Heartbreak

And just like that....no dog.

Last night, I got a call from Todd, the male breeder, (they are a husband and wife team) and was told that it's not going to work out because "he has a gut feeling" that Jenn and I are not ready to be lab owners.

When asked what gave him this feeling, Todd didn't have much to offer. Apparently, when Jenn was holding the dog in the breeder's yard on Friday, I made a passing remark about how she had some dirt on her coat (the dog was playing in the mulch) and apparently, this pissed him off. How do I know it pissed him off? He told me so last night, and then proceeded to tell me that labs are active, get dirty and require a lot of attention. He also told me that grass is green, the sky is blue and Eli Manning is the anti-Christ, so I know he must be telling the truth.

Jenn and I planned to pick up the dog this Friday. However, when I got into work yesterday, I realized that I wouldn't be able to take Friday off - the first time that's happened in my 4 years at Schwartz. The reasons were legitimate, so I harbor no ill will. I spoke with Mary Catherine, the wife, yesterday afternoon to let her know that we might have to push the pickup back to Saturday, and that I would let her know for certain today. She seemed completely fine with it. I can only guess that when she told her husband, he wasn't fine with it.

In fact, during the course of my 10 minute chat with Mary Catherine yesterday, she gave no indication that there were any problems. Nor was any indication of a problem given Friday night when we met the dog.

To be fair, I do respect Todd's position - he wants only what's best for the dog and if he has a bad feeling about us, then so be it. However, not only could he not rationalize his belief, he seemed entirely unimpressed despite the fact that Jenn and I arranged our schedule next week so that one of us would be home at all times, Jenn would be able to take the puppy to work for the foreseeable future, we have a completely fenced in backyard and open fields nearby (meaning the dog would get plenty of exercise) and we have been pining for a dog for quite some time.

Perhaps the breeders expect that whomever takes the dog will spend every waking hour at home for the next 6 months until the dog is house-trained, broken in and self-sufficient. Baring that, hard for me to believe any new owners could be as flexible and prepared as we were. Oh, did I mention we spent the weekend on a shopping spree for a crate, leashes, toys, food, and anything else that would be required for puppy ownership?

Hard to describe what I am feeling right now - a combination of sadness, frustration and anger. If you know me at all, you understand how unusual this is, as very little phases me. But the way in which this unfolded - with no real rationalization and 4 days after we came to an agreement - is absurd.

So what's next? From a timing standpoint, we lucked out with the dog no longer to be known as Vegas. By the time we identify other breeders and bring a new pup home, we're talking 2-4 weeks at an absolute minimum. Considering that Jenn will be gone for a week at the end of June and that we will spend roughly one-third of August traveling, it seems to make more sense to wait until the end of the summer.

I know what you're thinking and I agree - guess I shouldn't have skipped Passover dinner.