registered to them, and it turns out he was an escape artist and they gave up after a year. He would take the dog jogging with him, and yet he still wanted to run away all the time. And this is the same problem we have. And it's 2 dogs in a row now. When we chase after him, he runs further.. and towards dangerous areas. This is what killed Rocky, so we try not to chase Roscoe. But they came to the door basically lecturing me on how they don't want to see him get hurt. And I do? What do I do when I have children running through the house and leaving doors open everywhere? And why doesn't the dog want to play with them.. instead of immediately hurdling the fence? And they're all, "Well, he's such a loving and sweet dog. And we have so much fun with him. And we just don't want him to get hurt. Can we arrange play dates for him and our dog?". And I'm done. Here are 'doggy play date' kind of people standing at my door judging me because my dog hates to be in my home. He won't sleep with our son, he sneaks down to the door in the middle of the night and stays there. We tried the electric fence thingy, didn't phase him. Purchased a remote collar so when he does run away, we could chase him and try to keep him from running... nope. And he really is a nice dog in the house. He's funny, and social. Except when he runs away, because he knows I'm mad. But it's not like I beat him with a stick? I yell at him, I've smacked him on the nose and told him he's BADDDDD! But not like skull fracture smack, just that annoying thump.
I'm just incredibly pissed off. I'm not a bad person. I'm not a dog freak, I don't lick my dogs face and sniff his butt. But I'm nice to him? And I pet him. And I enjoy his company, and feel safer knowing I have a dog in the house. And Monkey tries to play with him, but unless they're inside he runs off. Then Monkey gets upset because he thinks the dog hates him. I just don't know what to do. There is enough stress in life without tacking on a dog that doesn't want to be around. And then my neighbors treating me like some sort of dog abuser. I thought they were pack animals? Are dogs at the homeless shelters these days because they all want to run away?? Are there no loyal dogs anymore?
