Luna

*Note, this post is a tad bit graphic...read at your own risk!

We've known since we found out that we were moving that we couldn't take Luna with us. She was starting to get "snappy" with the kids and me and was getting close to 10 and we didn't think she could handle another move. Not to mention she had arthritis and just didn't move well even when we gave her aspirin, and the dogs were fighting more and more often.

However, last Friday before we left to go down to my parents Luna and Duchess got in a huge fight. We're talking scratched the wood floor, left chunks of hair all over the place etc. It took Stuart a couple minutes to get them apart. So, we scheduled to have Luna put down this coming Friday. We wanted her to live as long as possible, but we couldn't risk the kids being anywhere near a fight like that!

When we got home Monday afternoon they fought 2 times in less than 2 hours. Then, about 2 hours after we got home Luna growled at Duchess and another fight ensued. It took both me and Stuart to break them up and Stuart's hand shows it! I pulled on Duchess's tail and Stuart laid on top of them. We think the pulling on Duchess and Stuart being on top of them preventing Luna from moving at all caused her skin to rip away from her muscles on her chest. She ran into the boy's room before we realized what happened and just sat there shaking.

We called the vet to get her in to have her put down, and thankfully they got us in immediately and we were there within 10 minutes (Last week we were told the vet was on vacation which is why they couldn't get her in until Friday). Samuel and I were bawling before we even left the house, and Samuel chose to be in the room as they put her down. I know he was attached to her, he loved her very much. However, I think being home at the time of the fight and the ensuing panic didn't help him very much.

I feel guilty for not loving Luna like I should have. She was very much Stuart's dog and her shedding drove me nuts. However, she was a good dog. Hyper, but good.

When we got to the vet's office the vet said it didn't suprise her that Luna was fighting. I guess female huskies tend to be aggressors especially when fighting for dominance. She said that German Shepherd/Hounds (which Duchess is) aren't aggressors but don't back down from a fight. And so we wouldn't have to worry about her around the kids.

I wish there was some easy way to explain this to the kids. Phillip keeps asking when we are going to get Luna, he thinks that she is in jail *with Jesus Christ* (not sure where he got that besides that he thought Duchess was in time out for hurting Luna after we put her outside after the fight). Samuel cried and cried last night and was up until well after 10 talking with us about it. He prayed for her tonight, which I think is helping him...I sure hope so!