Are you ever sad . . . .

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

for your rescue puppy?  Today as I was going through some old files trying to clean up the office  - I started looking at Rooney's papers that came from his breeder.  Who is one of the premier breeders in the country - and I can see his pedigree, tracing his parents, grandparents, great grandparents, and great great grandparents - generations of Tegan Park and Rutlands way back.  And then I look at my sweet baby Stuart and realize that I have no clue where he came from, who his parents were (are?), where his was born, who owned him, even if his birthday is correct (we were given 2 different one).  My boy is an orphan and it makes me sad to not have his history.  I know that to compare this to an adopted child would be way out there and wrong but in a small way it is the same.  Does it ever make you feel sad for them, that you don't know?

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

This is great-the eyes ARE the same!! Yeah!!!!! Did you print it out for Stuart?????

[Bonnie and Kona]

She is beautiful! So happy you found her!

[Doris]

I'm not sad that we don't know Bodi's background . . . I'm selfish - I want him to SAY that he loves living with us, instead of "them".  My friends tell me that I'm silly and we can SEE that he loves us and loves his life. (out of a crate where he was MOST of the time!)

[Brandi]

Jane I think about these things a lot.  I got my rescue Lucy a lab/border collie mix when my other dog Juggs was about 3.  I decided Juggs needed a play mate and ventured off to the county animal control.  All I knew going in there was I didn't want a male, I didn't want a puppy and I didn't want an older dog.  I wanted a dog that was younger dog who was housebroken and over the chewing stage. I was not up to doing the puppy thing at that time.  Well after going through all the kennels several times, I was ready to leave empty handed.  Just before walking out the door, I looked in the last kennel one last time, and in the very back corner was a little blk dog cowering with her little head between her knees just sitting there starring at the ground.  I had walked past her 3 or 4 times and didn't see her there.  The lady brought her outside in a little pen and we tried to talk to her softly and pet her.  She wanted nothing to do with us at all, she was not interested.  She was 6 months old they said, owner surrender, and she had only been there 2 hrs.  I immediately felt awful for her, she was shivering and her head was down, she wouldn't even look at us.  I had to have her for some reason.  She didn't move all the way home.  When we got home and Juggs seen her, she was soooo excited, suddenly Lucy perked up and started playing.  She has been the most loving, soft hearted, sweet, calm dog.  I am thankful that she only had to spend 2 hrs in the god awful place.  What makes me sad, is to think what would have happened to her if I hadn't come along.  People prob wouldn't have even looked at her with the way she was acting, therefore I think she would have had a hard time finding a home, if not euthanized.  I know that black dogs are harder to adopt out for some reason they say.....I just thank God that I found her and she found us.  It was meant to be, I am glad I listened to my gut.  She was perfect from the day we got her almost 9 yrs ago, and she is just as perfect today...I tell her all the time she was sent from the angels above ;)

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

Jane you may not know the specifics about Stuart's background but since the two of you were lucky enough to find each other, you now have the opportunity to give him the best future possible.  You can't change what happened to him in the past and will probably always wonder what his true story is (I know I will always wonder what Ollie's past was really like) but it is really the present and the future that will matter the most.  I am sure he is happy to be a family with you and Rooney.

[Joe R.]

I guess we got lucky with Lilly. When the lady who owned her turned her into the shelter in Daytona Beach she gave all her original paperwork with her. I even got the contract she signed from tht breeder in Ohio. My only thing is I've always wanted to contact the breeder to let them know that Lilly is in a great home now. She violated the contract by not having her spayed when she was supposed to and I worried that the breeder would have wanted her back.

[Barbie]

When I got Hercules, I was looking for an OES as a playmate for my GR, who was 1.5 years old and still chewing everything in my house. I contacted an OES rescue and was told a lady called in about her OES, but they wouldn’t take him without AKC papers, so they put me in direct contact with her. Long story shorter, Herc was a pound puppy when she got him and twice again after adopting (he’d gotten loose, she said). She readopted him just for me. When I asked how much $ she wanted for him, she said, “Just take him. My hubby, kids, and I are all afraid of him.” Hmm, I thought. Well, I got him home . . . after getting him to move out of the driver’s seat - growling, snapping, teeth flaring. Anyone else probably would’ve had him euthanized, but I was ready for the challenge. Based on his reactions to certain things, I believe he was abused with fly swatters and brooms. He won’t tolerate arguing, talking loudly, fast movement, or being forced to do anything. Once I learned his rules, he became the best dog I’d ever had and the smartest, and my GR’s best friend (even got her to stop chewing).

Herc had been shaved when I got him and was mislabeled an OES. My vet said he’s a PWD, and many others agree. Since I now know he’s not going to let cancer beat him, I’m thinking of getting him DNA tested. I’ll never know who his parents are/were, but I believe I’ve figured out his background, and it’d be awesome to find out his breed ancestry.

[Kyoko]

Butter came to us after bounced around durng the first year of his life. It is sad that he was purchased by an irresponsible person and went through list of people, lost his paper, etc...but I mostly feel gracious and and fortunate that somehow, he found us. It is sad, but if it wasn't for the irresponsible person(s), we would never shared these precious years together.... I feel like he sacrificed his first year so he can find his way to be with us..... :*-(

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Yes, it does.  I look at dear, sweet Clancy and wonder if he is wonderful because he was loved; if he is wonderful because he wasn't loved and appreciates us; or if he is wonderful just because he is inherently wonderful. 

Where was he born?  Was he from a breeder but didn't conform to 'standards?' Was he a puppy mill or backyard breeder or accidental pairing puppy? What mix of dog is he really? Is he a goldendoodle (look at his tail)? Is he a labradoodle? Is he a cockapoo gone wild? Is he a ?????

Was he fed and brushed?

I wonder what he looked like as a puppy.  Did someone look at his puppy coat and wonder what his adult coat would be like?  Was he abandoned because he sheds and they were told he wouldn't? Was he supposed to be a mini and took after his huge retriever parent?

Clancy has at least two birth dates also which differ by 6 months.  We are going with the first one we were given simply because it happens to be Ned's birthday (and no, the shelter didn't even know about Ned).

Clancy tends to lay down along a wall like he was outside all of the time and laid against the outside of the house or fence as a protection.  He runs at people hanging over chain link fences - did kids tease him daily as they walked home from school?  :-{

Even after owning Clancy for 1 and 1/2 years, we are learning new things about him - he slides down slides; he fetches; he likes to catch frisbees - well attempt to catch frisbees.  He is excellent at flipping them up so he can carry them around.

It is not that I care about his pedigree - I am just genetically curious by nature.  I am sad because he had to go through loss and perhaps hunger with no one to protect and cherish him. Did people throw rocks at him and chase him or hurt him?  Did he think his family loved him and then they moved away and left him?  Now I am sad so I am going to go give him an extra hug..

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

I don't know much about Tacky's past - I did meet his siblings though!  So I don't have a rescue story really. 

But one of my favorite things to say to both dogs is "where did you come from?  Oh, yeah...I remember...you came from God!".  Imagine that in a silly silly silly baby voice.  They always tilt their heads like "where did we come from, mom???". 

[2m42srv7vi6sq]

I am never sad for Andy. He spent years on the street and survived. He was hours away from euthanasia and I rescued him. He had years of mats that I removed.

He now has a pack. he is learning to play with toys and he eats the best food going. he has love, a comfy bed and pets whenever he wants. he is never alone and is getting over being afraid of going outside. He is learning that nobody is going to abandon him EVER again.

he is over 10 and HEALTHY. He loves going for car rides and he smiles all the time.

I would be sad if I had never found him!

[Leslie and Halas]

I don't have a rescue, but I understand what you're saying. All puppies deserve a happy life, from beginning to end, and it's a little sad to not know the beginning, or to know that it was bad. At least you know the rest of his life is going to be wonderful.