Callie

[jspence]

Bless you Dear Callie. Yours is a bitter/sweet story. Bitter because of the horrors of your early life and sweet because you now have a nuturing family that has helped you develope your wonderful personality. I am very thankful for people like your family who are patient enough and willing to give you the love and the time you need to recover from your early trauma. I have no doubt that you will live the life that you so richly deserve from this day forward. Me and my rescue babies are with you all the way.

[jwwf]

What an awesome present, to be Dog of the Day! Callie sends leans and nuzzles!

[Angelo's Human]

Callie, I'm so glad you found the right place to be, the right lives to light up... and I'm glad we know you through facebook, too. Angelo says he's glad that he and you both have been chosen for Dog of the Day!

Much love,
Leland and Angelo,
co-authors of Angelo's Journey: A Border Collie's Quest for Home

[kaycountrygal]

Hello Callie, you sweet sweet pretty girl! I have tears in my eyes after reading about you. I am so sorry you had such a terrible beginning. I hope one day the person/s who mistreated you will somehow be punished. Thank Goodness for your loving humans who had the patience and understanding to give you a chance. It is obvious that you have a wonderful home and are loved. You really are a special dog and congrats on being DOTD. I hope all of you will have many years together. Kay in NC

[tatsxxx11]

Happy Dog of the Day to you, precious Callie! How deserving you are our of our extra special Sunday honors, sweetheart! So nice to see your proud family checking in today, too! (Hi Callie's family!) How you ever managed to summon the strength to hang on until your guardian angel rescuers could find you is nothing short of awe inspiring! I cannot fathom how any sentient human being could abuse an innocent animal as horrifically as you were abused, Callie. And I have to agree with your Daddy. It is perhaps best he and your Mommy don't now all that occurred in your early days. The important thing is that YOU have put those days in the past, replacing the horrors of those days with happy memories, fillng your heart with the uncondtinal love and devotion of your furparents! It's a testament to the canine spirit, and your family's incredible devotion and patience and love for animals, that in such a short time your body and soul have healed so completely. You truly are a miracle pup, Callie; no doubt about it!

I don't believe there will be a dry eye on Pet Talk, so moving is your story, beautiful girl! Happy endings such as yours are what the best of Pet Talk is all about! I can't tell you how happy I am for you sweetheart, that you found your way to SUCH wonderful forever furparents, and how blessed are they, having a beautiful best friend and soul mate for life, in you!!!

Enjoy a very special day of celebration, sweetheart, and to you and your family, wishes for many, many, many more carefree, love filled years together! BIG hugs and kisses to you on your big day, beautiful Callie!

[papbouv]

Callie is a very beautiful dog, did you know the Collie breed has eye problems especially one with a lot of white in there coats. Their are also all white collies not a preferred color but they are out there.Callie maybe a pure breed collie, Please read the following book it is the best book I have read in a very long time "If A Dog's Prayers Were Answered Bones Would Rain from the Sky" by Suzanne Clothier.
If you run across a dog that is fearful the worst thing you can do is "comfort" them is is much better to act like it is no big deal they will work though their fear much faster. I say this because I'm an old woman who has been around dogs all my life have read many books,have had Dog Fancy magazine every since it started or close to it. Hope I have not offended anyone but I try to be helpful.Papbouv
Collie eye problems:Collie eye anomaly (CEA), a genetic disease which causes improper development of the eye and possible blindness, is a common ailment in the breed.[8] More rarely, Collies can be affected by progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), another genetic disease in which bilateral degeneration of the retina results in progressive vision loss culminating in blindness.[9] Through genetic testing and careful screening program it would be theoretically possible to eradicate both of these problems in purebred lines, however, certainly in the UK, the Kennel Club does not require these tests to be done either for registration or showing. CEA is so prevalent that elimination of affected dogs except through very slow and careful breeding decisions to avoid shrinking the gene pool more than absolutely necessary. Collie puppies should be screened at an early age (6–8 weeks) by a certified veterinary ophthalmologist to check for CEA. PRA has a later onset and can be detected by DNA test, but is much less widespread (in the US) than CEA. (In the UK, PRA is more common.) [10] Note, the UK Kennel Club "Accredited Breeder Scheme" requires eye tests and recommends the genetic test for this class of members ,.[11]

[Silverwalk]

I disagree with not comforting dogs in distress. I would not ignore a child who is frightened, thus I do not ignore my dogs. I try to prepare them for stressers using medication and desensitization, I assure they have a safe place to be whether in a corner crate almost enclosed or at my feet. So good to hear the UK club requires tests for eyes, etc. of their dogs.
Callie is utterly gorgeous. I commend you for giving her the time to become her real self with your food, guidance and love - as well as the support of her pack-mates.

[mon]

Callie is awsome and brilliant!! She is the most perfect Dog of the day she is so beautiful it is simply unreal can't believe anyone could ever mistreat an animal. Hope they burn in hell forever and like ever! Love to you and your wonderful family Callie. Most excellent Dog of the day. Peace and love

[lizbud]

Hello Callie,

I am so pleased to meet you today and see your beautiful self in pictures.
I am constantly amazed at the inborn trust & sweetness
of our canine friends. How terrible it is when humans abuse that love.
I am thrilled that you were adopted by the right people & given the time
and patience to blossom into the the beautiful girl you are today. You
are so deserving of the honor of our special DOG OF THE DAY. Sending
love & hugs just for you sweet girl.

[jwwf]

for the wonderful notes. I've been out most of the day to perform a wedding for a lovely couple. I came back in to read such an outpouring of love. (Waving at Leland -- and Callie sends playbows and leans to her "Unka" Angelo. She is certain she's in rarified company today!)

We're pretty sure Callie's mix is Kuvasz. She doesn't have collie "backs"; her shape, walk, and stance is pretty textbook Kuvasz. I've been lucky enough to rescue a couple of Kuvaszok, so I'm pretty familiar with their shape, fur, and ATTITUDE *lol*. She isn't much of a fur-niture person, preferring to take a position between us and a door or window. Her fur-sisters are Dora (a 10yo cattledog/springer mix, the queen of the pack), Ashley-Marie (a 6yo GSD/BC/Lab mix), Emmaline (half weimaraner, half Heinz 57), and Julie-Claire (a 10mo purebred border collie). Julie is learning to take up Gramma Dora's aide-dog duties, since Gramma is now of a certain age and thinking about retiring.

Our family includes one more: Maxie, an 8-to-10yo BC/pit(?) mix who is a sweet, smart, and gentle foster. Maxie's looking for a loving forever home, but another home doesn't come along, well, we've room, love, and time to spend with another eldergirl. Maxie seems to have had a pretty good home life until misfortune befell her furparents and they had to give up their home. (That's as much as we know.)

All but Emmaline and Maxie had really rough starts, but have repaid our love and concern with loyalty, comfort, love, and respect. I've had and trained dogs for thirtymumble years, even undertook years of lessons with training professionals and behaviorists. As much as I've loved and worked with my dogs who are now across The Bridge, no pack has ever taught me so much (or often challenged my knowledge) as this one. I've been very, very blessed to have the advice of a group of ladies who live with and train service dogs to assist them with their disabilities. One such lady crossed the Rainbow Bridge a couple of years ago. She trained service dogs and lots of different animals for Hollywood. She is sorely missed; I often ask myself still, "how would H----- handle this odd behavior?". I'd like to think I've listened well to her counsel.

As good as you might think you are, a pup can still throw you a curve, especially when you can't ask them about all they've been through, or why they seem to fear the oddest things.

As you might can tell, we use all-positive methods; encouragement, redirection, giving them jobs they like to do, and so on. It takes longer, but the results seem to last forever. Dear Callie had it the roughest of all our rescue-kids so it took a while to win her heart. She is spooky-smart and has become affectionate, confident, and even a lady with some elegant manners.

And oh what a heart she offers in return! As lucky as she might consider herself to find a place in the world where she can be herself, we consider ourselves luckier still. Neither collies nor kuvaszok just toss their hearts away. When she finally did, I was so blessed to be the one to catch.

Again, thank you everyone for making our day. Callie's fourth birthday present is special indeed. We're all so happy to have met you and hope to visit lots more.

Wags, leans, and yummy tossed biscuits,
James

[Momo]

What an awful beginning for you...some humans are terrible, but thank God for the really good ones, right?
You are a beautiful beloved pet, and are lucky to have survived your past horrors to become a happy loving girl now!
May everyday be Dog of the Day for you...I know it is really!

[K9karen]

My tears of horror turned into tears of joy! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! For saving beautiful Callie! Your love, attention, kindness and patience certainly paid off! What a wonderful gift for humans and Callie! She's a living doll! I love her breed combination! How awesome and lovely is that? Not only is Callie an angel, but so are her folks! The world needs more people like you! Happy DOTD Callie! You deserve it!

[opschick]

Oh Callie, i wish I could take the people that beat you, tie them up and beat them. My heart breaks when I hear stories like yours, but thank goodness for kind people like your family now. I have a golden taht was beaten also. It took a long time, but like you he is in a family now that has love and patience. Happy dotd to you sweet girl..