This weekend has been particularly busy because FarmWife has been occupied orchestrating the denaturalization of Citizen #10. Citizen #10 is the little red dog who, despite her copious mulelike intelligence, fears me in my evening reflective gear. She fears other things, too, and FarmWife feared that she was not experiencing high Quality of Life.
Quality of Life is frequently used as a measure of whether old foundered ponies should be euthanized, for instance, or whether Great GrandMaMa should be kept on a feeding tube, so it was with tremendous relief that I learned of FarmWife's proposed solution for THIS problem. Because our little Worry Dog was in the bloom of early adulthood, and because she was normal and wonderful in every way except that she was afraid of things here at Bent Barrow Farm, and because there's a simple and obvious solution to her problems (resocialization and conscientious rewards-based training), FarmWife found a new, DogCentric family for her! She is on day one of a trial period, and the predominant feeling here at Bent Barrow Farm is relief.
FarmWife has had to make some difficult admissions to herself and to her family in these past few days, but the general gist of these admissions (especially number 3) is very flattering to me, Fenway Bartholomule. I will share them with you:
1) "I [FarmWife] do not have the time, energy, and lifestyle for a challenging dog or a dog with training gaps." (I, Fenway Bartholomule, am not a challenge. I have no gaps.)
2) "I [FarmWife] know what Story [Citizen #10] needs but I don't have the time, energy and money to help her."(No price is too high, on the other hand, for the maintenance of me, Fenway Bartholomule.)
3) "I [FarmWife] have a limited amount of free time and money and I want to spend my recreational time with Fenway Bartholomule. He and my human family are my top priorities, and Story deserves a family where she can be a top priority."
(Italics mine.)
We had a happy update from the pending adopters this morning, and all signs point to a successful match. I imagine that Worry Dog, Citizen #10, has enough of the muleness about her to know a good thing when she sees it. I am happy to imagine the relief she will feel when she realizes that now she, Story Annabelle, is as important and as cherished as I, Fenway Bartholomule, have always been. It is important for a cattle dog to have these feelings, as it is important to a mule. May she enjoy them.
We will let you know how this works out, dear readers. In the meantime, cherish your mules, adore your dogs, and give your animal family the love, care, and stimulation they deserve. Walk thy dog, ride thy mule. Keep them company. We are called companion animals for a reason.
Love,
Fenway Bartholomule
I am sure everything will work out for the best. you took the thoughtful compassionate route
ReplyDeleteworking dogs are a challenge and she needs something like a cow farm family to keep her occupied
Thank you, upupaepops! The nice thing about her new family is that they are a farm-dwelling family of Humans and Dogs who take Dog Training Classes. This makes more sense for Story than a family of Humans and Larval Humans and Chickens and Goats and Rabbits and Mules and Cats and Dogs, in terms of Human Hours Per Dog.
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