I Need Help with Olive the Cattle Dog Mix

[davidcave1]

In 2012 a little cattle dog mix showed up at my house. She was skinny and hungry so I took her in. I told myself I would hold on to her until I could find her home or find a home for her. I lived in a town that only had a kill shelter so I did not want to drop her off at the pound. I never found her home and I got a little lazy trying to find a different home for her. It took me two months to pick a name for her because she was not my dog but eventually I started calling her Olive. After having her around for a few months, my other dog, a Golden Retriever, died very unexpectedly. So then I kept Olive around because I was missing my dog.

I found Olive 3 years ago and since then I quit my job and started law school. Olive has been with me for 3 years because I just gave up on finding her a home because I was so busy.

The problem is that I’m not happy with Olive around and Olive isn’t very happy with me. I cannot give her the kind of attention and exercise that she needs. I take her to the dog park, go on walks, play fetch in the yard but it is never enough. My Golden Retriever had been easy to train because he was so willing to please me. Olive on the other hand is so independent and I’ve had a difficult time training her. She isn’t a bad dog and has pretty good manners, but every single day I’m fighting her for my position as the boss. It is exhausting. I end up angry with her almost every day and angry with myself for not being a better dog owner to a dog I never really meant to own.

Olive is a very loving, sweet dog. I love her very much, but when I think about possibly having her around for another 10 years I realized how dumb I was for taking her in out of the kindness of my heart instead of being logical.

I have decided that I want to find Olive a new home where she can be happier. It was silly of me to never find this dog a home because I got lazy. I love her but I never would have picked out this type of hyper, independent dog.

I feel really bad because I made her my responsibility but I’m frustrated and tired. I still do not want to just surrender her to the pound because I’m afraid of her not getting adopted (even though she is very sweet, cute, and isn’t aggressive). I do not know what to do, but Olive needs her real forever home.

She is about 4 years old, fixed, up to date on all shots, and we live in the Dallas/Fort Worth Texas area. Do you have any suggestions?

Olive

 

[seekalways]

@davidcave1 I think that realizing that you are not a good fit for each other is much better than both of you continuing to live unhappy lives. She's healthy and is coming from a good home and I'm sure someone would love to take her in.

I have no experience placing or working with the adoption of dogs, especially in Texas, but maybe reach out to the Australian Cattle Dog Rescue organization?

Or, check facebook and see if there is an Australian Catte Dog Rescue group in Texas specifically. Other than that, maybe just look for rescue organizations in your area and reach out to them? Good luck!

 

[davidcave1]

@seekalways I have sent an email to a Texas Australian Cattle Dog rescue that will hopefully let me advertise her and any adoptions will go through me.

Thanks for the reply. I needed to hear that I'm not a horrible person for wanting to find her a new home.

 

[seekalways]

@davidcave1 Not at all! Being a bad owner would be neglecting her, abandoning her or putting her down. This is the best solution for everyone! She'll be happy and you will be, too!

 

[michaelo]

@davidcave1 You're doing the right thing man, don't beat yourself up. I'm in Tulsa and if I had a bigger house I'd totally take her. Might want to also contact Oklahoma ACD rescue and see if they will advertise her because it isn't a long drive at all into Dallas/FTW. Good luck, she looks like a sweetie!