Consider Adopting Dogs
Have you considered adopting dogs? My own dogs are rescue dogs. I know y’all have never seen them before and have no idea how gorgeous they are. *wink*
Flash and Patches, if you don’t know their story, are litter mates. Their mama was an Australian shepherd and their daddy was the German shepherd who got in under the fence while mama was in heat. Naughty boy. The woman who originally chose these two did so because her family had always had Aussies and these two looked the most like Australian shepherds.
We got Flash and Patches when they were three years old, a month after our twelve year old Aussie died with bone cancer. Our new babies were products of a broken home, but also bullying. The neighbor teased them constantly, but he also called the police one day when they escaped their fence (they learned a thing or two from their old man), and said that he’d been bitten. The dogs barked at the officer, protecting their yard, and he shot, hitting Flash in the shoulder. The dogs hadn’t bitten anyone. The neighbor was just mean and had lied. But it was the beginning of the end, and eventually my babies wound up with our family.
We love them.
One of my all-time favorite things about having pre-owned, or used, dogs, is that they came trained. The Babies were house broken, knew come, sit, stay, down, high five. Flash catches a mean Frisbee. And they keep each other company. Of course, I’ve spoiled these well trained dogs in the past seven years. But that’s beside the point. Adopting dogs is the best thing ever. That’s the point.
Pros and Cons
I know that not all adopted dogs are so well trained. Not all are so loving and clingy (Flashy is my shadow). Adopting isn’t for every family. But it sure is a good thing for the dogs, and for a lot of families who may never have considered it. So think about rescuing some poor baby dog who just needs a good family and love. And training. And patience. Think about it. You don’t know for sure what their personality will be, or what baggage they carry. That’s okay. Just give it a shot.
Our newest rescues, the adopting dogs which happened in this last two years, weren’t anything like Flash and Patches. Chewy, whom we think is at least half Affenpischer, came to us as a puppy, but well loved by his foster parents. We took him to puppy school, which was a good bonding experience. Like with any puppy, it just took time to train and bond.
Gadget, though, was already a couple of years old, found on the side of the road, with all kinds of physical problems. Things no one could have foreseen. He was sweet and nasty at the same time, biting quite a bit. It jut took time, patience, and an alpha dog to repeatedly put this little guy in his place. He still has a chip on his shoulder, but he knows he’s not the boss.
Gadget was expensive to treat, and has been a tough little cookie, but he is the biggest lover of a dog you’ll ever want to meet. Totally worth it. You can read his story here.
Giveaway
You won’t want to miss the Pumpers giveaway on this page. Go ahead. Click that first sentence. Your dog wants that baked pork heart more than you want a chocolate cupcake with a molten chocolate filling. Promise. I know these things.
Spreading the good chews …
Flea
