This summer, my family got a dog; she was a foster puppy, and she was of many different mixed breeds, named Doug. Our older dog, Barkley, seemed down after the passing of our previous dog, so we decided to adopt Doug. Instantly Barkley did not seem to like Doug. He was very territorial over the yard and his toys, and would visibly tense whenever Doug approached him. Doug was fun to be around, as she was playful, would cuddle, and was full with energy, but this was unfair to Barkley. If Barkley and Doug could not get along, we would have to get rid of her. My mother and I could not decide, not because Doug would not be rehoused, but because we had never given up on a dog before. I hated the idea of giving up on a dog when she was so fun to be around, but if she could not get along with Barkley, then we would have to.
A decision like this should not be reactionary, but with people or pets, the emotional must be a hump to get over to see the rational, practical side. My dilemma resulted in that this affected me in a second hand way, and I felt selfish for picking the emotional side rather than the rational. I had hope that Doug, being a puppy, would simply grow out of it. I thought she may learn that Barkley did not want to play, but she did not. Evaluating the decision now, we probably should have never adopted Doug in the first place. We, as a family, were not ready to take care of another dog, and we misread Barkley. There was really not more to be done: Barkley and Doug could not be constantly separated.
Learning from this experience, it is important, especially with deeply emotional decisions to think with your head and not your heart. The main message resembles one of rationality rather than emotion. I do not view myself as a deeply emotional person, but when it comes to pets, specifically my dogs, then that comes into it. Hanging on when you need to let go, to make it better for everyone involved, is selfish, and it harms everyone. Doug and Barkley were better versions of themselves when they were alone. Doug will be a great dog for someone else, but not for my family. This decision was hard, as it felt like it could get better over time, but time and the end of patience met at a crossroads, and without the guarantee of safety, it was hard to endure.