I'm so beyond bummed right now

[Kiltedfirepiper]

I was looking through my "freecycle" email and saw this

male irish wolfhound

this is a large dog that looks kinda like a terrier
owner is recovering from heart surgery and can't take care of it anymore
will deliver to you

and as much as I would LOVE to give this guy a home.....I can't because we can't afford a house rental in the comming months...just an apartment.

the ONE kind of dog I want, and I could get it for free......

(#$*@&@!!!!!!!!!

[Carolinascot]

I think that good opportunities come round more than once, just maybe not the same ones, Chin up and look for the next one if it doesn't work out...

[Spartan]

Sounds like Murphy's Law at work! Bummer. Condolences!

Keep your focus, and it will happen.

[auld argonian]

It's a possibility but I've always found that the really great pets somehow find you rather than you finding them. My beagle, little Skippy, my red striped cat Chili Palmer and my favorite rat Fay all managed to just sort of lure me in and make it clear that Destiny demanded that they come home with me. Some are foundlings...Skippy just showed up in the back yard one night, this nutsy Siamese Cat that we now have came in as an abandoned animal just when we were at the vet picking up one of our other cats...fate just has a way of bringing the right owners and animals together.

Have patience and it will come...

Best

AA

[Sionnach]

My heart goes out to the both of you. The time wil come when you can honior your wish, I am sure.

[IRISH]

...owner is recovering from heart surgery and can't take care of it anymore

look on the bright side- you're not the poor bugger recovering from heart surgery who's got to let his dog go...

[Pleater]

It is not just a large dog - the Irish wolfhound is HUGE.

I suspect that if you could afford to rent a house and then got a wolfhound - unless you were in an area where you (and the dog) could hunt for meat the upkeep of the hound might soon be stretching the budget to breaking point.

They need a lot of exercise, they are intelligent animals and require diversion -they are very loyal and get upset if their very own god is absent, it might take some time for the dog to accept you and there could be some difficulties as he mourns his loss.

Try to be philosophical about this - if you were intended to take on this animal you would be in an ideal position to do so, as you are not, it was not meant to be.

I hope that somewhere there is the ideal new owner for the hound, someone with access to land, with all the spare time necessary and with the funds to keep the dog and pay the vets bills, for they are prone to various genetic faults and being so large they can develop damaged joints if not managed properly.

Anne the Pleater

[Kiltedfirepiper]

oh dont worry anne, I've done LOTS of research on wolfies, I was friendly with the wolfhound rescue Assn. in Co. as well. as far as land goes, as long as you can walk them everyday you CAN keep them in a smaller place. but then theres the extra sofa you need, a twin bed, and I already planned on getting a custom trailer built with Ac/heat so they( we want two) can go on vacations with us. they are very loving dogs that ( from what I've been told ) will let someone steal everything in your house....but if that person goes towards his family in an agressive manner they will rip his throat out!!
I also only work 10 days a month, and the rest of the time I'm home with the kiddlets so a wolfie would NEVER be home alone
I'm in the process of helping this person find a home. I know a few wolfie owners here in town who are helping out as well.

Irish.....I never thought of it that way....thx for the perspective..

KFP

[Beertigger]

You've gotta get into corgis, instead ; )

All the heart of a big dog, with half the size.

[Pleater]

That's a relief - so many people see them as status symbols rather than an obligation of care.

They do have a lovely nature if the one I got to know fairly well is anything to go by. Murphy was still young and had the mistaken idea that he was a lap dog. The muckle eejit, as he was known, could just about get both front legs and his head onto the average lap.

Sigh.

Everyone he met was his friend - or possibly he just thought he'd found a new toy.

They do have some hunting instincts though - they are not attack dogs like alsations and dobermans, they pin down and kill with a bite to the neck. They can be trained to lie in wait for deer, though that is illegal here.

Anne the Pleater