| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| KYgurlsrbest |
Posted - Jul 10 2007 : 08:28:08 AM
When I worked for a rural shelter, we picked up this 3 month old border collie that I named Sweet Pea, and because it was a rural shelter, these working dogs were a dime a dozen, and noone would adopt her--even for $20.00. I was absolutely, positively in love with her. She was about to be euthanized and my heart was just breaking, so I sent out an email to two border collie rescues and got one email in response from a gal in Minnesota. She had 4 bc's already, but her heart melted when she saw my little Sweet Pea, and "if" we could work out the logistics to get her to Minnesota, she would take her. Within 3 hours, I had the whole journey booked for her on that Friday, we left on Saturday am. Kind people from everywhere offered to meet my husband and I in Bloomington, Illinois, and then they took her on to Madison, Wisconsin, where another lady met them and drove for a few hours, till her new "Mom" took her on her final leg to her new home. That's been more than a year now, and she's a title holder in the state for agility! I'm posting some pictures (these are professional, and they have a copyright thingee in the image), because I'm as proud as a peacock of this little thing, and I just think all the time, that her little life could have been snuffed out, if it wasn't for the love of this lady in Minnesota. She renamed her "Tucker" because she's a southern girl, from Kentucky, and we communicate almost monthly about what they're up to, and how she's doing. Anyway, sorry to "gush", but I'm just really happy!!!
"In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt." Margaret Atwood
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| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Tracey |
Posted - Jul 15 2007 : 9:23:19 PM
Awwww...nearly made me cry! I just love stories like this one.
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http://www.blogforayear.com/profiles/desperate-horsewife
http://carpentercreek.wordpress.com |
| shepherdgirl |
Posted - Jul 15 2007 : 12:10:22 AM
Woo-Hoo! You did good Jonni! Bless you for helping that little dog show the world she's not just a throw away! We ALL have potential, we just need someone to believe in us-- whether we have two legs or four! -- Tracy |
| Trace |
Posted - Jul 13 2007 : 08:38:38 AM
Ohh Jonnie, love the story of how your furkids came into your families lives and thanks for letting us see them!!!
pics from my world.. http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y144/tra-dun/ |
| KYgurlsrbest |
Posted - Jul 13 2007 : 06:57:45 AM
Trace and Alee--
What wonderful dog families you have--it's a blessing that there are folks like you and Alee, and Janice and most of us who adopt from shelters. As much as I loved each and every dog that came through the shelter--even the rough guys, I really tried to find homes LIKE mine, not mine--also at that time, I had Lily, my 13 year old husky who was failing quickly, and the last thing I wanted to do was alienate her with other dogs--to make her feel like she had been replaced. I wanted to cherish the little time I had left with her. But, my husband came to the shelter two times, and when he left, we had 2 new dogs. I really struggled to get him there, because he associated shelters with abandonment (my dh had been put in a boys home as a teenager), and death--he called it "doggie auschwitz" which really made me angry...The first time he came, there was a black lab mix who had been thrown over the outside 8 foot high kennel fence in the middle of the night--he was totally unsocialized, frightened, a broken leg from the fall, and his worst offense was being a large black dog. The director felt he wasn't adoptable, and didn't want me to take his photo, or post him on petfinder--he was going to be euthanized. My husband was OUTRAGED, and come h*** or highwater, that dog was going home with us. He did. His name is Eli, our middle child, and is the comic relief in our family. The next time dh came out, he took home an emaciated full-blooded 4 month old german shepherd who had been left to die when her "family" abandoned her at a remote lake. Rose now weighs 110 lbs, and is my husband's shadow. She watches him like a hawk, and is the self appointed leader of our dog family (and me), even though she is the baby at 3. Our pit mix, Finn, came from the shelter, he picked me--he is my soulmate, and when the shelter closed and I left, I left with Daisy Bad Seed and Mona, an English coonhound mix who was on her way to a rescue in Chicago. Mona's transport succeeded, Daisy's adoptive parents "chickened out" so, we have an 8 year old field beagle who is more energy than the other three put together, and is pure joy.
Our dogs have quirks, too, Trace. Lot's of them! I think, more than anything, they make our house a home.
Rose
Elie
Daisy
"She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian. |
| Trace |
Posted - Jul 12 2007 : 2:42:55 PM
Do they give Doggie treats out at your bank too Alee?? lol
pics from my world.. http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y144/tra-dun/ |
| Alee |
Posted - Jul 12 2007 : 1:47:55 PM
Sky is adopted from the shelter. We got her when she was about 8 weeks old. She has been my constant companion since. She goes everywhere with me and even used to sit in my lap when I drove (when she was really tiny). She is super smart and learns people's names! She knows how to get to the bank and gets up set if I "miss" the turn to the bank! LOL
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for typing, one hand to hold Nora! |
| Trace |
Posted - Jul 12 2007 : 12:54:12 PM
Hi Jonnie, my girls are Ella (the youngest heeler) Jill (the problem daughter and middle heeler) and Jane, my BC(ruler of the others by divine intervention) Lol Jane was really a dog who earned the title of Interventionist. Before we aquire Jane into our family, we had a rottie named Noah. I had him for 9 yrs. He was a true gentlmen in every and all senses of the word. Noah was the first dog my son had ever known and they were insepartable. Noah developed cancer later in his life and we lost him just as my son was going to start school for the first time. We all missed him dearly and I told Lee when the time was right, the right dog for us would come to us. She did, by way of Lee's bus driver and our BC rescue group. Jane came to Lee when it was time and he was ready for an intervention from the tramatic loss of his bud. It's really funny to, the night Jim brought Jane over to our house, she didn;t take to me or my hub at first but went right over to Lee and stood tight up against him. Jim was hesitent at first BUT I looked at Lee and Jane and told them all it was time. Jane is a great girl and a good chicken mom to boot. Noah was my goat kid mama, he took better care of the kid goats then either me or their realy goat mamas.
Jill, seemed to be the dog her previous owners were trying to "move away from" lol The shelter people knew me and released Jill to my care. I think I heard them release a sigh of relief after we left, lol. Ya gotta love her despite her "quirks" and Ella, is my barter baby. I bartered hay for her. When I first saw her, she was this baby pig sized thing, full of vinager, running a muck, rough, course coat(from mange)and had NO tail(someone down the line docked her tail) someday I hope she realizes it is not going to grow back and stops chasing it, lol. But she is as smart as a whip. She started retrieving at 3 months of age and I am working on agilty and fly ball with her. And her favorite pastime is using the cats as a swifter broom. They could run from her but they just lay there purring.
pics from my world.. http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y144/tra-dun/ |
| KYgurlsrbest |
Posted - Jul 12 2007 : 08:32:15 AM
Janice, I love your Stinky. He has the same "facial" looks as my Finn, and appears to have that same personality. I swear, I look at Finn a million times a day and I never fail to fall in love all over again--and folks who visit our house just think he's the bomb! My mom always says, "I love my two dogs, but if I could find a dog JUST like Finn, I'd take him in a heart beat"...
"She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian. |
| Miss Bee Haven |
Posted - Jul 12 2007 : 08:14:01 AM
 
OOOHHHH! I want to kiss Finn on his nose, myself! Here are two pics of my "peach". They had already named him 'Stinky' and he answered to that(GRRRRR). He was taken from a dead drug head guy's home, so he was pretty fragrant, I guess! I'm sending you an email.
"If you think you've got it nailed down, then what's all that around it?" - 'Brother Dave' Gardner |
| Alee |
Posted - Jul 12 2007 : 08:08:23 AM
Jonni-you can change your email by clicking "profile" in the upper right hand corner of the page. :) Hope that helps!
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for typing, one hand to hold Nora! |
| KYgurlsrbest |
Posted - Jul 12 2007 : 07:43:44 AM
Howdy, Janice!
How funny that we both have a white pit mix! Mine is a white pit/english setter mix, named Finn. He called to me, too, I tell you--he's my heart and soul, and I kiss that snout about 200 times a day.
Here is my pittie mix!
I haven't gotten any emails, Janice--I've noticed that about the site--I've sent several and gotten none in return. For a while I thought folks were just ignoring me, but I quickly realized that my email connection through the site doesn't work for whatever reason, but I don't know how to change emails...you can reach me at lilyj7303@yahoo.com. Incidentally, I planted my daylily's and I'm waiting for the color! I'm sooo excited, and think of you everytime I look at them! Looks like some of them may be past their bloom time, not for sure, according to your nice info sheets, so I've marked their spots with garden markers for next season!!!!
"In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt." Margaret Atwood
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| Miss Bee Haven |
Posted - Jul 12 2007 : 07:33:50 AM
Sweet Pea sure is a beautiful girl, Jonni. And Trace, your girls are lovely, too. And Sarah, I loved the story about your 'commando aunt' and her friend! Good for her! Only one of my five dog children is adopted. The other four were abandoned-two on my farm, one in town and one at a friend's farm. I try to walk really fast whenever I'm at my husband's shelter and not look at all the pleading faces. But my last baby(a white pit bull/boxer mix) drew me like a magnet. I tell him: "Mama picked you like a peach off a tree". :D
Jonni - this is off the topic, but have you gotten any emails from me in the last week or two? I've sent you a couple, and your email connection here on MJF was working once, but now you don't seem to have one. I had another address for you(can't find it now) and I used it from my husband's computer. My work computer has been sporadic lately concerning email. They've put some new software on and stuff has gone into junk or just not come in.
"If you think you've got it nailed down, then what's all that around it?" - 'Brother Dave' Gardner |
| KYgurlsrbest |
Posted - Jul 11 2007 : 8:50:33 PM
Oh--Trace-
Your dogs are stunners! Love the names, too. Ella and Jane, is there Jill, too? We have Rose (the nose), Eli, Finn and Daisy Bad-Seed.
"In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt." Margaret Atwood
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| KYgurlsrbest |
Posted - Jul 11 2007 : 8:33:29 PM
Trace, that is so funny--your bc has the pointed stand up ears, too! Whats even more ironic to me, is that when we picked up Sweet Pea, we also picked up a young heeler, very much like your other dog. I named her Lucinda, and she was adopted out, but I believe she and Sweet Pea came from the same farm--they were very close--all the more heart breaking for me that no one seemed to want that baby girl.
It's wonderful that so many of us have rescue and shelter dogs. Even though it's late, and two of my 4 are wrestling LOUDLY, I wouldn't have it any other way :)
"In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt." Margaret Atwood
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| Trace |
Posted - Jul 11 2007 : 7:28:27 PM
Your girl is beautiful Jonni!! and so is your story and knowing she has a great life and human to make it all complete. My girls are all rescuse as well. Sweet pea is the first border I have seen with a facial split very similar to my girl Janes marking. Janes pic is in my photobucket album, take a peek when you get a chance.
pics from my world.. http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y144/tra-dun/ |
| Alee |
Posted - Jul 11 2007 : 12:02:34 PM
I only regret not adopting one of the many dogs that I have helped rehabilitate from the shelter. She still haunts my dreams. I know she got adopted, but I haven't seen her around town so I am not sure how she is doing. I think if I could see her, I would feel better about it.
She was abandoned at a grocery store here in town. She was about 40lbs under weight and was afraid of EVERYTHING. Cars, people, but she would trust other dogs. When she first came to the shelter we thought she has cauliflower ear from being beaten, but it was just a horribly out of control ear infection. Her name is Natasha and she is a BEAUTIFUL black german shepherd. It took us about 8 months for her to get her trust in humanity back, and still she was cautious until she knew you. But once she decided you were one of her people- she was so loving and devoted! And Sky, my current dog, who usually is not into sharing or wanting other dogs in the house was actually okay with Natasha.
Unfortunatly, we lived with some roommates at the time so we couldn't get another dog :(
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for typing, one hand to hold Nora! |
| Sarah Blue |
Posted - Jul 11 2007 : 08:12:20 AM
Thanks for sharing that story, Jonni :) I loved it. Whenever we're ready for a new dog or cat, we always try to adopt and we've never regretted it. My aunt once fell in love with a German Shepherd at the pound but wasn't allowed to adopt him because she was told he was aggressive and was scheduled to be euthanized. She had already connected with him and made up her mind though, so that night she and a friend broke him out of the pound themselves! Jake never would trust anyone in uniform, but he was the most intelligent, responsive and loving dog she ever had. Good for you for saving a life and showing so much compassion. What an awesome success story!
"i believe in god, only i spell it nature." - frank lloyd wright
http://www.myspace.com/svgrrrl |
| Runbikegrrl |
Posted - Jul 11 2007 : 07:47:15 AM
What a great story and so true. Kudos to you and her new owner!
"So many interests so little time!"
http://lovelifelivegrrl.blogspot.com/ |
| KYgurlsrbest |
Posted - Jul 11 2007 : 06:31:33 AM
Ohh. So sweet. All of our dogs (4) are shelter dogs, and yes, I do believe they know they've been adopted. It's just like anyone you give a second chance--they repay you 10 fold.
I was so blessed to work with all of the dogs at the shelter, and you'd be amazed how many "Sweet Peas" that come in, everyday.
"In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt." Margaret Atwood
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| La Patite Ferme |
Posted - Jul 10 2007 : 8:25:05 PM
What a great story. It's amazing to me why such wonderful dogs end up at a shelter.
We went to our local pound to find a little lap dog for DD, but came home with the sweetest Springer Spaniel. He was full of mats and skinny as a rail. I took him to a groomer the next day and told her to clip him to the skin if need be. I just wanted all those matted areas gone so he would be more comfortable. When I came back he looked beautiful and happy. The groomer told me he was actually a tri-colored springer - not very common - and had previously been a show dog. Guess she could tell from his training. Now he's a little farm dog and very happy. I think they can tell they've been adopted. |
| mom2knk |
Posted - Jul 10 2007 : 7:36:31 PM
How neat!!! |
| KYgurlsrbest |
Posted - Jul 10 2007 : 6:49:47 PM
Hey Kathy--Alee is right, perhaps a local humane society, or even kennel club might be able to help you. My friend and Tucker live in White Bear Lake, MN. I gather that's near one of the larger towns.
"In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt." Margaret Atwood
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| willowtreecreek |
Posted - Jul 10 2007 : 3:52:06 PM
How wonderful! I wonder if all the people involved in her journey realize what a difference they made in this dogs life.
Jewelry, art, baskets, etc.
www.willowartist.etsy.com
www.willowtreecreek.com |
| Alee |
Posted - Jul 10 2007 : 2:11:24 PM
Kathy-
You could call your local humane society. They should have contact numbers for your local agility trials group. Also if you see people advertising for obediance classes- they should know as well.
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for typing, one hand to hold Nora! |
| Mnhorsemom |
Posted - Jul 10 2007 : 1:49:29 PM
Can you give me some idea where in Mn she is? I would love to go and see some of the agility stuff. I have a terrier that DH picked up at a rest stop (with a broken leg) when he was about 4-5 months old (he still had his puppy teeth) and I think he would be great at that type thing but I have no clue on training etc. Thanks
Farm House Formulas Battle Lake, MN |
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