ADOPTION?

[CHOWCHOWMOM]

Help! I have 2 Beautiful 6 year-old female chows. AKC Registered, litter-mates, partners. The love I have for these two literally saved my life. Their world has been rocked the past two-years and the stability I was once able to offer...I am no longer able and their situation is going to without a doubt continually change for...??? The thought of putting them up for adoption is gut-wrenching and I am struggling with what to do...advice?

[Victory]

I'm not sure what you're asking for. Are you homeless or about to become homeless? Sick? Those are the only two reasons you should even consider putting two 6 year old chows up for adoption. Your chance of finding a home or homes for them is really small in today's environment first of all, and their being 6 makes them seniors and most people want younger dogs.

They don't care how big a place you live in, they don't care that you have to work and leave them for a time, all they care about is that you are there some of the time, and they are with their person. Stability for a dog is quite simple; "if my human is here, my world is fine." All the rest is gravey for them, and mostly stuff we think they need. I see homeless people here in the city, especially from spring thru fall, and they have dogs, the dogs are healthy, clean, well fed and HAPPY! they have their people and that tent by the river is just fine as far as they are concerned.

Too many people are deciding that their dogs would be better off without them right now, and the result is that many dogs are being put down by shelters that have no more room and also don't have any money to feed and care for the number of pets being turned in.

[CoraP.]

I guess I would need more information before giving advice. I'm like Victory...I really can't of a good reason for giving up 2 beautiful, bonded chows....especially to a shelter.

[CHOWCHOWMOM]

Thank you. I probably shouldn't have posted a request for advice...I honestly was probably looking for someone to tell me it was ok. I have been sick, I have lost their home and finding a place to live is difficult, even more so with two large dogs. However (smile) I would NEVER take them to a shelter...and would take nothing less than better than what they have now, together. Thank you so much for your replies..

[Zhuyos mom]

Don't worry, chowchowmom. Things will work out. I've been in life situations where I question how I would be able to manage all I need to do to make everyone safe + healthy + happy, make ends meet and make time for myself. Just think positive and it will all fall into place. Meanwhile, just hug your girlies and remember how much they love you!

[IliamnasQuest]

Thank you. I probably shouldn't have posted a request for advice...I honestly was probably looking for someone to tell me it was ok. I have been sick, I have lost their home and finding a place to live is difficult, even more so with two large dogs. However (smile) I would NEVER take them to a shelter...and would take nothing less than better than what they have now, together. Thank you so much for your replies..

If you're still around, I hope you see this. It sounds like you are going through much of what I've gone through the last several years. I was suddenly diagnosed with an autoimmune disease and I struggled to continue working but the disease destroyed much of my physical strength - to the point where eventually I had to stop working. I also had to move from the home I'd lived in for eight years, and I had FIVE dogs to take care of. I lived in some pretty uncomfortable places in order to keep the dogs with me (for 3+ years in a commercial shop building with no shower or kitchen. It wasn't fun and it wasn't comfortable, but at least I was warm and dry and I had my dogs with me - which made it worth it.

I've finally found a place that lets me keep my girls with me. I lost my three oldest dogs during the time I lived at the shop - two because they just got old, and one was killed by a moose. So I had one chow and one shepherd left. I know how hard it is to find a place to live with big dogs. I sympathize with you. If you still have the dogs and you're looking for assistance, there are a number of things you might try. Posting on craigslist, looking for a place, is free. Financial assistance is available through Public Assistance and/or disabilty (through your job or through social security, if you qualify). Places like Salvation Army or other church-based organizations will often help if you're in need. Food banks sometimes have dog food available as well as human food.

If you can keep your chows with you, you will probably be happier in the long run even if things are really tough right now. I know that at one point I was thinking "I may have to give up my girls for THEIR sake, because I don't think I can provide the things they need!" But I'm glad I didn't. We struggled through together - sometimes we both ate things that weren't really that nutritional but got us through at the time (actually they ate more nutritionally sound than I did .. *L*). I would rather live in a tent than give up my girls - and in fact I HAVE lived in a tent (one summer when I had dogs and cats and horses, I lived in a tent because I had no place to live and I wanted to keep all the animals).

Please try to find some help in your area and hang onto your dogs if you can. They will give you more strength than you will get anywhere else.

Melanie and the girls in Alaska\Khana and Tazer