(There is a kinda spooky "ohmygosh" story at the end of this post; please prepare for goosebumps and a need for Kleenex.)

Lily, I am so sorry for your loss. When I was a child, we got our first family dog, a mini poodle named Pepe. Your post spoke to me because of the name. He was a great little dog, and he lived to be almost 18 years old. As many animals will do, he bonded with one person in the house, my mother. (She kinda didn't want that, she wanted him to be a kid's dog, but when she was in the room we all became as interesting as tree bark to him.) To make a long story short, she realized he was getting very ill and feeble, and the vet suggested putting him to sleep. She called me the day it happened, and told me that she spent the morning letting him sit in her lap for hours. He was very content, and she felt that when he left, he knew he was loved and cared for.

We got Pepe as a 12 week old puppy when I was about 7 or 8. About a year before I left for college, my friend's sister's dog had puppies, and we adopted one. He was a yellow lab mix, Corky. He was also a sweet dog, and I was his "chosen human", but very active and could get a bit hyper. My middle brother is autistic, and when he would have tantrums, Corky would get very agitated and try to jump on him. When I was in college, and my youngest brother was about to leave for school, my mother realized she could not handle both dogs. She put Corky up for adoption, and we were notified when he was taken by a woman who fell in love with him at the no-kill shelter. We were told this woman had a roommate with a sheltie, so Corky would have a playmate.

(Here comes the spooky part. Get the tissues.)

I am originally from New Jersey, and Corky was put into the shelter there, but I went to college in Boston. I was walking home from class one day, about a year after we gave Corky up for adoption, and stopped to get a soda. There was a truck outside the store with a yellow lab-ish dog who kept staring at me...he looked like Corky. There were two women in the truck, and they were talking to someone on the sidewalk. I kept walking, but I could hear the dog whining through the open window. His ears were up and he kept staring at me. There was a little brown dog jumping around in the truck...hmmm...how odd...looks like a sheltie...

The hair on the back of my neck was standing up, but I kept walking. I could hear yelps coming from the truck, and it was driving me nuts. I finally told myself "just turn around and look...if it's New Jersey plates, you can go back. If not, you know it's just your imagination." I must have stood there for a minute or more, and finally turned around, to see the truck pulling out into traffic...with the yellow lab mutt at the back window, staring at me with huge brown eyes and barking like crazy, pawing at the window...and through the tears forming in my eyes, I saw New Jersey license plates.

I stood there, rooted to the spot, in complete shock. I walked back to my apartment in the same state, and later bawled like a baby. However, my roommates helped me see this as a blessing; I got a chance to see my puppy dog in a very safe and happy environment. He was being petted and loved while he was in that truck; the women noted he was stressing out, but they never said a harsh word to him. He was safe and had a playmate. It's probably better I didn't go over; it may have upset the poor little guy even more, and completely upset his new owners.

From the perspective of someone who gave up a pet for adoption, I am very grateful for the work the organization did to get my dear little dog a new and happy home. They may seem to be a bit "tight" on requirements, but so many of these organizations do incredibly good work. Call them again, and see if they can help you.

I'm sorry, I'm weepy now. I haven't told that story in years, but it gets to me whenever I think about it. I don't have time to properly care for a dog, so I now have three adopted cats. I'm going to go cuddle one now. Or more, if we can all fit on the bed. They are such bed hogs, I may wind up on the floor! :-)

Take care,
Emmie

(Still have tears in my eyes from Emmie's story.)

No advice - just pictures of one cute puppy from the Daily Puppy..

Here is a link that might be useful: Kobe pics

I was the operations manager for a large humane society in Missouri for several years and adopted my sweet Pompeii during that time. Since we were an open door facility, meaning we took in all animals and didn't turn anybody away, we were not a no-kill shelter. So we although screened adopters, most people were allowed to adopt unless there was a real reason to turn someone down. Since unfortunately the animals had limited time there, we figured the alternative was worse. So you might have better luck if you try a non no-kill shelter.

Here's my Pompeii. He's the best dog I've ever had. I don't know his true age, but figure he's about 12-14 now. We also have a Papillon that we got from a breeder/handler who couldn't make a champion out of him (he wouldn't hold his ears up in the ring) so she didn't want him anymore. Her loss, our gain.

I am so sorry for your loss. We lost our 17 year old black lab in 1989 and your story still brings back memories of our Rudy. We adopted our Maddy as a puppy but found our Sam from a rescue organization in Minneapolis. Second Chance also fostered their animals and I called them about another dog I saw online. The rescue group and foster families do take a little longer to answer emails so be patient and keep trying. The first dog we saw on line was adopted by a friend of the foster mom but the rescue group called us back a week later with a dog they said needed a good home. She had been returned from another home and needed a stable home. Five years later we love our Sam dearly and she loves to swim and follow me around. She is my shadow. Good luck with your adoption. There are so many animals who need good homes.

When I brought home a 1-lb scrap of black cockapoo fluff with bright little eyes, my daughters were thrilled and apprehensive. "How long will he live?" "Oh," I said, "oh, don't worry. Little dogs live a long time. You'll be in college before he dies!" The youngest child wasn't even in kindergarten yet; college was unimaginably far off! They relaxed.

Our Little Buddy is 16 now and the youngest child is a junior in college. He's still chugging around, blind from cataracts and taking thyroid medicine, but still happy, still playful, still our little guy.

My husband and I have already decided that when Buddy moves on to the Rainbow Bridge, we're looking for another small, non-shedding dog. I can't imagine not having a dog in the house.

Hello Everyone, I love the fur babies! I had to chime in here even though I never post on the kitchen forums. My dog came from the pound. I have a very soft spot for Pit Bulls. And this dog was a mix. Having worked in law enforcement for 24 years, I have seen so many dogs go to the pound and are pts due to their breed. Shasty was only 3 months old and was back in part of the pound that told me she was being evaluated. At 3 months old, she looked like a pit except having a longer body. I fell in love at first sight. It took over a month for me to be able to adopt her. No heart worms, needed to by spayed and have her shots. I handed them my money, she went to the vet to have the work done and she came home with us the next day.

Now, this dog is not only part Pit Bull, but I do believe she is Jack Russel, Dalmation (v chest and web feet) (, and maybe a little Lab and double coated, can't get wet easily. But most of all, I truely believe this dog is my Aunt Maude Etta who had a wonderful since of humor, and has come back to just simply torture me. Oh, and she has eaten the berber carpet, eaten clothes and Sheets! Gotta love her, Here is Shasty now at a little over 3 years old.

Check out your local animal control. These babies are worth saving. Mine was.
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Tiny probably sticks her tongue out like that due to loss of teeth. That's pretty common in smaller dogs that are not well taken care of (as she was adopted at 12 I'm guessing she was a breeder dog before that). Our chi's do stick their tongue out from time to time, but that's generally because they're lost mid-thought or sleeping.

Just wanted to add some photos for you.

Here's Mayhem, snoozing in a comfy spot as always. Yes, retired racing greyhounds really are couch potatoes!
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And Chaos, patrolling the neighbourhood for squirrels. Our best guess is that she's a norwegian elkhound mix, although I suppose it'll always be somewhat of a mystery. She was our pound rescue:
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Hi Lily,
So sorry to hear about your pup! We lost both of our pound puppies (our kids) last year. It sucks--there's just no words for that feeling.

I feel really compelled to urge you to let the dog choose you--not you choosing a dog. My husband and I went to the Animal Defense League (it's a shelter) here in San Antonio. We sat in all the puppy pens, each with a litter of pups. Out of about 15 puppies, only one came up and jumped in my lap, sat down and then just stared at my face wagging his tail. The other pups--some were a little interested, some not at all. Some of them were skittish, some of them had that "bully" personality. Our priority was to get a happy dog that liked us (some dogs are people-dogs, some are dog-dogs), and that he/she would be easy to socialize. Needless to say, our new dog *looks* nothing like our previous kids, but he has a great personality, just like them. This works with all dogs, not just puppies. Check it out in the 'finding your new dog' section of any puppy book. There's about 10 things you can use to reveal the personality of a dog.

And yes, it soooo hard going to the shelter knowing only one is going home with you. I always think of how every one of our dogs we've saved from the shelter and I can't imagine if we hadn't gone to the shelter and those great dogs had never gotten out.

Best of luck to you. They say your dog comes back to you--you just have to let it happen, keeping your eyes and mind open.
Michele

Emmi, that's such a beautiful story. I'll be retelling it for days.

Lily -- Tiny's tongue sticks out because she has only the three teeth. It's sad, but cute. Not uncommon for chihuahuas to have dental troubles.

My parents recently adopted a Jack Russell who is the spitting image of their old dog, Clifton. And wouldn't you know, they named him "Clifton." Obviously they were looking for a replacement. Although the new Clifton has some of the same breed characteristics as old Cliffie (I know, the name thing is a bit creepy), he's obviously not the same dog -- for starts, he's much younger and much more out of control. I was afraid they were going to be disappointed, not to mention unable to handle this wildcat. But they just adore him; he has become the center of their universe. Because he's their little guy and he loves them.

How you must miss Pepe! My heart just breaks for you. Why can't they just live forever? But how exciting that you have the opportunity to give another little fellow a loving home. Dachshunds are super, I'd adopt one in a second! In fact, it's hard for me to keep from surfing Petfinders RIGHT NOW to find the perfect adoptable Dachsy! But Tiny is so old we want to give her all of our attention for as long as she's here, so I'm resisting!

I, too, avoid the shelters, not because of a bad past experience, but because I'm a weakling and I don't think I could take the faces. Shame on me. Not very proud of that.

Let us know what you decide?

Dont let the rescue group's lack of communication intimidate or discourage you, but also keep your eyes around locally. The right puppy or dog will find you. I do think it is inevitable :).

I think that rescue groups do sometimes go over the top with their interviews, and selection processes, and I know that can seem judgemental, but you have to remember their side of it. Rescue groups would not exist if the original owners of these dogs had taken the time to research breeds, think about their lifestyle and what they can offer a pet, and plan around their kids/job/etc. These poor people put their hearts and souls into often very sad cases of neglect, and that experience time after time is going to make them a bit militant about finding *good* homes for their charges.

I'm a vet, and my hospital does a lot of work for rescue groups. We had am amazing young standard poodle come in through poodle rescue with nasty wounds on a rear leg that had been bandaged at one point, and then left on so long that the tissue inside was, well..... almost beyond salvaging. This dog came in just as my parents were ready to look for another dog, as Roxie, the standard poodle I grew up with had died about 1 month earlier, at 14. This bouncy boy was hospitalized for about a week while we tried to save his leg from amputation. I could tell that he's be perfect for my mom. Once his leg improved enough that he didn't need bandage changes 2-3 times per day, I offered to foster him at home and continue his care for free. (He still needed daily wound care for about 3 weeks, so me taking him home saved the rescue group a fair amount of money, and allowed me to get to know him better.)
The funny thing was, even though the poodle rescue ladies had known me for a long time, and knew that I'd vouch for my parents, and knew that this dog would always have the BEST vet services he ever needed, they still wanted to interview my parents and do a home visit! At first I was offended, but then I realized that they were just being very through and consistent. Everything on their list had to be checked off before releasing Freddie. Luckily, they found my mom acceptable, though she made sure that my dad was out of the house when they came, as he has a drier and more caustic sense of humor than I think they could have handled......:)

They have had him now about 5 years, and it just couldn't be better for him or my mom.

Darn it! I was trying to resist, but I can't any longer. I have to post pics of our three rescue babies...

Buddy is a Great Dane-Mastiff mix. We got him when he was five years old. His people, who had obviously loved him dearly, had died in a freak accident while on vacation (swept out to sea). We didn't know them, but through a friend of a friend of a friend, we were put in touch with their relatives. We met Buddy about six weeks after his people disappeared and got him about two months after that. In the three months that he was in limbo, his health had declined dramatically. He had contracted heartworms, developed nasty skin infections from being outside all the time, and had huge green gobs of goo in his eyes. It didn't take long to get him back in shape. He's now a 220-pound hunk of love and he'll be nine in June.

We got Matilda through a Great Dane rescue group. Her mom had been turned into a shelter and a volunteer with the rescue happened to see her. It was obvious she had recently had puppies, so the volunteer contacted the owner to see what had happened to the puppies. They were the result of an unplanned breeding between their harlequin male and fawn female (a no-no combination in the dane world). The people were trying to sell the pups but weren't having much luck. The rescue group took the whole litter, including the runt. It turned out that this little pup had megaesophagus, a deformity of the esophagus that makes it very difficult to swallow. The pup was starving because she'd regurgitate her food and the other pups would scarf it up. They were all at least twice her size by eight weeks of age. We were lucky to get Mattie, and once she was fed properly (standing upright to allow gravity to help her swallow), she gained weight and has done fine ever since. She still has to eat that way, though.

Finally, we adopted Lucy through a different Great Dane rescue. She was turned in, along with the rest of her litter, to a kill shelter, and the rescue group pulled them all. We fostered one of her sisters, and a friend of mine adopted her, so we get to keep up with them. It turns out they were not purebred danes, and we have no idea what they were mixed with, but we sure love our Lucy girl.

I have to say that rescue is THE way to go to add a dog to your family!

Oh wow, I can barely see through the tears right now. I lost my sweet Maggie (10 y/o female lab mix) last Friday. She had been diagnosed with a torn ACL (knee ligament) 6 months ago but to make a really horrible story short it took me relentlessly going to different vets for 2nd, 3rd and 4th opinions before we finally found out last Tuesday that our sweet girl never had a torn ACL but rather, had been suffering from Bone Cancer. By that time her femur was completely eaten and broken. Our FORMER vet never did xrays in all of this time going back to him.

We made her last few days love & fun filled. Her massage therapist came on Wed. and brought her chicken mcnuggets and my kids came then as well, Wed. night two of my girlfriends came over and we all sat on the floor loving on Maggie and having wine & cheese and crackers. Of course, Maggie only go the cheese & crackers part but she was good with that! Thursday was steak dinner night for her. Friday 3/21 we took her to the park on the river where she used to swim after sticks as a puppy and let her romp up and down at the water's edge, even if it was only on 3 legs. We brought her a raw soup bone and let her chew on it in the sun for a while, then on to DQ for one last vanilla ice cream cone. LOL - I video taped ice cream flying everywhere. Then off to the vet. Her passing was quiet and sweet. I try to see her in puppy heaven with a new body catching frisbees again. I have been so lost all week, it's like she took a piece of me with her. I say "no more dogs" but then this morning I was at the farmer's market loving all over a golden-doodle. I guess I'll know if/when the time is right.

Here is a picture of my sweet girl Maggie who will forever live in my heart

I couldn't resist putting this one in too

mrs tlc, I am so so very very sorry about your dear Maggie! I - as well as so many here - know exactly the weight of sorrow you're going through. But to add to that, having to go to so many different vets before finally getting the correct diagnosis. How wrenching! It's good, though, that you got to have a few more days with her, doing special things that she was still able to enjoy. Such a beautiful dog! And so lucky to have had YOU for all those years!

It is really a shame that the vets did not follow through with a more thorough exploration of her condition. I'm not a medical person, so have no idea how ACL would become the diagnosis they were satisfied with, but this does remind me of how often times, in my experience, vets seem reluctant to urge further testing. It's usually expensive and many people can't afford it and they probably get their share of unpaid bills.

In fact, this reminds me of the way I found out that my Pepe was sick. I was at the front desk making an appointment for him for a teeth cleaning. I was in the parking lot about to get into my car when one of the techs came running out after me and asked if, on second thought, they could have my permission to do blood tests on him before putting him to sleep for the teeth cleaning. Because of his age, they thought it adviseable. He was very apologetic, as if I might think it an unnecessary expense. I said, by all means, do the blood work-up. That is how I found out there was something very wrong with Pepe's kidneys. For awhile, a special prescription diet helped bring his blood levels more in line with normal, but finally we arrived at a point where they said the only thing they could do was a kidney flush. It was expensive but I didn't care. Unfortunately, it didn't help. I wanted so bad to take Pepe home for at least one more day - just one more day PLEASE! - but they didn't think it was a good idea if, for instance, he went into convulsions or seizures at 3 in the morning. I didn't want him to suffer, so I held him in my arms and stroked him and spoke softly to him for about an hour and then they added the stuff to his IV and his little soul floated away quietly. I took him home and buried him in the garden. I bought a beautiful slate gravemarker for him.

For all of you who cautioned me about getting a Pepe look-alike, I want you to know that I thought a lot more about this. I decided I would try the rescue place one more time. So I called this morning. The owner herself answered the phone. She never got my email. She was very friendly and encouraging and sounded absolutely delighted to hear of my interest in this dog. I told her a little about Pepe. She asked me to email her again and then she would reply with directions on how to get to the refuge. I sent the 2nd email, but after lunch I worried that maybe she wouldn't get that email either, so I called again. No, she had not gotten the 2nd email! So, for those who wrote about the non-responsiveness issue, I have to say that it looks to me like there is something totally KAPUT about petfinder.com's email system. If you contacted through them and never received any reply, chances are they never got it in the first place! So if there's anybody out there who might be looking at petfinder.com, don't click on the link to email, just type it yourself into your browser.

Anyway, DH and I are driving down there to the refuge tomorrow. I am keeping an open mind about him being a good match for us. In fact, I think I will go to the bookstore right now and look for a book like Michele suggested, with a chapter like, 10 things to check to reveal a dog's personality. Of course, I'm really excited too!!!! I just have a feeling about this dog, and I really don't think it's ONLY because of Pepe. But we'll see...

I am sure people are sick of seeing my dogs but OH WELL!

These are third and fourth rescues. They are a handful but I love 'em!

Buddy:

Cassidy:

I am so sorry for the ones who have lost a pet. I know how hard it is, too. I found getting a new dog really helped with the coping process.

kitchenkelly, uh-uh. NOT sick of seeing your dogs. That's just not possible.

When I was 7 months pregnant I came up with the brilliant idea that for my 35th birthday - I was getting another French Bulldog. Best decision I have ever made.

We went through FBRN, had a home visit from Corgi rescue folks as there weren't any Frenchie fosters in our area, had to send in references (including vet) and pictures of our yard/house and put in an electric fence for 1+ acre. We then drove from Cleveland to Delaware (7.5 hours) in a rented minivan (had to bring the other Frenchie to ensure compatability) and drove home, our four legged daughter in tow, the same day.

My Frenchies have spoiled me as they are perfect. My son is 3 now and he has learned some very valuable life-lessons from being around these dogs. I will definitely look into the foster/adoption route again. If I had my druthers, I'd have the House For Homeless Flat Faces and be filled to the rafters. I'd also be divorced;)

Bumping to let Lily know I'm thinking of you today and wondering how your trip to the shelter went . . . hope to hear from you tonight!

hostagrams, thank you for keeping me in mind, it's much appreciated. Here's the result of our trip:

And here he is, the first few moments in his new home, happy as a clam in DH's lap:

I have to say, all you guys that warned me that just looking like Pepe wouldn't mean that he'd have Pepe's personality or any of the traits I loved so much about Pepe - well, you were dead-on about the personality thing. He IS very different. And after I got to see him in person, I found he doesn't even look nearly so much like Pepe as I thought. But there IS one thing about him that's very like Pepe - and it's the most important thing - his loving disposition. I never imagined I'd find another dog as loving as Pepe was. But this one is every bit his match in that respect - amazingly loving and gentle and responsive to our voices. And he has got to be the world's best lap dog, a real cuddlebug.

The next several days will be the hardest part - our period of adjustment, on both our parts. He appears to be already housetrained (yeah!). I'll be calling the vet and the groomers 1st thing in the a.m. for their earliest appointments. He has some medical issues to check on and boy does he need a bath! One of the 1st things he did when we got home was jump on my new banquette cushions with his dirty paws (wouldn't you know). But just a gentle scolding was enough to prevent a repeat. I can tell this dog is going to be very trainable. And he's SO WORTH TRAINING! He's lying at my feet right now as I type, having settled down at last. I had a feeling about this dog from the start and I still have that feeling - that this dog is supposed to be here, he's ours.

Still haven't come up with a name for him. They were calling him Ricky Ricardo at the refuge. I may just stay with that (always loved the old I Love Lucy) but if anyone has any suggestions... nothing has come to me so far.

Awwww, congratulations on your new addition! He's adorable, and you all look like you were made for each other. I'm glad he's different enough from Pepe but shares his loving disposition. What could be better?

I think "Ricky" is a great name for him. I have a Lucy, and whenever she's done something naughty, you can hear my husband, in his best Ricky Ricardo voice, saying "Luuuuuuuuucyyyy, you got some 'splainin' to do!" :)

congratulations and God bless you for saving a little life! Your Pepe is so proud of you.

Skeet, your dog is so pretty with those spots. Looks like someone took an inkpen to the inside of that ear. I've never seen such markings. Definitely some dalmation in there somewhere, I'd say.

Kitchenkelly, surprised your little "killers" are still allowed to run loose. HA! HA! I just love them.

So Brutus and Girl don't feel neglected, here they are:

Girl

Brutus and his girlfriend Louise

I love reading all the stories and seeing the pics! Lily, your new little furry boy is ADORABLE! His name will come in time, Ricky or something else. He is loved, and that is what matters. I am so very happy for all of you.

Emmie

This is for those of us missing our special fur babies:

"Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together...."

Author unknown...

Aww, I love a happy ending!! If Ricky could type, he'd probably be on this forum saying, "Well, my People finally showed up, and boy, have I landed in the lap of luxury! She doesn't want me on furniture, but, hey, I can live with that -- I'll take a lap any day!! I'm gonna be a gooood boy, because I like it here!"

Congratulations! I'm really, really happy for you.

Arlene

Oh Lily he is soooo sweet! I'm sure he will bring you and your dh many years of joy and love for rescuing him. Give him a big hug from me please.

YEAH!!! Congratulations on your new little dog! He looks very content and the picture of you carrying him is priceless. Ricky, or whatever his name is(personally I like Ricky, it's my brother's name!)is so lucky to have you!

Best wishes!
Robin

Oh Lily, how wonderful! And he's smiling already, as are you & your better half. Congrats to all of you.

If I may make a suggestion, once "Ricky" settles in you might want to think about taking him to obedience classes. It'll help to set a good tone right from the beginning. Over the next few weeks Ricky's real personality will start to come out & he may try to push his boundaries. This is normal! Stand firm.

I just want to add my story. I had my rottie, Smidgen, from an 8wo puppy and she died from bone cancer at 11 1/2. I know that 11 1/2 is old for a rottie but that doesn't help. I was DESTROYED when I lost that girl. She was my heart, had a huge personality. Everyone was a friend that she hadn't met yet. I couldn't stand the thought of ever having another dog but eventually got myself involved with a local Rottweiler rescue so that I could get a black & tan fix without getting my heart broken. You all know what's coming, don't you?

After 4 months of volunteering I was working a fund raiser & my fellow volunteer said "you know, I'm fostering a female right now that would be just perfect for you!". She phoned her husband & he arrived leading a pile of bones and giant, brown eyes (I call them her "hard boiled egg eyes"). This dog instantly mushed herself right up against my husband & he was smitten. They had no history on her, just that she had been dumped at the Hartford shelter & they pulled her out on her last day. She was a good 15 pounds underweight, had obviously just had a litter & was currently recovering from a hideous bout of kennel cough. She was pathetic. My heart was stone.

My husband wanted her. I refused. He tried cajoling. I stayed strong. By the middle of the week I was calling to see how her spay surgery had gone & by the end of the week we had driven two hours to pick her up & bring her home.

I remember walking past her crate that first night, looking at those sad, hard boiled egg eyes and being so ANGRY that she looked exactly the same but she wasn't Smidgie. For those first few days she was very somber & mellow. It was like we didn't even have a dog in the house. Then she started to settle in.

If Amber had been my first rottweiler she would have been my last! Oh she was housebroken but that was it. Completely untrained, she had every bad habit that had never been addressed when she was a puppy. Plus you could see every single bone in her body & she just wouldn't eat. She was horribly submissive, wouldn't even put her head underneath a chair to get a toy that had rolled there. She also turned out to have some "issues" with men. This was the dog that had made a bee line right for my husband. Now she was baring her teeth at him (it turned out to be a fear thing).

Once we started obedience classes she literally became a different dog. All positive reinforcement & all good behavior was rewarded. It turned out that little miss skin & bones & I won't eat was incredibly food motivated. She absolutely loved going to school and was a total star. We brought her to agility classes to help build her confidence and it worked so well that she had to go back & take intermediate obedience again. The dog that was too head shy to stick her nose underneath a chair was now raching through agility tunnels and going underneath the bed in order to retrieve a wayward Kong.

She was work, but she was worth it. Amber may still look like Smidgen but she is nothing like her. She'll never be as outgoing & as effortless as Smidgen was but not a day goes by that I'm not thankful that she's ours. She is a total goofball & a total delight and it makes me so happy to see how happy SHE is.

Thank you for rescuing Ricky. I loved reading all of these great stories and seeing the pictures. Happy endings like these can always bring a smile to my face.

Nina

Rescue dogs have a sense that tells them how fortunate they are to be in a safe, loving home. Do they have a memory of how horrible can be? I think they do. Ricky has the joyous look of ''Yippee, I'm finally in the right lap!''

Have always had rescue dogs for years. When my last friend died, I needed one that was not a puppy and trained due more to my age. Knew a puppy was beyond the norm at this point in life. But this seemed to also be beyond a possibility with a rescue. Then I found the Prison trained Canine Companion program.

My choc. lab is from the prison. They take in rescues and specific prisoners train them for Canine Companions, a program for wheelchair disabled. Adoptions are available to the public, they are the ones who failed the companion training. Chase didn't pass, he loves balls and toys too much, which is why his name is Chase. The adoption process was very interesting, they match dogs to people, go through their commands with you and have a daily diary of his life at prison. He was 6 mos. old when they got him and had a lot of information about his personality, reaction to people, abilities. Tis' one of the kindest dogs around, loves kids and "men", knows his commands well. Never a problem from the moment he walked through the door. I'm not sure how he puts up with this old lady, but we are very happy living together, keeps me active with balls and frisbees. But is also a lover by my side, listening to a conversation and always with me. Am sure he was happy to get out of prison for freedom to run and a yard of his own.

If anyone is looking for rescues, give the prison dogs a chance too. They have websites for their training programs all over the US.

Re the prison training program: One of the networks (Animal Planet perhaps?) ran episodes featuring this program for about a year. It was fascinating! Both dogs and inmates profited hugely -- I was sorry when it went off the air. Glad your Chase had what was probably a third chance at happiness!

Lily, meet Lilly! We got her at the pound just after Christmas. She is sooo, sweet and fun and smart. Have fun with your little guy.

{{gwi:1606467}}

Jodi-

Congrats! He looks like a real sweetheart and definitely happy to have a lap for cuddling.

Congrats on your new addition.

We have adopted 4 golden retrievers. The last 2 were from a golden retriever rescue in PA. I highly recommend the breed rescues as they spend alot of time getting to know the dogs and are very careful in matching them to homes that they will be successful in.

Congratulations! And thank you for saving a life!

Thank you for all the congrats and good wishes! Ricky is going to the vet tomorrow and also has a grooming appt. for Friday. The refuge faxed his vet records to my local vet. Since bringing him home, I've emailed and also talked on the phone a coupla times with the wonderful woman who runs the refuge.

I have absolutely looooved seeing all the pics you all have taken the time to post. They are all so incredibly beautiful; the love they have inside and the love they are surrounded with just seems to radiate from their images on my screen. I might add here, tho, that brutuses needs to get a better picture of Girl, lol - maybe she won't stand still long enough? And, oh my, the beauty of that Pompeii is downright startling. And little Lilly - what a heartbreaker! And another black-and-white beauty, celticmoon's Lucy. And - I could go on and on... If I were a big-dog person, I think I'd be partial to greyhounds, like Olga d, or maybe it would be Golden Retrievers... or the gorgeous Collies... or maybe I'd be drawn to the handsome noble aspect of a Shasty or flatcoat's overachiever.

Wifeygirl, when I had to part with Pepe, the vet sent me a condolence card and the front-desk girl, who I became more acquainted with, enclosed a kind note and a copy of that Rainbow Bridge poem. I had seen that poem before and maybe it seems like sentimental mush to make us feel better, but nevertheless, I'm convinced that the strength of the bond between humans and their critters is evidence of something eternal. The heart knows what it knows because God put that knowledge there and He would not put it there in vain, to eventually disappear into nothingness.

Look at emmie's encounter with her Corky.

Sigh, thanks for the suggestion. It's great advice. I'm going to find out about obedience classes.

holligator, I laughed my head off at the thought of your husband going, "Luuuuuucy, you got some 'splainin' to do!!!"

Oh lily! Congrats on your new family member! What a cutie pie. I love the name Ricky Ricardo. What a lucky little guy he is to have you and your hubby. I am sure Pepe is smiling down on all of you.

Keep us updated!

HOORAY HOORAY HOORAY!!!!! I am so happy for you all!! Thanks for bringing your story to us and creating a place to share the fundementally important things. As much as I'm looking forward to my gas stove it's not nearly the wonder that a dog is : )

Congratulations to you and to Ricky! Sounds like you are both lucky to have found each other. :)

I am so happy that you have found your new friend!

As horrible as losing a pet is, I wouldn't trade in one moment of having lived with and loving them. We feel so blessed that we are able to share our home and our hearts with our cats.

I wish you much joy with your own little Ricky. I'm sure Pepe would be proud of you.

This is long, but I thought some of you might like it--the sentiment is very touching. The director of the animal shelter (where I volunteer) had sent it to me a month or so ago, I don't know who the author is.

FOR ALL PET LOVERS:
When you bring a pet into your life, you begin a journey. A journey that will bring you more love and devotion than you have ever known, yet will also test your strength and courage. If you allow, the journey will teach you many things, about life, about yourself, and most of all, about love. You will come away changed forever, for one soul cannot touch another without leaving its mark.
Along the way, you will learn much about savoring life's simple pleasures -- jumping in leaves, snoozing in the sun, the joys of puddles, and even the satisfaction of a good scratch behind the ears. If you spend much time outside, you will be taught how to truly experience every element, for no rock, leaf, or log will go unexamined, no rustling bush will be overlooked, and even the very air will be inhaled, pondered, and noted as being full of valuable information.

Your pace may be slower, except when heading home to the food dish, but you will become a better naturalist, having been taught by an expert in the field. Too many times we hike on automatic pilot, our goal being to complete the trail rather than enjoy the journey. We miss the details; the colorful mushrooms on the rotting log, the honeycomb in the old maple snag, the hawk feather caught on a twig.

Once we walk as a dog does, we discover a whole new world. We stop; we browse the landscape, we kick over leaves, peek in tree holes, look up, down, all around. And we learn what any dog knows that nature has created a marvelously complex world that is full of surprises, that each cycle of the seasons bring ever changing wonders, each day an essence all its own, each day a gift from God.

Even from indoors you will find yourself more attuned to the world around you. You will find yourself watching summer insects collecting on a screen; how bizarre they are; how many kinds there are or noting the flick and flash of fireflies through the dark. You will stop to observe the swirling dance of windblown leaves, or sniff the air after a rain. It does not matter that there is no objective in this; the point is in the doing, in not letting life's most important details slip by.

You will find yourself doing silly things that your pet-less friends might not understand: spending thirty minutes in the grocery aisle looking for the cat food brand your feline must have, buying dog birthday treats, or driving around the block an extra time because your pet enjoys the ride. You will roll in the snow, wrestle with chewie toys, bounce little rubber balls till your eyes cross, and even run around the house trailing your bathrobe tie with a cat in hot pursuit, all in the name of love.

Your house will become muddier and hairier. You will wear less dark clothing and buy more lint rollers. You may find dog biscuits in your pocket or purse, and feel the need to explain that an old plastic shopping bag adorns your living room rug because your cat loves the crinkly sound. You will learn the true measure of love. The steadfast, undying kind that says, "It doesn't matter where we are or what we do, or how life treats us as long as we are together."

Respect this always. It is the most precious gift any living soul can give another. You will not find it often among the human race. And you will learn humility. The look in my dog's eyes often made me feel ashamed. Such joy and love at my presence. She saw not some flawed human who could be cross and stubborn, moody or rude, but only her wonderful companion. Or, maybe she saw those things and dismissed them as mere human foibles, not worth considering, and so chose to love me anyway.

If you pay attention and learn well, when the journey is done, you will be not just a better person, but the person your pet always knew you to be. The one they were proud to call beloved friend.

I must caution you that this journey is not without pain. Like all paths of true love, the pain is part of loving. For as surely as the sun sets, one day your dear animal companion will follow a trail you cannot yet go down. And, you will have to find the strength and love to let them go.

A pet's time on earth is far too short, especially for those that love them. We borrow them, really, just for a while, and during these brief years they are generous enough to give us all their love, every inch of their spirit and heart, until one day there is nothing left. The cat that only yesterday was a kitten is all too soon old and frail and sleeping in the sun. The young pup of boundless energy now wakes up stiff and lame, the muzzle gone to gray.

Deep down we, somehow, always knew that this journey would end. We knew that if we gave our hearts they would be broken. But give them we must, for it is all they ask in return. When the time comes, and the road curves ahead to a place we cannot see, we give one final gift and let them run on ahead, young and whole once more. "God speed, good friend," we say, until our journey comes full circle and our paths cross again.

And bless their souls for sharing their lives with us... and adding so much to our very existence.

Nina, loved reading that you brought your baby to obedience and it turned her around. I am such a proponent of obedience school and can't say enough about it. All my dogs have been to obedience school.

Girl, who by the way, won't stand still or sit for a picture like the ham Brutus, was so shy that we had to carry her around for the first few days we had her. She was so submissive and needy. SHe wouldn't eat unless the food was on the floor. She was scared of a plate. She aced obedience school and came out a new dog. She's still a little quirky, but I think that's Border Collie issues. LOL I do want to get a good photo of her and need to keep trying.

Cat-mom, I can't tell you how many times I have to explain the turkey baby food is for the sick cats and people look at me like I'm nuts! Just this week I lost one of my feline babies to brain cancer. I had to help her cross the rainbow bridge. Doing rescue work I unfortunately see a lot of sickness and death. It's all part of the wonderful job of rescuing animals who would otherwise die on the streets. I had Ming for 10 wonderful years. She and her 2 day old babies were on their way to a kill shelter when I rescued them. Losing them to death is hard, but not being able to save them from the streets and giving them even a small chance at a good life, is even harder.

I've rescued animals with terminal illnesses that were only with me a short time, but giving them good food, a safe and comfortable place to sleep and all they needed, is so rewarding. They are so appreciative.

Helping them cross the Rainbow bridge is always difficult, but knowing I've given them every chance at a good life helps me to heal and go on to rescue another one in need.

brutuses--I buy jars and jars of chicken and/or turkey baby food to bring with me to the shelter at the height of kitten season so I totally get that.

I am so sorry for your loss. It's never easy is it?

Before I started volunteering at the shelter, we brought home a cat who was dying so she could be in a home for her final days. She actually died in my arms while waiting in the vet's office to be euthanized. We were so glad that she died with people loving her, and that she was safe and cared for in her final moments. More importantly, (we hoped) she would know that she mattered.

cat mom, that author is wonderful!!! You are a lovely person for bringing that cat home. You are making me tear up!

Gotta go hug my hounds.

Thanks Cat Mom - wonderful writing :) I can just pictures arms around that sweet cat - what a beautiful gift. Priceless.

As far as the sweet new babe who just came home to Lily's house, I was thinking that he was found via the web and is now imfamous becasue of the Garden Web.... so how 'bout naming him "Webster"? (At least until he acquires his true collection of sweet nicknames.)

Thanks kk. Our only regret is that we didn't bring her home a month or so earlier when we had the chance. At least her final days were spent surrounded by love in a nice, quiet home (we kept our two girls out of that room while she was here those few days).

cat mom, whoever wrote that said it beautifully.

bethv, love the name Webster and so very fitting too! Kinda wish I'd seen it before now, cause he's finally started answering to Ricky, so maybe I better stick with that.

Something else I gotta say: THANK GOD FOR THE RESCUERS AND SHELTER VOLUNTEERS!!! God bless you for what you do.

Ricky was at the refuge for 6 weeks and had become attached to one of the workers there. When she walked in the door, he raced to her and leaped up into her arms as she stood there. I said to myself, "If he ever does that with me, then I'll know that mysterious bonding thing has happened." Well, a couple of nights ago, we went out to eat and when we got home, he did it! It wasn't as gracefully done though, cause when I saw him coming I bent forward without thinking and we bumped heads! But, oh boy, there are just no words to describe the joy and happiness you feel from such a welcome. That another living creature is that happy to see you is something wonderful. It's like purity and innocence and love rushing at you all at once and you get to embrace all that and feel it and touch it and love it back. Sorry I'm getting a little gooey here but I can't help it!

Lily, you and Ricky are why I foster and part with our precious visitors. Please do share your wonderful story and pics with the shelter; it will make their day!

We have had joyous reunions at the annual rescue picnic. It is held at a 4-H fairgrounds with lots of room for dogs and families to play, chat and eat.

Dogs and humans enjoy games like
'bobbing for balls'

cracker toss

It's a treat to see the bond between our most recent foster, Lexie, and her 'boy', Jeremy.

Nice stories, great doggies and kitties, too.

We lost our beautiful chow mix, Toby on February 16 (he was 14 years and 7 months old), almost 2 years after losing his dear, sweet litter mate brother, Tibby (he was 12 years and eight months old) We've been heartbroken, sad and both of us are just mopin' around this too empty house. We got Tibby and Toby when they were just 10 days old... we bottle fed them, round the clock, their eyes were still closed and we instantly fell in love with them. It's still hard for me to believe they are gone. We had both of them cremated and they are in beautiful wood boxes with a great picture of them sitting on one and their tiny little first collars with heart shaped name tags, sitting on the other.
We knew we would want to save two more litter mates and give them a wonderful life.
We found the 2 new pups at a rescue in Mississippi... we are in Boston.... lots of phone calls, lots of pleas for transport help and finally everything came together. They are now, at this very moment, on a flight from Mississippi. They will get here, in Boston, at 7:30 tonight. They got a bath this morning and I'm told they are very, very excited to meet their new Momma and daddy!
The rescue was wonderful to work with... not all of them are, most are.

This is a pic of our Toby.. I wish I had one for Tibby. Not on this computer. You can see how old he looks, but he was still happy. These pictures were taken in December on the same day.

And these are the new babies.. they are 8 weeks old, born on my dearly missed mom's birthday. I'm sure she had a hand in this. My mom's middle name was Bridget... she loved it. But everyone of her kids did not! Not 1 girl grandchild was given the name of Bridget! I don't have any kids.. but I, too, told her ixnay on Bridget if I did! tee hee. Funny how now I think it's such a lovely name. sigh. Her maiden name was Flanagan, so I decided to give her 2 grandkids bearing her name! She would have been thrilled. I'm sure she is! She helped us with the bottle feedings of Tibby & Toby.. she proudly told anyone who would listen, that they were her newest grandkids! We might name Bridget, McBridget...my last name, my Dh (dear honey of 30 years) last name both begin with MC. Still thinkin' on that, though. Bridget is the adorable black girl and Flanagan is the adorable cream colored boy. They weigh 9.6 pounds for Bridget and 9.5 pounds for Flanagan. Sorry these pics are so large.

I'm very happy for the Op!

Silly

sillyme, WOW, all the way from Miss. to Boston! You're probably at the airport right now and I pray they had a safe flight and will soon be home. Bridget (or McBridget) and Flanagan are adorable!

Yay for Ricky! I know about that special leap. While my little chihuahuas can't quite leap up into my arms, they have this special little jump that they do when I reach down to pick them up when I come home.

sillyme, those are absolutely adorable little fluff balls!!! Congrats and enjoy!