All Kinds of Doggie Love

Apr 15, 2018 | Pet Health, Pets

If your an animal lover like me, you know that they have so much love to give but I’ve talked to people who want only a full blood and would never step foot in a shelter. Their argument is that these animals are “no good” which makes me crazy to hear that. Honestly, I have never minded one way or the other. My family and I have had animals all our lives from horses, cows, and ducks to stray dogs and cats. We’ve taken animals in that were dropped off or showed up looking for food and shelter. We’ve found and brought home animals that were left behind at shelters, left abused and abandoned, and we’ve purchased registered full bloods. We didn’t set out on a mission to find a certain type of breed or animal or had special requests on where they came from. We just knew that we would give our fur baby a wonderful life and do everything we could for them.

Thomas and I want to share our fur babies from both shelters and breeders and they were and are all amazing animals. If you’ve heard of the slogan “Adopt; Don’t Shop”, you might agree but keep in mind that every animal needs a loving home and they all can be taught to learn and love. Taking on a pet, no matter the size, breed, or age is a big decision and a lot of work but incredibly rewarding at the same time.

“Bear”
Bear was adopted at roughly 2 months old from a high kill shelter in West Virginia. I had no idea what I was getting myself into as it was just me at the time taking on this responsibility but I knew he was coming home with me that day. This is him at his first birthday. I got him a new collar, leash and toys and had a birthday party for him with doggie cake and ice cream. He was the last of 5 puppies to be adopted, alone in his cage staring up at me with matted hair, clumps of dirt stuck to his belly, and shaking. He was very skinny and very sad. I brought him home, gave him a bath, fed him and put him to bed. They say shelter pets are more grateful to their adopter but I’m not sure who was more grateful, me or him. He was the most kind, smart, loving companion and best watch dog I have ever had. He passed away at 14 years old almost 2 years ago and I still miss him to this day. The shelter told me he was a Lab mix but I didn’t care. As he got older, I saw different breeds in him which made him even more special. Rest in peace my sweet Bear Bear.

“Bella”
Bella was found at a very young age on the side of the road by a couple who took her to a shelter in Pennsylvania. I was volunteering at this shelter on the weekends but for some reason (I can’t remember) had a week day off and decided to drop off some blankets for the shelters cats. That’s when I saw this little puppy hiding under a desk trying to get away from the other dogs in the office. She had been at the shelter only 15 minutes before I arrived and without hesitation, I made her mine. Her name was going to be “Jada” but “Bella” means “beautiful” in Italian and that is what she was…beautiful. Bear was 4 years old at the time and I felt he needed a friend since he seemed lonely (or maybe it was my imagination lol). They became fast buddies and were inseparable until the day Bear died. Bella was a Rottweiler/Pit Bull mix, ornery as could be, smart as a whip (just like Bear) and loved her big brother to death. Bella followed Bear to heaven a year ago (April 6) and now they are running and playing together. Rest in peace my sweet Bella. We still miss you every day.

“Lady”
This is our sweet little Lady, a Brittany, who came from a breeder in Pennsylvania. Lady, Bear, and Bella bonded immediately. She loved her brother and sister and especially loved to lay in her bed all circled up with her toys watching them play. She was sweet, kind, and just precious. We called her “Lady Bug” and her little tail (her little nub) would wag so fast that we would laugh. She was our champion who won several awards and ribbons. We were two very proud dog parents and everyone complimented her on her markings and temperament. Lady left us February of last year and we miss her terribly. We take comfort in knowing she is with Bear and Bella again. Rest in peace, our sweet Lady.

“Jake and Maggie”
Jake and Maggie are 9 month old Labrador Retrievers with big personalities and they even have their own blog! :-). They are brother and sister and came from a breeder in Pennsylvania. We contacted our vet who recommended we get these sweet puppies and are so glad we did. It is extremely important to us to do everything we can for them. We’ve invested in professional training and will continue this training in order to get both pups certified as therapy dogs. Jake is a “cuddle bug” while Maggie is the “mad licker”. She gives kisses at rapid speeds. More to follow on this brother and sister duo and their training to!

I hope you enjoyed this post.  It brought back many happy memories for me.  Whether your pet is a shelter pet or not, just love them and they will love you back.  It’s all they ask for.  Well…that and healthy, delicious treats 🙂

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