Cash - our latest foster dog

[Kathy Janes]

What kind of name is Cash for a dog? I can see it with one of Paris Hilton’s little frufru mini-dogs. But a Labradoodle named Cash? Well, considering that he was in prison in Tennessee, he was probably named after Johnny Cash. It just sounds a little ostentatious to me, and this is no ostentatious dog!

Cash came to us after a long weekend of transport and different people, tired and a little confused. He met Mater and Mater’s friend Mocha in the front yard and growled a little while he wagged his long stub of a tail. Mocha’s owners were there to pick her up from staying with us for the weekend, and Cash may have been a little intimidated by two big, hairy Golden-doodles! So we went to the back yard for awhile to relax and learn his way around. By the time we went into the house he was better with the big dogs and a little less apprehensive. It surely smelled of good things and he saw lots of toys. One of the first things he did was to empty Mater’s toy bucket and check out everything! His wonderful transport caretakers had sent a favorite toy with him, but it was fun to explore Mater’s. Once Mocha left for home, things calmed down and he became more at ease.

Tom and I spent the next couple of hours jotting down possible names for this guy. Cappy, for cappuccino – his coloring; Elmo; Grover; Waldo; Luke; Rocky; Curly Joe (one of my favorites); Poncho, Cosmo, Mickey, Rufus, Kramer. Nothing seemed to fit. Little by little we crossed them off as we began to get to know him. He’s a quiet guy and a bit introverted, and he didn’t share much of himself with us at first. I kept asking Mater to find out his name, but all we got was silence. I tried calling him different names as I walked by to see if he would respond to anything. As the days passed and all he had known at the shelter was Cash, it began to fit him in some inexplicable way. Then we realized that to change it now wasn’t fair to him. His forever home may want to change it, so why make him confused by having to be called something different everywhere he goes. So now he is Cash and he will be at least until he is adopted, and hopefully after that as well.

He is a gentle soul for so young a dog (about 2 yrs). I have a feeling his story is a long one. At some time he was a much loved pet, groomed and trained. He lets you brush every spot of him without complaint, even his feet. He was great for the groomer we took him to for a cleanup of the scruffy haircut he’d had (it looked like he may have once been shaved and then since just had mats cut out). He acts like he vaguely remembers commands like Sit, Down, and Heel, so we are practicing to refresh the training. He will need to work on Stay, but the other basics he’s becoming quite good at. He loves to go on walks to practice his lessons, and yesterday I didn’t use the training collar but just his flat collar and he was fine.

But he does seem like that time of a loving home was long ago. Perhaps he was given up for some reason in the hard financial times, or perhaps he was somehow left behind although it’s hard to imagine. But he has seen some of the dark sides of the world I think. His coat shows evidence of places where it was torn away or possible had mange, and has grown back in straighter and black. The groomer said she found evidence of a healed bite on one hip. And he is very thin and bony. Life alone on the road isn’t easy. And since he can run like the wind, it’s likely he escaped opportunities to be helped before this.

He is lying beside me now, as he wants to do constantly. But he is okay when I leave him with Tom and Mater too. He will go into his crate at night with only a few cries of protest, and sleeps there quietly until we let him out in the morning. Tom said he doesn’t want to let himself get attached, as it hurt so much when our first foster left. But I am attached and I want to be; how else to show the love and reassurance Cash needs in his life right now? He’ll be better prepared to move on to a new loving home when he has more trust in people and the cats and dogs in a family. And I think that secretly Tom is getting a little attached anyway. He watches Mater work to bring Cash out of his shell and teach him how to play. He admires his good behavior and gentle ways.

It is going to be interesting to watch Cash open up and let his personality unfold over the next few weeks. He has some dog-socialization work to do, and some health and weight to
regain. But for now I’m glad he’s here for that. With Mater as a coach, Bradley and Nona to teach about cats, and us to love him, he’ll make an awesome companion and family member when it is time for a forever home.

[Eva]

Oh he is so beautiful and lucky. A special thanks to your family and Mater for taking him in. It would break my heart to give him up, but I can't imagine the joy that another family will have with him. I have a feeling you will end up keeping him though. He's too perfect and fits right in your home.

[Holly Doodle]

What a happy and sad story all at the same time. I'm so glad Cash is on his way to finding a permanent loving home, and so thankful your family can help him along the way!

[Carol and Banjo]

What a handsome boy Cash is! So glad he has a wonderful family to share Thanksgiving with!

[Linda, Webber and Seda]

His eyes say it all. What a beautiful doodle.

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

You mean our Doodles are "Cash Cows"!!!!!

[Jennifer Tramell]

Oh Cash - it's wonderful to see your smiling face again! Thank you so much for taking such good care of this sweet boy. I'm the one who pulled him out of the Cookeville shelter and he stayed at our house his first 2 days of freedom. He was SO happy to get out of the shelter - he jumped in the back of the van as quickly as I could open the door and quickly found his way to the front for the 1 1/2 hr drive. It was clear that he used to be a family dog - so sad that he ended up in a shelter. All he wants is a new family to call his own!
Please keep us updated - as you can see, I have a certain fondness for chocolate doodles. My husband said we should call him "Apache" because he has that dark brown patch, the white patch, and the red patch (on his nose). My hubby didn't like the name "Cash" and "Apache" sounded similar.
I hope he thinks fondly of us when he plays with that silly orange ball. He claimed it out of our dog toy basket so we wanted to send it as a happy reminder of Tennessee. It is silly, but your post has made my day! Please give my love to Cash :-)

[Donna K & Quincy]

Cash is beautiful and thank you so much for caring for him. Now as to your question what kind of name is Cash for a doodle, I think it is the perfect name, all our doodles could be called Cash, the doodle moves in the cash flows out, so the only way to keep your cash is to name your doodle exactly that. :>))

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Oh Cash is so beautiful! I was originally going to be a part of his doodle train from Cookeville up to meet Jeannine or something. Heard about the air transfer falling through, but I am so happy he is with you Kathy. What a cute doodle.

[BG and Gavin]

Thanks for telling a great story. Thank you for the work you are doing with Cash. He is gorgeous.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Kathy, this is such a great blog....thank you so much for sharing Cash's story and for loving him and getting him ready for his new "forever life". One of the things I'm thankful for this Thanksgiving is all the wonderful DRC volunteers who are so willing to always be there for these Doodles in need.