What a difference a dog can make!

mensplace · August 3, 2014

This was a week of turning points. After weeks and weeks of primarily sitting here inside due to the extreme heat, drought, and pain I was all too aware that I was rapidly slipping both physically and emotionally. When thoughts of the ultimate way out began to crop up, I KNEW I had to do something. At the heart of it all was the ever present loneliness that began after my 24/7 companion (Annie, my Cairn Terrier) died suddenly from a stroke.
Having grieved for a few months, I began looking through the animal shelter sites within a 75 mile radius. That's a LOT of shelters! Initially, I was looking at mid sized dogs, so my wife and I finally made the drive to one. She had repeatedly told me that there was no way I could walk, much less care for a larger dog, but I was persistent as I had made my list of a few to view. Immediately upon arriving at the shelter, as I was hobbling my way inside, I watched as one of the volunteers was walking a dog. The one he was walking was really walking him as it was pulling on the leash and trying to run ahead. Just from watching, I could just imagine the pain in my back, hips, and legs and knew that even a mid-sized dog would be too big to be indoors We proceeded inside and walked slowly around. Easily 95% were pit bulls or dome pit bull mix. Unfortunately, I knew that every shelter was about the same.

We next walked into the puppy room. There were saw many a variety of puppies as well as many of the popular yippy dogs with long hair. NOT for me. I didn't want shedding and going through all that raising a puppy entails, so we me on to an area with "Temporary" small crates. There she was! You know that instant bond that sometimes happens. That was GOD's miracle for me. Inside one pen was a gorgeous Jack Russell Terrier, up on her back legs and our eyes just locked onto one another. According to the description, she was already house trained and also trained in most basic obedience commands, plus already spayed. I had the attendant take her out and then I was covered with all of the affection and licking her little body could bestow. When I set her on the floor she was a joy to walk on her leash and, sure enough, responded to each and every common obedience command. The catch....we were number two on the list to get her.

The rules were simple, as number two, we had to be there the next morning when she was due for release after seven days. If the first on the list arrived she was theirs.
You can believe that despite another 60 mile drive, we were there at 9:30 a.m.. After watching as a few others received their dogs, I was overjoyed when they called my name. On the way home, she looked at everything we passed and then settled down to sleep the rest of the way. When we arrived home, she walked proudly into the house and, after a small treat, went straight to the little dog bed that had been Annie's. When she woke up we went out wit her on a long leash and she behaved perfectly. That evening, when bedtime came, she jumped right up on the bed where she slept right next to my head and shoulders just as though she had been there all along. That was where Annie slept.

Since then she has done wonders for me, giving me a reason to get outside, sit in the sun, and walk slowly around the periphery of the property. Last week I was fussing at GOD and I believe totally that he heard and knew exactly what I needed. Today, back to the garden!

August 3, 2014	#1
mensplace Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: USA Posts: 1,013	What a difference a dog can make! This was a week of turning points. After weeks and weeks of primarily sitting here inside due to the extreme heat, drought, and pain I was all too aware that I was rapidly slipping both physically and emotionally. When thoughts of the ultimate way out began to crop up, I KNEW I had to do something. At the heart of it all was the ever present loneliness that began after my 24/7 companion (Annie, my Cairn Terrier) died suddenly from a stroke. Having grieved for a few months, I began looking through the animal shelter sites within a 75 mile radius. That's a LOT of shelters! Initially, I was looking at mid sized dogs, so my wife and I finally made the drive to one. She had repeatedly told me that there was no way I could walk, much less care for a larger dog, but I was persistent as I had made my list of a few to view. Immediately upon arriving at the shelter, as I was hobbling my way inside, I watched as one of the volunteers was walking a dog. The one he was walking was really walking him as it was pulling on the leash and trying to run ahead. Just from watching, I could just imagine the pain in my back, hips, and legs and knew that even a mid-sized dog would be too big to be indoors We proceeded inside and walked slowly around. Easily 95% were pit bulls or dome pit bull mix. Unfortunately, I knew that every shelter was about the same. We next walked into the puppy room. There were saw many a variety of puppies as well as many of the popular yippy dogs with long hair. NOT for me. I didn't want shedding and going through all that raising a puppy entails, so we me on to an area with "Temporary" small crates. There she was! You know that instant bond that sometimes happens. That was GOD's miracle for me. Inside one pen was a gorgeous Jack Russell Terrier, up on her back legs and our eyes just locked onto one another. According to the description, she was already house trained and also trained in most basic obedience commands, plus already spayed. I had the attendant take her out and then I was covered with all of the affection and licking her little body could bestow. When I set her on the floor she was a joy to walk on her leash and, sure enough, responded to each and every common obedience command. The catch....we were number two on the list to get her. The rules were simple, as number two, we had to be there the next morning when she was due for release after seven days. If the first on the list arrived she was theirs. You can believe that despite another 60 mile drive, we were there at 9:30 a.m.. After watching as a few others received their dogs, I was overjoyed when they called my name. On the way home, she looked at everything we passed and then settled down to sleep the rest of the way. When we arrived home, she walked proudly into the house and, after a small treat, went straight to the little dog bed that had been Annie's. When she woke up we went out wit her on a long leash and she behaved perfectly. That evening, when bedtime came, she jumped right up on the bed where she slept right next to my head and shoulders just as though she had been there all along. That was where Annie slept. Since then she has done wonders for me, giving me a reason to get outside, sit in the sun, and walk slowly around the periphery of the property. Last week I was fussing at GOD and I believe totally that he heard and knew exactly what I needed. Today, back to the garden!