How much is that doggie in the window?
The one with the waggley tail?
How much is that doggie in the window?
I do hope that doggie’s for sale.
Pet shops & breeders are possibly still the biggest platform in securing your new fuzzy friend in a PLANNED addition. You know the breed, disposition, size & “look” you want. You begin the search.
Personal dog rescues(as compared with rescue “groups”), have become a pretty common UNPLANNED way for the new little or BIG guys for finding their way into your home & hearts. Some just show up on your porch or in your yard. Some you find along the highway wandering & obviously dumped… you just need to get him off the street to “another” place. Problem is by the time you get home, you are already in love.
Then there is that email from Susie at church. -Either she or someone she knows has a little “whatever” that needs a home… could you keep him “just for the weekend”? Of course they know in 2 days you will be hooked & more readily part with your left arm than Mr. Fuzzy.
The ways to get them is legion
So here is my story of how my “son” found his way into my Catty life.
A dog? Ha. No, double Ha. Ridiculous. Just had cats all of my MANY years – no way could I have a dog. My yard wasn’t fenced, I didn’t know how to take care of a dog, and I could go on & on why I wouldn’t consider a dog when friends would call or email me with a little fella in need of a home.
Cats were easy.. Travel? Just leave a big bowl of water, ditto on dry food & lots of litter in their box (which they will ignore anyway) Sure cats are often a nuisance, tear up your furniture & make your friends think cat urine is your perfume fragrance of choice, but most often added much more joy than problems.
No, no dog for me. I am “cat people”.
Most know I am an “outdoor” type. One weekend afternoon a couple weeks after 911 my friend John, 2 of his children & I were kayaking on the Cuyahoga River just north of the Akron area. Beautiful day to be out on the winding, interesting & varied river which finally passes through the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. before winding its way to Lake Erie in Cleveland.
Bathing suit weather it was… HOT & a wonderful day to be outdoors and around/in water. It would be about a 6 hour outing with a few stops to beach comb, collect golf balls & check out the treasures along the way. John normally brings his golden retriever but Chance is not as smart as he is pretty & often just takes off after something or other & forgets where his Daddy is. Phone calls from MILES away and hours later are then the relief that Chance has not become road kill or adopted by someone who chooses to ignore the ID tags.. So no hassle about worrying about a dog today! None at all. Zippo.
Down river kayaking is a wonderful & quiet experience.. You often come upon any variety of wildlife in water and on shore. But the tranquility was broken as about half way into the trip we go around a large bend & hear woowoowowowowo & there iN a drain pipe on the bank is a dog. Head up & howling at us. John is already shooting pictures by the time I get nearby. WOW, Scrawny looking dog & barking pretty fiercely. Probably will bite if try to go nearby. He is giving us the once over with his gaze.
Gee, I am thinking, I hope this dog is okay when we leave…
But what is now happening???. We are discussing taking the dog with us? He will die if we leave him in this unpopulated area. .hmm ~ well, I tell John we can find his owners maybe.
There is a collar not a tag. Not a good sign I later learn.
So we manage to convince the pooch to get into Johns kayak & the agressive demeanor turns into a love fest. The rest of ride pooch is licking, loving & buttering up his rescuer. John of course is reveling in it.
I tell John that if he can’t find the owner, he might be a nice addition to their household. He tells me he will be a nice addition to MY household & I laugh saying no way Jose. What a funny thought. John was NOT joking & when I eventually returned home the dog was IN MY VAN HEADING TOWARD MY HOME.
At John’s home it was decided that Oliver needed a bath. Whew did he stink. IF WE COULD GET HIM AWAY FROM CHANCE. The two dogs played well but their favorite game seemed to be HUMPY DUMPTY WHO IS ALPHA?. This NEW dog had so much energy.. just bounced & jumped & was a good match for High energy dolly - me. He was ALL OVER…. John started calling him ALL OVER.. not too many hours until that changed into Oliver.. Mistake. Naming him.
Giving a large rambunctious dog a bath is a LOT harder than giving a bath to a cat. I couldn’t do it with him in water & me out.. so I just got in the tub with him. Still no easy chore but oh my, he was much better (IMHO) with the earthy smells & gook on his fur replaced with lemon, rosemary & strawberry scents.
Was that first night at the DollyCali home going to be a problem? Where would “new dog” - .. no Oliver – sleep? He might hurt the cats. Better just leave him in van overnight & in morning see what we can work out. The test was the cats. If he hurt them, he was outtahere. Period.
Not having dogs before, had NOT yet learned you need to run off energy. (and wow this dog did & still does have never ending drive to run, run ,run). So since he hadn’t run & didn’t have a chewy, he just found his own chewy(s). Couldn’t he have just chewed apart ONE seat belt? Was it necessary to chew up every seat belt in the entire van????
Well at least he smelled good & passed the cat test but rubbing & licking gently the kittens that approached him the next morning. Next night he was permitted in house to sleep, He knew which bed to go to & leaned against my sore back adding support & warmth. What a sales pitch. But the sale had already been closed. I almost didn’t put the ads in. and decided if someone answered I would be very discerning if they would get him back.
But isn’t that all silly. Someone dumped him, no doubt because he drove them crazy with his endless stamina. He was meant to be here & so it was.
He goes with me most of the time. He runs while I ski, he runs while I bike, he runs the banks & swims in lakes & rivers when I kayak. He loves our long arduous hikes up & down hills & thru streams. A short walk on a leash does not cut it for either of us. He waits in van while I shop or am at church. He has been to FReeps, Ronald Regan’s funeral; Niagara Falls, Hilton Head, Tailgates, etc.
He is gentle around all animals. He will catch up with a wounded goose & lick & “mother” it. You can imagine how well that goes over with the goose! Last summer while Kayaking he found a little fawn.. smaller than he is. He swam with it in the river & wanted to play. The fawn was terrified & so was the mother on the shore (pix are at bottom of my profile page of Oliver & fawn).
Well, could make this a book but let it be said, no one placed ads for this lost dog, and no one responded to my “found” dog ads. Shots, neutering, dog food/stuff purchases (of course including his ID tag so I would get him back) began our journey. I was told he is half German shepherd from where he gets his “brains” and half golden retriever from which he gets his loving disposition & drive to run, chase and draw to water.
He was truly a gift from God although I had my doubts initially. My back over the years has become more problematic. Biking was good & so was kayaking. But walking, standing & even sitting was a torture for me. Now that I had A DOG, I needed to walk & be out with him. I was forced in pain to begin regular 3X day big outings. That is exactly what I needed. My back problems of years improved and to this day are much better than they would have been had I fallen into the predictable pattern of a more sedate life….computers, TV & movies were becoming more & more a pattern BD (before dog).
Oh about that bath.. Sweet smelling Oliver lasted 2 days. Of course they love to roll in dead animals/fish, excrement etc but on day two he beat the band by finding a skunk in the yard to “play with”… before I knew what happened he was in the house, rolling on the sofa, my bed – oh my - BUT the silver lining was the house no longer smelled like cats..
And now the final question to answer.. Of course he isn’t spoiled!
Now you have heard a little of my story.. Please share yours (and of course pix) here on this thread if you would like.. Doggie Tails will be an occasional offering from me. If you have a story FReepmail me & we can check into the possibilities of putting it on the forum.. If anyone works with a rescue group.. great. Do you have your own “Oliver story”? Did you save the life of a pet that then became your best friend?
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