Did you know that one of the breeds Obedience Trial Champions was a rehome? Mac the rehome went on to become...OTCH Banshee's Mighty McIntosh
Then there is the story of the 9 month old rescue who went on to get her Companion Dog obedience title. Sharon says she's happy and still a puppy at 9 years. Maddie's story was so special I thought she deserved her own page... Maddie
The following is the tale of a 9-year old dog put in a shelter and rescued by his breeder
I just wanted to update you on the IWS of my breeding
that was dumped in the humane society in Colorado.
He made it here just fine on the plane. I had him through two thunderstorms. The
first one happened at night. He was crated downstairs with my other Irish and he didn't
make a peep all through the storm. I didn't go downstairs and check because I was afraid
my presence would start up a ruckus. In the morning he was just fine. He hadn't scratched
at the crate at all, from what I could see. The second storm was during the day. I had him
out in the house with me. He was fine! All he did was pant a little and follow me
around (which he does anyway). My Belgian Sheepdog, who is also a storm dog, was
drooling and shaking.
I found a couple here in Minnesota looking for an adult dog. The didn't care about
age. They wanted either a poodle or water spaniel because of husbands mild
allergies. Their last dog they got when she was seven and had been abandoned at a vet
clinic. She had some fear issues as well. The dog they had before that one was another
rescue from an abuse situation. They don't have children. Just days before I found
out about these people I had been describing the type of home I felt I needed for
Tello and these people fit every single criteria I had been looking for.
The timing of all of this was incredible! These people must have been meant for
Tello and he for them. They picked him up a week ago. I talked to them recently and
they are completely in love! He's fitting in wonderfully!
Thank you for your help in this matter. It's so nice when there is a happy ending!
Tunu(which in African means long awaited one) was our rescue dog who was in a Lima, Ohio shelter. He was emaciated and frightened. The shelter recognized his breed and called rescue. In a blinding snowstorm two of our Club members drove to get him. He was fattened up and checked for health, chipped, neutered and given shots. Since his breeder could not be identified he was placed through rescue into a marvelous home in Massachusetts. He is a friendly outgoing boy who loves the grandchild in the home but dislikes deliverymen. His primary job is to be an inspiration and amusing companion to his owner who is a writer/teacher. He plays with balls and opens cabinets to get at snacks
When I got the fella, I'll call him Duke to protect the
guilty...he was about 8 and not in great condition. He had been released by his owner to a
shelter and though I got him after two weeks of incredible care by some wonderful vets and
IWS folk he was still skinny with some scabbing on his skin where he had been so matted
and who knows what else.
At the same time I had another *unadoptable* that I called Thorin. Again rather mature,
very big and dysplastic...Thorin was not blessed with looks and though a complete
darling..he was the only dog that Duke didn't always appreciate so they had to be
separated.
Duke had been considered a prospect for euthanasia by the IWS rescue because having a
known history of seizures plus his age it seemed unreasonable and unlikely to place him. I
took him on KNOWING that it was a retirement but due to my experience in rescuing other
breeds (especially Golden Retrievers) I have experience with seizuring dogs so I felt I
could deal with whatever Duke had going on.
Duke was of nearly miraculous temperament in my opinion. Charming and gentle he was of
moderate size with a poor coat, slight body (for my tastes) and gorgeous head and
unbelievably dark eye (I have seen him in recent enough dreams..<G>). Even so, it
was his temperament that put him off the chart. He was a wonderful uncle to my first
litter of IWS for all that he died just before the first of them went to their forever
homes. An enthusiastic retriever and joyful fella. I am thankful to have given him the
year or two that he had with me. I know they numbered among the best of my life and I
expect his.
At one point, when suffering from a limp that we were investigating, I had my vet also
Xray his head. There were discovered that his seizures were likely caused by a cranial
fracture at some point in his past. This didn't surprise me as his seizures were atypical
for the types of genetic (remember the Goldens) seizuring I had seen.
When Duke was about to seizure, he knew it. With around a minute or so warning, he would
look for me and come and lean against me, not brush against me or stand beside me. It was
a very noticable lean that would trip me if I were moving since all his weight was against
me. If I was in motion or wherever, it took me a few seconds to realize what his behavior
indicated, but he was very consistent and I learned quickly. More than once I would stop
what I was doing and sometimes (like when I was on the phone) I didn't even have to
totally stop, but I would go down in a crosslegged sit and hold him. His seizuring was not
overly violent and he was conscious/comprehending thru it, which I suspect only made it
scarier for him. The seizures were brief and when over he was not disoriented or exhausted
like the typical epileptic dog. He was given a regular (2x per day) dose of phenobarbitol
which seemed to slow down the number of seizures with little to no effect on severity.
Duke loved to swim and I toyed with the idea of putting a JH on him. But was very
concerned about the effect that any stress might have on him. I was willing to take him
swimming because with the warning that he had that a seizure was coming on I knew he would
not enter the water if he sensed one...Even so, I never took him swimming anywhere or
anywhen that I wouldn't or couldn't have gone in after him.
I would encourage anyone in the position of helping a dog with a history of seizures to
try. Yes, it can be a bit scary the first few times, but it is typically manageable and
when it is not, you are comfortable in the knowledge that while this is NOT what you would
hope for that you gave the dog every moment and every chance at as healthy and happy a
life they could have. I don't know that I could ever hope to be lucky enough to have
another Duke...for two days much less two years...seizures or not. Maybe someday I will be
able to be a *retirement* home for the *unadoptable* IWS that come our way!
Duke died of pancreatic cancer in the beginning of December in 1996.