40 Fit In The Mitt

Today’s Post is part of a Link-Up Party called 23 Paws. This Link-up party is Hosted by Cinnamon at eatpraytri.

I believe in fate, always have and always will, especially when it comes to my doggies. Each and every dog my husband and I have had, has found us, and has enriched our life. Each dog has also been a rescue of some degree. It has always been important for us to rescue a dog in need.

I have posted pictures of Ginger in some previous posts, but I wanted this post to be her official Meet and Greet. So without further ado; Here’s my little girl.

Now Ginger don’t be shy, let them see your face.

Okay!, WOW, too close, now your just being silly. Show them your beautiful face.

That’s better Ginger Girl.

The day after Killian died I started a new routine with Stuart to keep his mind off of missing Killian. We started a neighborhood walk as soon as I got home from work. Normally I walk my dogs at a neighborhood farm trail, but I wanted to do something that Stuart and Killian did not do together.

Stuart was loving his daily walk, and we both needed it. It was very therapeutic and helped keep our minds off our loss. A few days into our new routine I asked my husband to join us on our walk. As we walked and talked we got on the subject of what kind of dog we would get next time. We discussed it and thought about all the possibilities and then we both agreed, lets let the dog find us again. Fate has given us 3 amazing dogs so far.

So I’ll be dog gone if the very next day on our family walk we saw an elderly lady struggling with a peppy little chihuahua. She yelled over to us to come over to her. When we got up to her,  she said, “do you want to help me with this dog?” I said sure we can walk her for you, she said “NO” she needs a home. I took her from a bad person who was neglecting her, but I cannot care for her. She had just had knee replacement surgery a month ago. I looked at my husband and he looked at me and we both knew, this was our new dog. Stuart also seems to agree. He normally does not like other dogs he meets on walks, but he was calm and happy around her.

We told her we would give Ginger a home and to give us a day to puppy proof our house. We made plans to pick her up after work the very next day. When picking up Ginger the nice lady whose name is Virginia gave us the details of how she came to get Ginger. She said Ginger was kept in a small, dirty cage 24/7 and didn’t even have a real name. We gave her the name Ginger, Virginia was calling her Charlie? Not sure why. She really did not know the people, she only visited them as a volunteer through a community program, and when she saw how they kept this little dog, she asked them if she could take her and they gave her up instantly. She knew she could not care for her, but knew she had to get her out of that house. I am so thankful Virginia rescued her and gave us a perfect little girl and helped us heal our hearts after losing our Killian Michael.

Stuart is showing her the ropes, and Ginger is teaching an old boy how to play. It is so entertaining to watch. They play non stop. They are BDFF. Best Dog Friend Forever!

I know this is a long post, but I want to share our other dogs rescue stories with you since I have you here.

Our First Family Photo with Zack. December 1994

Our first dog Zack was not an abused dog, but was in a home that was not right for him. He was a year old when we got him. He was with a family that had several kids and he was very shy and terrified of the kids. This family realized that Zack would do better in a non-kid household, and asked us if we would like to take him. So we went to meet him. Zack spent most of his time hiding in a back bedroom of the family’s house and I was worried he would be too scared and not let us near him, but BOY was I wrong. When we went back to the back bedroom,  I called out to him and out popped this friendly and loving little doggie.  He offered kisses and wagged his entire body whenever we said his name. He came home with us that very day, that was 1994.

That family went on to another dog more suited for a large growing family with small kids.  We had Zack for 11 years. In those 11 years, Zack never warmed up to small kids, he was never aggressive towards them, he just never wanted anything to with them, and that was not a problem for us, we were a kid free home.  Zack was a great dog, he loved to take walks and swim and he loved to play ball. During Zack’s first few years we thought how perfect our little family of three was, but later decided we might want another furry little kid. Enter Killian.

Killian’s story is a little different. He was abandoned and abused.

First Family Photo with Killian October 1998

In 1998 Killian was on death row at a shelter, he was a year old. Some shelters send dogs to community colleges as test animals before they are euthanasia. Well that’s where Killian ended up. During his 15 days at the college he was used by the students to learn how to shave the dogs and administer shots, and insert IV picc lines. During his testing one of the students took a liking to him and temporarily rescued him. She had 7 days to find him a real home by someone who would adopt him. If she could not find him a home, he would be sent back to the shelter and be put down.  I want to point out that I did not know this girl. She spread the word and it somehow got to my brother-in-law who called us and told us about this little red dog.

So we drove 80 miles to check him out. Well we fell in love and grabbed up that little dog and headed home so he could meet his brother Zack. Killian was in rough shape, he was poked and shaved and very skinny, he suffered from severe malnutrition . He needed to be neutered as part of our adoption agreement. I didn’t care what it was going to take, I wanted to get this dog healthy and give this little boy a good home.  This little dog’s entire life of one year was in a cage at a shelter, then 15 days of testing in a facility. All’s we wanted to do was let this dog be free and play and swim and run and do what ever he needed to do to make up for lost time. He spent the summer on the pontoon boat and swimming in the lake. He loved the snow and didn’t care if it was pouring rain, he loved to be outside. Killian would sit on the deck and watch the sun go down.  He loved life. I mean loved it. He loved to chase birds, rabbits, mice, ducks, geese and even on occasion bees. He never fairs well with the bees.

So fast forward to 2005. Zack got sick and was suffering with terrible arthritis. He was unable to climb the stairs to our bedroom so we carried him every night up the steps to bed, he went blind and lost most of his hearing. When he started to show us that he was having physical pain, we knew we had to say good-bye to our first little furry baby boy.  We were devastated, but had to do what was right for him, we could not let him suffer. I had never known it was possible to love an animal so much. Zack left us on December 6, 2005.

I brought Killian with me when I had Zack put to sleep. It was important for me to bring Killian with me, so he could see Zack pass, and understand that he was gone. We held Zack as he passed and Killian licked Zack’s face and smelled him and laid next to him for a bit, and when he was ready and we had said all our final goodbyes. We left, broken-hearted. I truly know that Killian understood that Zack was deceased and I know it helped him, and it gave him the closure he needed. Killian went right up to bed when we got home and would not come down until the next day. He was very sad for a few days, then seemed to be ready to move on.

We first got Killian in 1998 and he came into our household as the second dog, and now he was now an only child. He loved/hated that. He loved the attention, but missed his brother. We did not want another dog right away, but thought if one needed us we would be there. Well not even 15 days later I was at work when a co-worker walked into work talking about a little dog that was on her porch that was in terrible shape.

Enter Stuart. December 21, 2005.

When I heard her say that about a little dog, I jumped up and ran towards her, I think I scared her, but I needed to know about the dog. So she said that the night before her husband went to get the mail and saw a little shaking dog on their porch. He approached it and the little dog ran into his arms. It was 20 degrees out and there was 4″ of snow on the ground. So he brought it into the house, but it was scared to death and really sickly. They feed it and put it in the bathroom. They went to bed and in the morning feed him again. She told her husband to take the dog to the shelter when he left for work later that morning.  So I sprang into action and I grabbed her, and put her coat right back on her, and yelled to my boss that I would be right back. We always arrived an hour early for work to get our stations ready to open, so I had enough time to get to my coworker house which was one minute from the office, see the dog and figure out what I was going to do. We raced to her house I opened the bathroom door and got on my knees to see this little dog. So this scared little big eyed baby walked towards me, and I softly said “oh baby, come to your new mamma”, and he did.  I picked him up and fell totally head over heels in love. So with my new baby in my arms, I drove my co-worker back to work, asked my boss for the day off.

I needed to take my new little boy to the vet. He was 3 pounds, in poor shape, he had worms and a terrible rash on his body, with several areas of his body where he had no hair at all, just large scabs. I then called my husband.. Oops. He responded the way I expected, “Bring him home.” So day by day our little Stuart got healthier and stronger and became friends with Killian. Stuart was 3 or 4 when I found him, he had never been fixed and was not chipped. I called around to shelters and no one reported him missing. In my opinion he had been on his own for some time, but only Stuart really knows. To say that I loved this little dog was an understatement. He was the lap-dog I always wanted. He is funny and fussy at the same time. He is my helicopter kid. He always knows where I am at all times, and just wants to be with his people. He is a proud little guy.

Life was perfect again, that was until Killian got sick with Diabetes and we had to have him put to sleep on November 26, 2012. Stuart and I were with him when he passed. He was my special boy and I really feel blessed that I had Killian for 14 amazing years. I know I will miss him and Zack until the day I die.

Now jump to Current day. Stuart and Ginger are amazing together, they bonded right away. They play all the time. It’s so fun to watch. Stuart rarely played with Killian even though Killian tried all the time. Killian and Stuart were friends and loved each other, but always just did their own thing. So to now see Stuart respond this way to Ginger really makes me happy. I think Ginger is going to get Stuart in tip-top shape with all this activity.

So to close this very long post. We love  these dogs with all our hearts, and they have given us nothing but love in return. I vow that I will keep them safe, healthy and happy. I will do right by them always, I pray for each and every one of my dogs to have nothing but a full and long life.

To Quote Gilda Radner:

“I think dogs are the most amazing creatures;
they give unconditional love.
For me they are the role model for being alive.”

Check Ya Later, Dog Lovers.

Question: Do you have a Dog Story, you would like to share? Please do.

Read Full Post »