[oldvirginian]

I have had several dogs, all the outdoor type.
My wife had a Jack Russell she kept in the house.

As our kids had gotten older she wanted someone around as I was a long haul trucker.
She said something about a baby, I told her to get a dog.
When I came home at the end of the month I quietly crept into the house at 6 am while everyone was still asleep.
Suddenly there was a ball of growling fury attached to my ankle! And it wouldn’t let go!
My wife ran into the room and disengaged the furball from my ankle.
That home time was a disaster. Dang dog spent the whole three days growling at me.
It took four months for the mutt to realise I belonged there.

Unfortunately after my wife died the dog was never the same. Wouldn’t go outside even though I had a dog door for it to use. She started urinating on the floor, then I had to watch where I stepped because she would poo on the floor.
I was trying to work through my own grief and it was too much.
I found her a nice home and let her go.

[mairdie]

I'm so very sorry for the loss of your wife. That's heartbreaking. I forget how dear my husband is until we car caravan and he's suddenly out of sight and I panic. I'll hug him tonight. Your story was hysterical, and I'm sorry the dog and you never bonded. Good you found it a good home.

I'll also play Big Wheels in the Moonlight tonight and think of you. Husband parked on the side of SO many highways so I could videotape oncoming trucks. I hope it's been a deeply satisfying profession.

We got an RV that he was never able to drive. 37 feet was just too much. We got as far as the Mississippi before he pulled off and said the trip had just ended as he couldn't cross the bridge in a bus. So we spent a month in IL watching soybeans grow. Actually loved it. Drove home at 30mph on highways with me in the car detached behind to save him from big trucks. A kind person parked it in our driveway and it's been there ever since, an extra room on the house.

[left that other site]

I am so sorry for your loss.

I got Lynn-Dah (Lab/Chow) after my husband died. She was with me through the loss of my house, two moves, a thirty hour trip to Boston to take care of Mom(whom she fell in love with), Mom's Passing, and another move. She passed away a year after experiencing 2 new England Winters.

I only lasted 2 days "dogless". My current BFF Penny-The-Prancing-Pitbull was a rescue from Boston's inner city and is a total sweetheart.