MechWolf
Lurker
Hello everyone! I would like to hear some opinions about what to do on the situation I'm facing:
So, I recently went to my grandma's farm, and there I found this lovely female dog (is it ok to call her "bitch"?) called Koda. She started jumping on my leg as soon as we met, and I returned the greeting with some head pets and scratches. The days passed, and lots of cuddling, playing and running happened. It would be all fun and games, weren't for the fact she's trapped all the time in a small porch, except when she gets a way out by herself. The reason for this is that she likes to run after (and eventually kill) the chickens, and also to make a mess in the house.
Taking that into consideration, I asked my grandma if I could take Koda with me (I'm soon moving to a small apartment in a big city to study Engineering), and she quickly agreed, in case I could take care of the dog. My idea is that she would still be restricted to a small space, but could receive proper care and love, and we could go for walks and exercises on a daily basis.
The problem is that, after a bit of research, I found she's actually a Blue Heeler (or Australian Cattle Dog), a breed made to work on the big australian fields, which make them a very energetic and space-demanding type. This is the complete opposite of what I'm going for in the college life. But then again, either in the city or in the farm, her usual amount of space would be about the same, except that she would have a couple hours of daily walk with me.
Another thought I ran across is the time. Studies, specially Engineering, can be a hell of a time and energy consumer. Sum that with with an eventual treineeship. I get afraid that at some point I would be so tired I wouldn't be able to give the attention she deserves. But hey, college is a temporary compromise. Maybe Koda could handle some days without exercises? She's still got a whole life ahead, after all (her age is only 1yo). Also, on the other hand, having a dog as a company could be an incentive to live a healthier life with more disposition.
Overall, I must say I fell in love with Koda. Her ability to show affection and communicate is something I've never seen in any other dog. On my last day in the farm, I went to the porch to kiss her goodbye. She always get damn excited just by the sound of me coming by, but this time she was chained, unlike the other days. I tried to play with her, but there wasn't any willingness on her side. No single word was needed to understand what she felt. This only made me more sure that I'm willing to make sacrifices to give her at least some of what's being denied to this dog.
So, I recently went to my grandma's farm, and there I found this lovely female dog (is it ok to call her "bitch"?) called Koda. She started jumping on my leg as soon as we met, and I returned the greeting with some head pets and scratches. The days passed, and lots of cuddling, playing and running happened. It would be all fun and games, weren't for the fact she's trapped all the time in a small porch, except when she gets a way out by herself. The reason for this is that she likes to run after (and eventually kill) the chickens, and also to make a mess in the house.
Taking that into consideration, I asked my grandma if I could take Koda with me (I'm soon moving to a small apartment in a big city to study Engineering), and she quickly agreed, in case I could take care of the dog. My idea is that she would still be restricted to a small space, but could receive proper care and love, and we could go for walks and exercises on a daily basis.
The problem is that, after a bit of research, I found she's actually a Blue Heeler (or Australian Cattle Dog), a breed made to work on the big australian fields, which make them a very energetic and space-demanding type. This is the complete opposite of what I'm going for in the college life. But then again, either in the city or in the farm, her usual amount of space would be about the same, except that she would have a couple hours of daily walk with me.
Another thought I ran across is the time. Studies, specially Engineering, can be a hell of a time and energy consumer. Sum that with with an eventual treineeship. I get afraid that at some point I would be so tired I wouldn't be able to give the attention she deserves. But hey, college is a temporary compromise. Maybe Koda could handle some days without exercises? She's still got a whole life ahead, after all (her age is only 1yo). Also, on the other hand, having a dog as a company could be an incentive to live a healthier life with more disposition.
Overall, I must say I fell in love with Koda. Her ability to show affection and communicate is something I've never seen in any other dog. On my last day in the farm, I went to the porch to kiss her goodbye. She always get damn excited just by the sound of me coming by, but this time she was chained, unlike the other days. I tried to play with her, but there wasn't any willingness on her side. No single word was needed to understand what she felt. This only made me more sure that I'm willing to make sacrifices to give her at least some of what's being denied to this dog.