Good Dog

It’s National Dog Day and it can’t help but make me smile and remember all the loyal dogs I’ve had in my life.  At an early age we had a pug named Fawny but it wasn’t until my adult life that I truly ever recall cohabiting with dogs (dog owner just seems wrong).

My families first dog was a rescued beagle named Petey. He was round and rough and the perfect companion for our six year old son. He loved the outdoors and to ride in the back of the pickup and bark and howl.

 

Our second beagles name was Buddy. He did not like the outdoors, was scared of everything, especially our black cat named Koko. He planted himself in the living room and was perfectly content watching the world go by from that very spot.

 

After a quick illness and the passing of buddy in 2011 I uttered the words, “I will never have another dog”.  But oh how I’m glad they didn’t stick.

 

On a February day in 2012 we ventured back to the animal shelter we first adopted Petey from. My husband and I now had an empty nest with all our children gone and we had done our research deciding on the Schnauzer breed, we’d watched the website of the humane society and were excited to see one come available. It was a white Schnauzer code name Scooter.  He greeted us with a big happy jump and a yelp but we soon saw the sign on the kennel saying "NOT FOR ADOPTION".  Our hearts sank as we learned from the staff that Scooter was no longer adoptable because he was being picked up by a rescue organization.  

 Saturday, is a busy day at the kennel and I know the animals must feel the anticipation and pressure of the continuous popularity contest, I decided that most of these animals were clearly instructed by the volunteers to sit up front, don't growl and look CUTE!  

As we made our way through the runs we came to an enclosure with the most pitiful pup you have ever seen, hair matted, curled in a ball on his make shift bed and not making eye contact with anyone.  There was something about his state of depression that tore at our hearts and we asked if we could take him out on the leash. 

Fritz at the shelter

And his first impression of us was not stellar as he simply turned away from us and walked to the gate. But our minds were made up to take a chance on this lonesome little guy we would name Fritz.

  

Fritz enhanced our lives in ways we didn’t know was possible. He was affectionate, comical, protective, intelligent, making us exercise when we may not feel up to it, go to bed when we may think of staying up later and most of all laugh at ourselves and him when we may be taking life to seriously. He made us fall in love with the Schnauzer breed and we met friends all over the world who also found them irresistible. He traveled with us both near and far, he was a part of us. But the biggest tragedy of dog ownership is that they are only on earth for such a short amount of time and we had to say a tearful goodbye to this very best boy.

It broke our hearts but we knew now how incomplete our life would be without sharing it with another rescue. So we met Archie like so many relationships begin, well on the internet.  He was in Birmingham Alabama at a Foster but through some great volunteers he found his way into our lives and has been stealing our hearts ever since.

Archie, just like all the others has had a personality all uniquely his own.  Even though he comes from the saddest of stories, born in a puppy mill and sold at an auction he does not hold a grudge against life and is just happy with the fact he has lots of love, plenty of treats and too many toys.

Archie's Rescue Day vs His First Day at the Groomers

 Fast forward to this month, how many times had I muttered I’d only ever have one dog at a time. But there he was another puppy mill schnauzer, sold at auction and needing to be re-homed. His markings made him a twin to Archie but with one floppy ear (literally just one floppy ear) and so with a short car ride Van Gogh became part of our pack.

 

As I think about the future and a way of signing off this blog  this quote comes to mind, "I wish I was half the person my Dog thinks I am."  Rescue dogs have a special resiliency that I admire even through the hardest of circumstances they learn to love and trust again.  So as I travel home to hug my dogs I know they will look me right in the eye thinking, “Yep, I saved a human today.”

Keep living in grace,

Michele