Well, Russell doesn't live here anymore. Russell has been sent back to live with the man who gave him to us. Here's why.
He snapped at Rin Tin Tin two separate occasions. He never broke the skin and likely only meant to intimidate but that's no good either. Family pets should never feel the need to intimidate members of the family.
Within the first few days of Russell's time here, Rin Tin Tin welcomed him by laying an abrupt hug on him from behind. His reply was to show his teeth, growl, and snap at her. While he didn't get off scot free, I let him live. I let him live because I figured kids don't need to be jumping on dogs from behind. He was scared and he was new. We gave him another chance.
He grew to be an easy going, sweet tempered dog. He soaked up all the love he could get from me and Chuck and on many occasions, happily received love from Rin Tin Tin. But if she was doing anything other than petting him, like say running around the house pretending to be a wild jungle girl or sitting on the floor playing with her Cinderella figurines, he considered her a threat. It was as if he viewed her as another dog, rather than a human.
Once when I was petting Russell, Rin Tin Tin approached us (as children often do) and he snarled at her. He didn't want her to interfere with his pets. That wasn't the only time he growled at her. And he was incredibly strong to boot. He couldn't be trusted. What if one day Rin Tin Tin decided not to heed to his growls? Should a child feel the need to back away from a dog in her own home? Heck no. I mean, I am all for giving a dog his space, but dog's don't make the rules in this house. If a dog can't be even tempered enough to deal with his 'bubble's' surface being punctured without acting out in violence, then he doesn't belong here.
We began limiting his time indoors. He spent his days and early evenings on the arctic entry with frequent potty breaks. After Rin Tin Tin went to bed, we closed her bedroom door, and let Russell in for the night. This arrangement was not ideal. It was only temporary.
The last draw came when Rin Tin Tin woke up before Chuck and I. She walked into the living room (as children often do) and started to pet him. He growled at her. She popped him on the head as punishment. Then he snapped at her hand. No, she shouldn't have popped him. But she didn't do it hard. And where I come from dogs don't snap at people. Especially not the kid kind of people. He ended up getting her pinky into his mouth, but somehow managed to avoid breaking the skin. Rin Tin Tin began to yell out in fear, sobbing uncontrollably. Russell was punished. And relocated.
I hate that it had to turn out this way. I still believe Russell was a gift from God. Russell confirmed some things we already knew. Chuck sort of knew them a little bit deeper down than I did, so the time Russell spent here helped him to see the light. It was a light I could have never shown him.
A pointing dog is not a good family dog. And it isn't just because our pointing dog tried to eat our child. Hunting dogs (of the upland bird variety anyway) will forever be all about the hunt. Let them out, and they will run. They'll be on a quest for birds for miles and miles and miles. They will forget any children left at the doorstep crying for their beloved pet's return.
Pointing dogs are full of energy. If you live in Alaska, they'll have to be inside dogs for at least 5 months out of the year. Hunting dogs belong in spacious kennels with owners who can walk alongside them while they run, at least once every other day. Men with small children and full time jobs don’t have that kind of time to devote to a pointing dog. Hey, it’s true. Any pointing dog owning dads, with full time jobs, may not want to believe it, but it’s true.
And as much as Chuck loves upland bird hunting, he's a duck hunter at heart. Duck hunters need water loving retrievers. Having said that, another family pet is not in our immediate futures. We aren't quite settled enough for another dog.
I know Russell is in good hands and is likely happy. He most likely believes he was on an extended bird hunting retreat. We've got one less mouth to feed and a safer home. I am grateful for our experience with Russell. I am also grateful his former owner so willingly took him back. I am grateful that our friend Jeff Mason was making a trip to Anchorage and offered to let Russell ride along, then meet up with Russell's owner. What a wonderful solution for what could have easily been a costly and complicated issue. If that wasn't a God sent blessing, I don't know what is.
I agree with you and would have done the same thing :)
ReplyDeleteYou've done the right thing. Chances are, along with viewing her as another animal, Russell was nervous around Rin Tin Tin and her sudden movment (running, jumping and playing, like all little girls do) I would have done what you did as well, and I'm glad you went through the proper channels to keep both your daughter and the dog safe. (with your daughter being number #1 of course)
ReplyDeleteMy dog Noah is also nervous around small children, but (oddly enough) only little girls. Boys can do the exact same things and he wouldn't bat an eyelash. I keep him on a leash when two of my girlfriends with their little girls come over and he's with me at all times. If unsupervised, I put him in his crate after a walk. I would rehome him if I had a daughter he wasn't kosher with. Wouldn't sit well with me. Children come first.
I'm glad it worked out. I would not have been as patient as you well know.
ReplyDeleteOh my. I have been in that position and it's so hard to let go of something so trusting, so loyal, BUT never hard when my child was in harms way! You absolutely did the very best thing for Rin Tin Tin!
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's not worth it. I'm glad Chuck isn't too tore up about it. Lord knows ya'll have had some practice with that whole thing. Here's how you can feel better: Maybe Russell was wondering where his previous owner went and who the heck ya'll people were THE WHOLE TIME. No? Does that actually make it more painful? Um.. Sorry about that.
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's not worth it. I'm glad Chuck isn't too tore up about it. Lord knows ya'll have had some practice with that whole thing. Here's how you can feel better: Maybe Russell was wondering where his previous owner went and who the heck ya'll people were THE WHOLE TIME. No? Does that actually make it more painful? Um.. Sorry about that.
ReplyDelete