Big Mark, if Harlee gives you joy, I'm glad you have kept her with you. Dogs are pretty darn smart and perceptive. Sure, maybe you can't give her the exercise you would like to, but you give her lots of attention I'm sure! We have a female Springer Spaniel, 6 years old. We live in a very rural area, surrounded by farm land and no major (paved) roads, so we are very fortunate that we can just open the door and let her rip around. She is the most energetic, frenetic dog I have ever been exposed to (I was raised with Irish Setters & Beagles, and we have had an English Setter, Cocker Spaniels, 2 Golden Retrievers and a Sheltie). Our Springer (Snickers) is a nutbag, but we love her!!
Pete, I'm sorry you had to give your dog away, and I really DO understand the torment you must have felt in doing that. As ShiftKicker says, you did it because you LOVED that dog, and wanted her to continue to have the exercise level she was accustomed to. Gutwrentching decision for an animal lover - I get it. I had to give away my dog (Irish Setter) when I was 15 because we were moving. I still remember the pain 'til this day.
ShiftKicker - Goldie's are amazing, huh? Along with all the confusion and fear with the suspected and then confirmed diagnosis of my husband's ALS, I had to have my precious, special, will NEVER have another dog like him, Goldie - Casey, put to sleep in late Sept/'15. He had cancer. I miss him very much. He was one of the 2 best dogs of my life. We were so blessed to have had him!