Feeling Bad Today

With the highest hopes and greatest intentions we adopted Zoe and welcomed her into our home.  Unfortunately, it's been a struggle to help her overcome her very skittish and scared outlook with humans.  At first we were encouraged by some small steps she was taking.  Like being able to walk into the house with someone next to her.  She has so many good qualities like loving to walk on a leash and be outdoors.   She's not aggressive at all.  She did great with being housebroke.  She's great with other dogs.  But with us she just didn't seem happy at all.  It was a challenge to get her leash on her without her waking in the other direction and not coming to us.   When our Granddaughters came over on Saturday she was a bit better with them.  Probably because they are smaller like her.   The saddest part was seeing how Zoe was getting worse.   She wouldn't take treats anymore or even food from our hand.  She would eat from her bowl just fine as long as we didn't stand next to it.  So on Sunday I called the folks involved in the prison program for some guidance on how to proceed with her.   In the program they offer a week trial period but after meeting her at the prison we were really confident she would be fine.  Zoe was an Amish puppy mill dog who was caged for 6 years and not loved or touched much by anyone.  She was just livestock to them and used to make puppies.   We understood she would need time to adjust, we just didn't bank on her not wanting any connection with us at all.   And also we understand she was here only a week.  But we saw how depressed she was getting, and how she was becoming more detached.  Not ever dealing with something like this we decided to return her to the prison program.  She was only in it for 2 weeks when we took her but we were assured by the prison that she would do better in a quiet home like ours.  After being with her, both Jack and I feel she really will do better in a family with kids and even better if there were other dogs around her.   So I took her back to the clinic and was assured by the Vet there that she would be fine and they will take our recommendations to put her in a home with kids and/or dogs.  There were other people interested in her and some even had experience with dogs like her so I feel we did the best thing for her.   So although I feel really bad it didn't work out, I feel in my heart it was the best move for her.   Some may criticize us for not taking more time with her but we lived with her and know how she was responding.  I guess this is lesson learned and also I have to give kudos to our son Jordan who really hit the nail on the head.  He came over on Sunday and said we probably jumped the gun on getting a dog so quick after losing Chubbs.  We probably thought she would be just like all the other dogs we've had in the past.  And perhaps we thought she would fill his place.  Not fair to her and a mistake on my part.  Anyway, to make the day even more sad, it's snowed all day.  Not a "stick to the ground snow" but a snow in the air kind.  Mother nature taunting us  We went from 80 degrees on Friday to 34 degrees today.  Sort of like my mood I guess!  Have a good week everyone.