Saving Grace

When Murray died, he took a piece of my heart with him.  Dudley knew his brother was sick and wasn't really affected at all by his absence.  I was thankful to still have my Little Man to come home to but it just wasn't the same.  I was affected by his absense.  I wasn't a 1 dog person.  Even with two young children, my house was just too quiet.

I'm not sure when it happened but all of Murray's medical issues, attributed to bad genes, and stories I had been hearing about local rescue groups made me start to think more about those dogs.  My search for another dog did not start by Googling "breeder" and I didn't start buying the paper to read the Classified for puppies.

I started looking for another Maltese on Petfinder.  I wanted to save a life. While searching, this little lady popped up.

She wasn't really what I was looking for but there was just something about her that made me want to know more.   I immediately filled out the application for her and then obsessively checked my email for a reply while applying for a few other Maltese through different rescue groups.  

Gracie was with Florida Little Dog Rescue and their website told me that they would get back to me within 24-48 hours.  REALLY???  That long????  I wondered why they couldn't get back to the second they got my application.  Didn't they want homes for these dogs? (I'm well aware now that I didn't even know the first thing about what it takes to run a rescue group.)  

THANKFULLY, my need for instant gratification was served when I received a call from Florida Little Dog Rescue within a few hours.  The dog's foster mom called me within an hour after that and we had plans to meet the next day!  

I was so nervous about meeting one of those rescue dogs.  My husband was out of town oand he was not happy that we were going to meet her!  All night long, my mind wondered.  Did she have issues? Was she going to bite me, my kids, or be mean to my Dudley?  I wanted another dog badly but I really didn't hold high expectations for this meeting.

I was was so wrong and meeting her is one of my happiest memories!  We met the foster mom in the parking lot, and here is how this sweet little doggie greeted Sasha!  No questions asked, just doggy kisses for this new little girl who was petting her.  Sasha turned to me and yelled, "Mom!  I want this dog!"

 Her foster mom was so unbelievably patient with us while I texted back and forth with my husband (he wanted to wait until he could meet her, too) and we got to know each other.  In hindsight, I was being overly picky!  My mother-in-law was with us and she was also pushing for the adoption so my poor husband was overruled and we decided to adopt this sweet girl.  

After trying out name after name after name, we thought we were sticking with Lulu.  Once the kids went to bed, "Lulu" was snuggled up against me on the sofa.  It blew my mind that she had such trust only a few hours after meeting me.  To make it even more amazing, this was after living for 3 days in a foster home, 3 MONTHS living in animal control and 15 MONTHS of living as a breeder dog. Other than the soft lap she had found, she had absolutely no reason to trust.  

She was living in animal control that long because she was considered EVIDENCE against the breeder who had her.  Evidence.  After being stuck in a crate her whole life, she then had to live in a cement kennel because of some irresponsible backyard breeder trying to make a buck.  

While "Lulu" was snuggled against me, I thought about her life and I thought how happy I was to have 2 dogs again.  She was not replacing my Murray but she was already healing my heart.  She was safe and she was saving me.  She was my Saving Grace.  My mother in law was sitting in the living room when I blurted out, "Saving Grace.  Gracie!"  We both knew that was this girl's new name!

She fit herself into our life so quickly and even Dudley admitted he liked her after a few days.  As her personality began to shine and boy does it SHINE, I saw certain Murray behaviors.  He also had a Shining personality.  I believe he guided us to this girl because she has his big spirit!  Just like children, you're meant to have the dogs who come into your life.  

I finally had one of those dogs and she was awesome.  Sure, she needed a little training and some love.  She still has issues but really, don't we all?  All of my stereotypes of rescue dogs flew out the window and I was in love (and so was my husband).  

Why?

First of all, I hate that I even have to write this post.  I hate that I am CONSTANTLY telling people why they should rescue only to have them go to a breeder or a pet store.  And this is why I started this blog.

Why?

     --Because there are almost 3 million homeless pets in America.  Three MILLION!
     --Because a dog or cat is euthanized about every 11 seconds because of overpopulation.
     --Because our rescue had 2 litters of pups in the past 2 months.  Both pregnant moms were      
        dumped at Animal Control and we pulled them out.  One mama gave birth just a few hours  
        after arriving at her foster home.  JUST our local rescue group has 12 newborn puppies.
     --Because buying an AKC registered dog means you are supporting puppy mills.


Because when you buy from a breeder or a puppy store, these animals, and so many more just like them, are left alone and scared in shelters: 

She was stuck because she was deaf and a pitbull.
She now lives on a ranch with acres and acres to run, has 6 kids,
some doggie brothers and sisters and a few cats and
loves every single one of them.  (She's also my fur-niece!)

He was found alone and starving at only 4 weeks old.
He's now the king of his house!

His family "couldn't control him".  He was a puppy and they turned him in
to a shelter.  He now has 2 doting parents and is living the good life!

He only had one eye.  That didn't stop his dad from falling in love with him.
He now helps his dad run their own gym!

He was "too much to handle".  That's ok
He now lives in a swank big city apartment with his  mom and his own staff!  

She was found alone outside on a cold, rainy day at only 3 weeks old.
She was bottle fed by a dedicated volunteer for a few weeks and
she's now a happy, healthy family member!

Her family decided the Christmas gift of a puppy wasn't such a good idea so they took her to a shelter.  She is a FULL BRED Maltese and now lives in a home where her mom barely lets her feet touch the ground!

He was a stray and a had a problem with his eye.
 Florida Little Dog Rescue had it fixed and he was adopted
by a family within minutes of meeting him!  

Think they aren't loving?  Think again.
This little girl was perfectly happy to be carried around like a baby!  

He was just a puppy and abandoned at a shelter.  His beauty and amazing social skills made a family very happy.

She came in with a shattered pelvis.
She's now a very loved, very happy
and very active family member!

He was a skinny stray and is now fat and fluffy.
He will lay on your lap for hours. (He's also my fur-brother.)

  

Instead of buying a puppy from a breeder or a pet store, you could be SAVING one just like this!

Dedicated to my boys

I love to read the dedication pages in books.  I often think who I would dedicate my book to, if I would ever write one, and I never think of the same people every time.  Before I even titled this blog, I knew who I would dedicate it to.  This blog is dedicated to my boys, my first babies, my Murray and Dudley.

I've always been an animal lover.  I grew up with dogs, cats, birds and fish.  I think all of my relatives also had a pet or two.  My grandparents had dogs and their love was inspiring.  

We bought our first house in 2000 and I knew immediately that we would have dogs.  I was young and I was naive.   My husband and I decided to go through a breeder because we didn't want to "deal with all of the problems those shelter dogs had" and we didn't want to "deal with not knowing where those dogs came from".  

I easily found a breeder in our area.  She had two sisters she bred with one "stud".  Both girls got pregnant and Murray and Dudley were born within 9 days of each other.  They were half brothers and cousins.  I called them my "Jerry Springer dogs".  But hey, they were from a "responsible" breeder and AKC certified so they were going to be healthy, perfect dogs.  Little did I know...

Murray and Dudley were great dogs.  They were loving and so much fun.  They each had their own personality and I was so happy with my babies.

When they were 7 years old, Murray got sick.  

After several difficult months, the vets figured out he had diabetes and "severe liver disease".  They had never seen a dog with such advanced liver disease at his age and it was through no fault of my own.  He had "bad genes".  The specialist gave him 6 months to live, at most.  I was devastated.  The average lifespan of a Maltese was 12-15 years.  It was too soon.  Murray was my Sunshine and my heart and I wasn't ready to let him leave me.  Long story short, my boy rallied and lived for 2 more happy years.  Letting him go was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life.  He was my AKC, "Responsibly bred" dog.  He was supposed to live a full life.  He didn't. And he took a piece of my heart with him.

When Dudley was 10 1/2, he got sick.  

The vets diagnosed him with Kidney failure and a very rare gallbladder condition.  They asked me if he had gotten into anything; any poisons, bad foods, medicine.  I knew that he didn't since he was always by my side.  He didn't even go outside by himself.  Again, the vets assured me that this was no fault of my own.  He also had "bad genes".  His vet said that she had only seen one dog with levels that bad and he actually lived for a year after his diagnosis.  She expected that if Dudley made it through this, he might live for 3 more months.  I couldn't believe I was going through this again.  Dudley was my Little Man, my best buddy and I didn't want him to go.  Luckily for me, just like his brother, Dudley rallied.  He lived for 2 1/2 more happy years after this diagnosis. Letting him go was easier.  I was an experienced doggie nurse by that time and I knew I had done everything for him.  I knew it was his time.  We were peaceful and and my arms were wrapped around my boy.   His last breath kissed my cheek and I feel it there every time I think of him.

So why dedicate this blog to my BREEDER dogs? 

I'm dedicating this blog and all of my passion for Rescue Dogs to Murray and Dudley because without the joy they brought to me, I wouldn't have become the dog lover I am now.  Without their shortened lives, I wouldn't have learned the dangers of buying ("responsible") breeder dogs. Without their medical problems, I wouldn't have researched and learned the sad reality that AKC certified dogs aren't really anything to brag about.  

After Murray died, I began my search for a rescue dog and I know he helped to guide Gracie and Florida Little Dog Rescue into my life.  When Dudley got sick, I found Chloe and learned that with a lot of love and a lot of patience, an untrained, untrusting and unloving rescue dog could turn out to be one of the best dogs ever!  And without Murray and Dudley showing me the true spirit of the Maltese breed, I wouldn't have volunteered to foster, accidentally fall in love with...and adopt my Sunshine, a broken, scared and scarred senior Maltese.  

Murray and Dudley definitely left pawprints on my heart and this blog is for them.