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I just want to thank RRUS for helping us with Rocky and RRRinc for offering to help. ht

Our rescue coordinator and I had a misunderstanding. i thought she wouldn't take the dog back at all. She meant that she had to go out of town and couldn't deal with it til she got back.

I think people need to make sure they are really clear. Sometimes we take shortcuts in email and assume the other person knows what we mean. And of course, I was in a rather upset and agitated state when all this happened, so i was not quick to pick up on unsaid messages!

Anyway, a nice young man came today to pick up the dog. I'm glad it happened quickly because my husband was getting VERY VERY attached to this dog and it was quite hard on him to say goodbye.

All we wanted was for Rocky to be happy. He happily jumped into the volunteer's truck without a second thought. I think as long as he has a lap to sit on, lots of food (he's an eating machine) and a place to play without the temptation of livestock, he'll be a very happy dog.

All's well that ends well, I guess. I wish doing the right thing didn't hurt so much. i was getting pretty attached too.

Anyway, thanks everyone for your help.

I think we're going to remain a two dog family for awhile. When it is time for another dog to come into our lives, the good Lord will make it happen.

chris

>>I just want to thank RRUS for helping us with Rocky and RRRinc for offering to help. ht
>>
>>Our rescue coordinator and I had a misunderstanding. i thought she wouldn't take the dog back at all. She meant that she had to go out of town and couldn't deal with it til she got back.
>>
>>I think people need to make sure they are really clear. Sometimes we take shortcuts in email and assume the other person knows what we mean. And of course, I was in a rather upset and agitated state when all this happened, so i was not quick to pick up on unsaid messages!
>>
>>Anyway, a nice young man came today to pick up the dog. I'm glad it happened quickly because my husband was getting VERY VERY attached to this dog and it was quite hard on him to say goodbye.
>>
>>All we wanted was for Rocky to be happy. He happily jumped into the volunteer's truck without a second thought. I think as long as he has a lap to sit on, lots of food (he's an eating machine) and a place to play without the temptation of livestock, he'll be a very happy dog.
>>
>>All's well that ends well, I guess. I wish doing the right thing didn't hurt so much. i was getting pretty attached too.
>>
>>Anyway, thanks everyone for your help.
>>
>>I think we're going to remain a two dog family for awhile. When it is time for another dog to come into our lives, the good Lord will make it happen.
>>
>>chris

>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I'm glad to hear things worked out. I know you'll be sad for awhile, but nothing like the heartbreak that could have happened from keeping a dog who just couldn't safely live around livestock. God bless.
-----
Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series at www.veterinaryforum.com

I would like to reply to the messages about this dog.I have been out of the country and unable to respond until now. I am the rescue coordinator that placed this dog with this family. It was only with the understanding that this dog would not be in the yard off leash. He is a fence climber and I went over this several times before they took this dog. We didn't know about his prey drive and I warned them that they usually are strong. They also had previous ridgeback experience so I did feel they understood all of this. Within the first few days this dog did bite the goat, but didn't hurt him. I again told them don't let him off leash or near the goat. I said he could not be trusted. I feel sorry for the dog as it was not his fault. He is just doing what comes natural. He again was not on a leash when he killed the goat and my understanding was that the wife knowingly had the goats in the yard because it was so cold, she didn't want to leave them in their pen area. It was to far away or too cold.
As for telling her I would not take the dog back, that never happened. I told her I probably couldn't place him with another family and that I was leaving the country the next morning. This happened at 5:30 the night before we left. She told me then that her husband wanted to keep the dog and they would try to make it work, so I left town thinking the dog was safe with this family until at least my return. I am not really sure when she wrote to this list, but it could have only been 1 or 2 days after I left.