Adopting a "difficult" Dog

Adopting a dog isn't something one should do on a whim.

After the loss of a beloved dog, a person needs to grieve and let enough time go by before looking for another companion.

We made the mistake of getting another dog soon after our much loved Doxie died. 

Doxie #2 just didn't have the same personality as Doxie #1.

 While the dog was wonderful in many ways, we compared one to the other often.

Doug the Dog was difficult.

He was a protector and a hunter.

While those traits are admirable, Doug took them to the extreme.

He often guarded his bed, his room, his people and his toys.

He snapped easily and quickly if you weren't paying attention. 

He marked his things and his territory.

He went out hunting every chance he got,

sometimes bringing his victories into the house.

He dug out a small trench under the bushes and laid in wait for rabbits to hop past.

We loved him and missed him very much when he died but we acknowledge the fact that he was difficult.

It's not impossible to love a dog that exhibits traits we don't like as long as there are moments of pure joy.

He loved to cuddle, he was fun to watch and he really did like to dress up. 

These are the great memories we have of him.