**Warning... this is VERY VERY long! **
sorry
<< FYI... Buddy is the one that is more tan >>
On Dec 21st, it will be one year!!!!!!
It's really a much bigger milestone that just a one year anniversary of his adoption.
I saved Buddy from a kill shelter, he had been dumped off by someone, and was left to fend for himself. It took them two weeks to catch Buddy because he was finding ways to avoid the traps they were setting to catch him. Well... they caught him, and he was scared to death, and they couldn't put him in with the rest of the dogs because he was so afraid of the noise and all. So they made him a bed in a small office/closet type place right near the office and people. There was one man that he felt 100% safe with. His name was Doug.
When I heard about Buddy I went to the shelter the next morning, leash and collar in hand, knowing I was not coming home without him!! So when I asked at the counter about Barry (They named him Barry) they looked at me like I was crazy, asking me if I was sure what dog I was asking about. One even said to me "Do you know he's a basket case?" So I just told them I wanted to see him. They had Doug put a leash on him, (he was the only person that Buddy would let touch him or put a leash on him) and walked him out into a small office where I was waiting….. it was one of the saddest sights I have seen... this BEAUTIFUL GSD, crouching as low to the ground as he could, ears pinned to his head, trying to watch everyone around him. I started crying the second I saw him!
I sat on the floor and he would not come near me, after a little bit, he would sniff my hand and runback to Doug, or run under the desk. But after a little while, I took the leash out of Doug hand, and Buddy came and sat by me. So I asked if I could take him outside (we had a TON of snow at the time) so I took him outside on the leash, and the second he touched the snow was the first time I saw his tail wag! He was so happy to be outside! Then he looked up at me as I was still crying, and tilted his head, as if he was asking why I was crying. Needless to say I took him home, but when I went to get him into my blazer, he wouldn’t jump up into it, so I got up on the seat, and tried pulling him toward me with his leash, he slipped out, and took off running through the woods. I was FREAKING out!!!!!! I ran back inside, yelling for Doug, he took off into the wood, 15 minuets later, we can no longer hear Doug calling his name, I was so afraid if they caught him, that they were not going to let me take him home. Next thing we know, here comes Doug out of the woods with Buddy in his arms!!! He had carried Buddy once he caught him because he didn’t have a leash! (Buddy was 76 lbs at the time!!) So he just put Buddy in my blazer, and off I went. I cried the entire way home. (while he puked 4 times)
So once at home, I showed him where his crate was, and from then on, he never wanted to leave it!! I would sleep on the floor next to him (just naps… not for the night) he didn’t stop shaking for days!! Little by little he would wander further in the house by himself. But once Rick would come home, he would run back into his crate. No one else in the world could pet him, or get close to him … but me! It took 6 months before Buddy would let my hubby put him in his crate!! Once he tried but Buddy came charging out after him, snapping and growling. I was not home to help, so Rick then left him outside and told me to find him another home. I looked for homes for him, (not real hard….hee hee) but then Buddy would seem to come around a little more, and Rick would forgive him, and this happened a few times. We’d have good days, then bad days, and then REAL bad days… so on and so on. Even when it came time to put away the Christmas decorations…. I kept his stocking out so when I found a new home for him I could give it to his new family. Well…I was SOOOO happy to be able to hang that stocking up this year!!! And I never want it anywhere else than in my house!!
As for Buddy and Rick… they both are still learning to get along with each other!!!!
Each day I thank God Rick has been able to hold on and has let Buddy stay with us!! I would love to have Rick work with a trainer with Buddy!! Who knows.... maybe one day they will be great friends!!!!
Merry Christmas Everyone!!!
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