I really feel for you, it must have been such a hard decision, but it does sound like it was the right one.

As others have said, I'm sure there will come a time in your life when a dog will fit in well (I had to wait over 15 years, but that time did come) and at that time, I'm sure you will both make wonderful owners.

Until then there are other things you can do - why not consider helping out at your local rescue in your spare time - this will give you a really good background in dogs so that you will have much more experience and be far more prepared next time round.

And please, stay a regular dogsey member, it doesn't matter to us that you don't have a dog of your own.

Thank you all. I've just had another conversation with Gill and she said that Bailey is fine. Bailey is going to have training with a £35 an hour trainer to help her learn to play and learn all the other stuff she needs to know (like "heel"!). Gill has promised (although we wouldn't have chosen her if we didn't think this already!) that Bailey won't be going to just any home. She'll be going to a home that can "bring her on" and help her.

It made me cry again!

We miss her so much.

Hali - have been in contact with our local rescue (Bailey's rescue isn't "local" its about 50 miles away - our local rescue is about 10 miles away but is a "general" rescue) but they said that they couldn't use our help because we can only help at weekends and they said they have loads of people helping at the weekends!

Really sorry this has been a sad experience for you but it sounds like that you made the right decision for you and Bailey. I am sure it was heart breaking and it is wonderful of you to support her as you have done by getting her vaccinated and paying for her boarding.

Hopefully, in the future, you will be able to have a dog. If you wanted to get some more experience it might be a nice idea to volunteer to walk dogs at a rescue centre, then you could have a doggy fix and gain experience. Everyone has to start somewhere, and hopefully your next doggy experiences will be positive ones.

Sounds like you have done more for Bailey in the time you have had her than the last owners did in the years they had her.

So sorry to hear this news, Sarah.

Perhaps a bit further down the line would be a better time for you and your OH to have a dog.

I'm sure there's a perfect dog out there for you, and you would be the perfect owners for it - you just need to meet when the time is right.

Hugs honey x0x0x

Sorry, i repeated the adivce from Hali to volunteer at a rescue. The other place you could try is the Cinamon trust, they link up people who would like to walk dogs with Elderly or disabled people who have trouble walking dogs. That might be a rewarding thing to do.

What a wonderful idea ... I shall look that up over the weekend. Need to remove all of Bailey's stuff from the house first (my OH can't be in the same room with it at the moment)

I really feel for you, but, you have done the best from Bailey, and you have been the link to get her out of her last home and on to a new life. Even if she is in kennels for a little longer than you would like you know that she is being well cared for, well fed and trained to become a more secure dog. You have done a great thing for her.

Well done for making what must have been a really hard decision. As everyone else says, never say never!!

I thought that would happen. It is best all round. Don't feel bad, Bailey will end up with a good home that has the time for her.

I agree with the others, don't say you won't be having a dog...you had a bad experience that's all. You have now done your best for Bailey. Keep looking and planning, the right dog for you will be out there.

You have done the right thing, and it was a bad experience for your first rescue dog.
Not all rescues are like that.