Clancy's Rescue Story

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

     Clancy joined our family on March 25, 2010.  What I know about  Clancy  is that he was in a kill shelter in a neighboring town.  He was either abandoned or turned in by his family.   When he was put on the 'kill list' our local humane society took him.  The local humane society took him to a fund raiser where Ned and I met him.  According to the humane society he was on Petfinder but due to a glitch, he wasn't posted.  After meeting him, I posted about him on several doodle websites hoping a doodle-obsessed person would adopt him.  I guess we were those doodle people!

      The humane society gave March 17, 2008 as Clancy's birth date.  What a coincidence. This is Ned's birth date also.  We figure secretly they must be Irish brothers. 

      Clancy was listed as a Labradoodle, but after getting to know him and checking with breeders, we think he is more likely a goldendoodle - perhaps an English goldendoodle because of his stocky
build and coloring.

      Clancy is a big affectionate, clumsy doofus who pretends to be dumber than he is.  He loves people, rides well in a car, behaves in public, is not aggressive, and walks nicely on a leash as long as he has a corrective collar. He and Ned both demand attention but they are so very different that between the two of them, we have the full spectrum of  "doodleness."

     Clancy was originally called Buck - don't know if that was his original name, kill shelter name, or humane society name. After lots of thought and helpful and fun suggestions from dk members, we chose Clancy. We just could not see ourselves calling, " Buck, Buck" or when he jumped on us, "Buck Off!" Can you just picture this at a dog park or a campground! tee hee. Sweet boy that he was, he did not know any commands or respond to anything but "Bad Dog" so it wasn't hard to let ourselves have some fun re-naming him. One of my favorites was a dk tongue in cheek suggestion of Hula, and he actually was Hula for a day.

     We have had some settling in problems between Gordie, our Springer Spaniel, and Clancy - for bottom rung on the totem pole.  Clancy was housebroken but he marked in our house a few
times before learning (I hope) that marking is for outdoors. But after three
months, Clancy really seems to have settled into our pack. He is a real sweetheart
and we are so lucky that we got him.

UPDATE FOR NEWER READERS - 2012:

     We have had Clancy for two years now and he is the greatest dog. A wonderful thing about rescuing an adult dog and knowing nothing about their previous life, is that you have wonderful little bits of their interests and skills to discover as you go along.  During the two years, we found out that Clancy likes to fetch, but is very polite and will not force getting the ball when other dogs are present.  Clancy is very calm around horses - we found out during obedience classes when a horse was used as a distraction.  Clancy tries to catch a Frisbee - not good at it but he can flip it up into his mouth with his paw.  At home Clancy avoids the sprinklers and does not seem fond of water.  We took him to a dog beach for the first time this weekend and he LOVES the water.  I wonder what other bits of his previous life and loves he will share with us next?

      

CLANCY IS SEVEN NOW - 2015!

     Clancy has been the most wonderful dog.  Even though he has been with us much longer than his original home, he appears grateful for our love.  He is great with children and adults, but is protective when workmen come into the house.  At romps, he is the 'mayor' trying to organize the other doodles into more sedate play.  When we are at the beach, he becomes possessive of whatever toys  are there and places them under his tummy. At the beach he will go after anything thrown into the water - he doesn't care if the 'thrower' is tossing a ball for their dog. He will even follow them down the beach!  Interestingly we recently had cause to visit the shelter where Clancy originally was and they had some information on him (aren't computer records wonderful!) They said he had been abandoned in the yard of a house when the old owners moved and the new home owners brought him to he shelter.  The shelter also were shocked that he was with other dogs in our family and at dog parks.  They had him listed as dog aggressive because he attacked another dog.  Our response was that he must have been so terrified to be in that strange place. (We do think he was an only dog in his previous life.)  We are so grateful that the rescue saw his value and pulled him from that shelter or he wouldn't be with us today.

Clancy definitely has a rags to riches story from being abandoned, to almost euthanized, to our home, to the cover of the 2015 Doodlekisses Lots of Doodles Calendar:

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

And Clancy is so lucky that you got him, too!
I already knew the story of Buck-Hula-Clancy, having followed your discussions from the beginning, but it's nice to have the whole story put together in one place here. I really think it's a great example of "meant-to be".

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I agree Karen. I thought if I posted here as well as on DRC that people could see that many rescued-pound puppies don't always have major problems - other than a dog that you have raised from a puppy might have. Ned is not perfect either, we just love both of them to pieces.

[Leslie and Halas]

I'm so happy that Clancy found his forever home with you. Thanks for sharing his story. Like Karen, I had seen most of his story in a few different posts, so it's good to see the whole story here, complete with a happy ending.

[Frannie & Callie]

Nancy - that is a wonderful happy-tails story! Clancy was obviously meant to be part of your pack! I also liked your comment below, about letting people know that these rescue doodles aren't necessarily "problem children".

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I love your story too....I'm so happy that Clancy found you and your heart was open to him. He really is such a sweet Irish Dood. I know exactly what you mean about playing the "dumb card"...Murph pulls that on us too. He gives us a look like...."I didn't know I wasn't supposed to do that" (sure). He's lucky to have you....

[Nina, Phil, Harlow & Lacey]

I love stories with a happy ending and Clancy's couldn't have had a more happier ending. Thanks for being his forever family.

[Susan, Zeke. Lily & Jasper]

Thanks for opening your heart to Clancy. The love you get back from this beautiful dog will far outway any problems you encounter. Most of those problems are fixed by someone just taking the time to teach acceptable behavior and showing a little patience. I just know you'll have all the doodle kisses you can hold.

[Lauren, Scooby and Bella]

Nancy and Ned - Good story.  Clancy is a lucky doodle to have had you rescue him.  Love a happy ending.  He looks like a happy guy.  Lots of love will get him thru any issue still remaining.  Time and patience will tell.  Clancy is a darling little guy!