Comments on Monday Memories-Regret

Can you believe the great blogging friends we have Blaze?

I would really like to thank everyone for their comments for yesterdays post about my regret for not acting on Blaze's instincts and without knowing it sent her to an abusive home, until we got a call for her return. 

I know that there was no way of knowing even with the best screening, but what struck me the most were your comments about the follow ups we did with each of the dogs and how that was probably the reason these owners called us to return Blaze and Chance.  My husband has told me the same thing a hundred times, but I just couldn't see it.  (besides the fact it was coming from him.  LOL)  But you all said the same thing as I repeated the story.  That made it powerful.  Visiting the dogs their first year was part of our contract with the new owners.  It was important to us to see how the dogs were adjusting, how the families were handling things and most important to know if anything was ever wrong they always had a place to come back to.  We believed in that 100% and it looks like we are not alone.  We had watched these little puppies be born.  We had nurtured and cared for them as if they were our own children.  We just couldn't drop them in strangers hands and never know what happened to them or how they were doing.  It also helped us in letting go of them to their new owners.  We had become quite attached to all of the puppies and if it were up to my husband we would have never given a single one up.  :)

I wrote up little puppy book for each owner containing things like when their shots were due, their feeding schedules and amounts and basic things about owning a puppy for the first time.  I had cards of each puppy with a photo of the owner's puppy at four weeks old and a little birth certificate.  As the litter got smaller and smaller, it became more difficult letting them go.  Ten puppies reduced to about four in a matter of three weeks was significant.  It was more relief on my part, as I had done most of the care, but my husband had a very traumatic time with it as his work schedule suddenly increased just after the puppies were born.  It was a very trying time for him.  So when we were able to visit, it helped both of us with the adjustment of the puppies being gone.  Most of the puppies were doing fine including Chance and Blaze.  It wasn't until after the third visit with Blaze that we starting noticing a difference with her and knew something was up. 

Blaze was telling me long before that she wanted to stay with us.  I do believe that.  Yes, hindsight is so beautiful and much easier to see then at the time, but it was our love of those little creatures that came into our lives and a need to protect them even though they were part of someone else's family.  It was out of love that we needed to see that they were taken care of and be able to reunite for a few minutes with our 'grandbabies.'  Thank you for understanding that passion, not judging and helping me let go that regret knowing that you believe we did the right thing.  Your comments mean the world to us.  Thank you for everyone sharing our thoughts and acknowledging them.  I guess like dog minds think alike.  :)