Walking the Walk

Losing Bella and the aftermath there of- -grieving, taking in a foster, contemplating looking for another forever friend has really put me through my puppy paces.  It is one thing to write about these events in the book and on this blog but certainly another to live them.

Bella & Me Feb 28 by Elisabeth Caren

Bella was no spring chicken when she passed; probably around 12 or 13, maybe? And so for about the last year or maybe six months, especially since the loss of my beloved dog from college, Tucker, I had taken moments as Bella and I did our daily routine just to say to myself: Betsy this drink in. Remember this time fondly because life is precious. Maybe I thought doing that, having that memory would help me control the eventual pain that I knew I would face when she passed.

Um, super good, control-freaktastic idea. But it still totally sucks to lose her. And I am sort of a basket case.

But instead of taking it easy and compensating for the fact I have had major problems sleeping, I somewhat-hastily tried to take in a foster dog.  Her name is Tiki; she is absolutely most elegant, beautiful 10-month old German Shepherd girl I have ever met. She was dumped by her family because she requires medicine that cost about 40 dollars a month. And while every penny counts these days, her former parents could afford it, but just chose not to and turned her into German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County which is a wonderful rescue group that everyone should know of and donate to!

Tiki

While I had never thought of myself as a German Shepherd girl, I love the group and this girl needed a foster. But sadly she was a bit too much dog for me. (I should have never gone for a younger dog, something else I write about in the book. Check out the Senior Dog Project for why Senior Dogs rock.) Tiki really needs a home, even a foster home with a yard (she never peed on the leash once in 3 days) and another dog to play with. I just couldn’t provide that for her. But if you know of anyone who might fit the bill please pass on her info. I do LOVE HER!

Ugh, so through heaving tears I brought her back to rescue- but thankfully GSROC is a rescue not the pound and Tiki is safe and will find great home.  That is why it is ALWAYS a good idea to adopt from a group. Dogs will be safe if it’s not a match and dogs have been fostered first so more can be known about them.

All that goodness aside though, having to bring her back made me, on top of feeling devastated about Bella, feel like an ass. What kind of dog person amd I?

And then I realized I’m a human dog person for lack of a better term. I realize, almost as I write this that I am not a perfect dog owner. Far from it and I hope that writing from that place will make more people relate to the book and this blog. Bella while loved more than any dog I know didn’t eat at the same time every day, and that sometime I left her for an hour longer than I should have. And while she went to doggie bootcamp to get along with other dogs, there was no way I would be able to maintain her good canine manners after the course ended because I couldn’t keep her training up for a variety of reasons which can be best summed up with I’ve been a single girl trying to live my life (dating working, etc.) And that doesn’t mean you can’t be a great loving dog owner. You just have to be smart about it and find the right situation for your life.

Clearly a 10-month old German Shepherd was not the right situation and I will find the right one in time. But just like anything else in life, I have realized the hard way rushing through or into something just isn’t going to take you anywhere you want to be. So I’m going to take my time, miss my baby Bella and see what the Universe sends my way.

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