Hee. I'm sure I will use it for something, Truds.

Like Mondays. Or painful hangnails.

Hangnails on Monday?

You guys are so nice with the animal caretaking. Ex-wife's annoying dog got out of the yard last Saturday night at 4 am, and so I was driving around the hood at 4:30 am, whistling, and all I could think was "Damn, I hope he's lost for good."

I am a horrible person. I don't want anything BAD to happen to him; I just want him to go away, to a nice farm or somewhere he can shed and be hyper and try to eat the cats ELSEWHERE. I have no emotional investment in this dog, and neither does Dan. Ex couldn't take him when they moved because she rented a no-pets house, and now they are in Pennsylvania and she all "Oh, there are mean dogs to both sides -- we need to put up a better fence." And she had the gall to bitch when the lady who found the dog called her number, which was on the tag; she emailed "This is silly -- you need to change the tags."

Which pissed me off -- I was tempted to write "Yes, it is silly. IT'S YOUR DAMN DOG. It's been 2 years!"

She pulls stunts that end up with M. calling and saying "Mommy says that Arthur isn't Mommy's dog or Daddy's dog; he's MY dog, right?" So D. doesn't want to be the baddy who gets rid of his son's dog, and ex keeps coming up with excuses, and we have this dog neither of us wants so his son can stratch his ears once a week for a month and a half every year!

So -- I WAS a bit relieved when he got out. And felt bad for being relieved. But (le sigh) he came back.

D. has way more moral compunctions than I do, because I want to find him a nice home somewhere with sheep or goats or something, and then tell M. "He ran away." M. plays with him for about 3 minutes every visit, anyway.

And he barks. Shrilly. At everything. And sheds. Pounds and pounds. And vomits and shits if we leave him for more than a day (with a watcher coming in.) And must have expensive dog food for his nervous stomach. And we can't get him fixed because she "might want to breed him someday." (He's 8.)

Good god, I just realized he's the canine doppelganger of the ex.

Wow, the ex really wants to stay around without having to BE around.

I can understand M wanting to know "his dog" is waiting for him. Maybe you can find a family where the pup could get lots of fresh air and exercise but M can visit when he comes to town. I'd certainly adopt a dog with that condition. Hell, I'd even lend the dog back to you for the kid's visit. Open Doggy Adoption is the wave of the future!

Kinda like some dates I've had, actually.

...ahem. Isn't there a certain b.org legend about someone who horked on a ...date? IJS.

I too had to breathe very carefully when they were fitting me for the nightguard thingie.

(And I second the "Open Doggie Adoption" concept, because damn. I would so not have the patience)

In fact, that would be a GREAT way to adopt a dog. I'd plan vacations or construction for while the dog was at Summer Camp with you.

You don't have to love it, Erin, but I think you can take responsibility for it. Fix it. Get some help and train it ( i have many friends that have been able to help dogs that were anxious) I know you don't want to , but your husband wants the dog as a connection to his son however tenuous. but you can make your life more pleasant. And ex doesn't want it -- not if she is telling you to change the tags

fixing and training would make it easier to find a home

The dog needs to be fixed and he needs training and someone who cares.

If you guys are taking care of the dog, you guys can decide to get the dog fixed. Do it ASAP. It's probably easy to project some of the issues with the ex onto the dog. But he really just needs a bit of training and some love. If you think of the dog as yours instead of the ex's, the emotional investment might come.

I grew up with dogs; I give him training and toys and baths and walks and scratches, and is much better behaved now. Don't get me wrong; he's got a good life. He's a cute dog, but neither of us want a dog. Cats are our speed.

I would be ALL OVER an open doggy adoption; I may have to look into that. And you guys are right; I need to have Dan tell her that le doggy needs to get fixed ASAP. She's not going to take him, therefore she's not going to breed him. He has no need for balls, and he would probably be a calmer pup sans testes. She keeps putting it off and off, so...sorry chica, you had your chance!

Just sayin' he's a happy doggy and not mistreated in any way; I just wish -- for his sake, and yes, mine -- that he could belong to a home that actively wants him. I'm kind, but not invested.

An open doggy adoption is probably do-able since you could really take your time and find the right family.