October: Adopt a Shelter Dog Month
October is Adopt A Shelter Dog month! Yep, these sweet babies get an entire month of love and why not? They need us; we need them. Get to adopting!
Every single dog we have brought into our home has been a shelter baby, or a foster, as in Dexter's case.
Dexter, oh our sweet Dexter.
For those new here, Dex is our almost 5-year-old pup. I like to call him our empty nest pooch. Boy calls, asks what's new, and gets regaled with the latest Dexter silliness. Yep, we've become those people.
Husband and I love our animals and after Percy passed (our beloved dog before Dex), we just couldn't bring ourselves to consider another dog. It was the first time in our married lives that we were dogless. That long sad spell lasted two years.
Then one day, Husband and I spied a scared blonde pup hugging the back of a crate at a PetsMart foster event. We were told he was the last of his litter-mates. The rest of the pups had been wiggly and slobbery; Dex not so much. He was cautious and worried and overwhelmed. We were told he would be hard to place because he lacked typical puppy behavior.
Husband was smitten from the moment he pulled Dex out of the crate. Me not so much. My heart was still broken over Percy. I didn't want a puppy. Not yet.
But, how could I deny Husband's love, and need, for this freaked-out baby? I couldn't.
Dex was ours the next afternoon. There was no time to think. No time to reason with Husband. No time to build my case for a no.
Husband's heart was ready for Dex, so we adopted another pound puppy, in a long tradition of bringing home mutts.
The thing is, Dex turned out to be the best thing to mend my broken heart. In the beginning I resisted, but once Dexter was in our home, once he looked to me for protection and comfort, my heart was his.
I give you Dexter, and defy you to not love him, too.
First Day Home: Not sure what is happening.
Unsure of the yard. His new yard!
Turns out, after he warms up, he lets me put stuff on him and poops out magic tennis balls. Handy!
I knew putting things on him as a pup would payoff! Dexter humors me, but is not amused. Where is that wascally wabbit?!
To offset his annoyance, I offer to play ball. The tail indicates he's in.
While he loves to play ball, he refuses to lift weights with me. STOP ASKING!
Working at home can be a challenge. Some days, I read my essays to him as I laugh hysterically, amusing myself with my cleverness. Dexter gives it to me straight. Meh.
Fine, not funny.
But some days I hit paydirt! HA! I knew that was funny!
Regardless of his shaky beginning, I think you can see how Dexter has blossomed. He's confident, smart, playful and most of all loves us with everything he's got, as we do him.
Turns out he was the right pound puppy at the right time. I can't imagine our lives without him and I almost missed out on the fun.
If you're considering a new addition to your family, I highly recommend rescuing a dog from your local animal shelter or foster family.
Who knows, while you think you're rescuing a dog in need, maybe you'll be like me and your pup will actually rescue you.
My husband and I are considering a second dog, we have a 2 year old golden at the moment, so this is getting me really convinced!
xox Alice
Alice! We are considering another pup too...a playmate for Dex. These pics don't make it easy, do they?!
We adopted our dog, Birdie, from the city of Dallas shelter. Best. Decision. Period. She has been a dream dog on every level.
With every new dog we bring home we say: This one. This is our best dog ever. We've loved them all. So happy to know you got your dream dog from a shelter. I thank you and I'm sure, you pooch thanks you!
As soon as we buy a house a dog is the first thing my husband is going to go looking for! (and a grill.)
Two highly valuable additions!
This made me smile and almost tear up a little bit...Dogs are truly amazing creatures...They're the best!
The two years we were without a dog were the saddest years. I keep saying Dex will be our last (eye-roll) because we travel more now, but Garry knows better.
My boyfriend and I have two dogs, both of which we rescued from the shelter. They are the greatest!
They really are...can't deny it!
We did too. He's a complete goof ball:) He was nearly dead (starved) as a puppy. We got him at about 10 weeks old. It was the first time I heard my husband speak baby talk. He really is a good dog even if he does eat my garden gloves.
Mmmm, garden gloves! Thank you for adopting a pup that really needed you.
I totally agree! Shelter dogs, found dogs, rescue dogs are the best! Not only do you get a wonderful addition to your home, you also get to feel good about yourself.
Yes, yes and yes! I always feel good about providing a home for a stray.
Haha magically poops tennis balls! LOL
Dogs are such beautiful creatures! We got our pound puppy last year, she was 2 and I can't figure out why no one snatched her up! She is the sweetest little thing that we all definitely needed...and yes she rescued us! I think it's fun to watch her and hubs run around outdoors, he's not a particularly silly dude but when he plays with the pup he is incredibly goofy!
I LOVE when someone catches the little funnies! I also love hearing about our big guys being ridiculously silly with our pups. So sweet. Yay you for rescuing that sweet baby. She was meant for you and you for her.
You know this is a topic that i hold near and dear to my heart. We have 7 animals (6 that are rescues, with varying stories). One cat was left in a UHaul (thank goodness it wasn't summer), another came from a hoarding situation. Two were born at the shelter to a pregnant kitty whose owner didn't want kittens. One of our dogs came from a shelter down South...I assume her time was up, and a shelter here had room. She's our Southern belle. She was abused, and won't look you in the eye, but is so loving and protective. The last dog I don't know much about her history, but she is great. And of course we have one non shelter one. Your Dexter sounds like a sweet pup!! He's so handsome!
Seven! Wow. You have definitely a house full of love with those rescues. On behalf of everyone who wished more folks would consider a rescue animal: THANK YOU! (dex is a sweetie!)
When our kids were younger I was one always bringing home cats and puppies from grocery store give aways. When I'd get home the kids would say "oh Mom, not another one. We had Mom/Dad dogs that had big litters of puppies, I never wanted to give them away. They'd be 3 and 4 months old. When we lived in KY hubs would wonder how many strays would be staying when he'd get home from the road, (he was trucker). We lived out in country so people would drop their dogs/cats off by our house. Hubs used to say there was sign on our house only cats/dogs could read, come on over we love animals. We'd fatten them up, take care of them then they'd disappear if I didn't find homes for them. Maybe original owners came back for them, lol. Not sure our regular shelter dog we adopted from Helena, MT shelter appreciated me keeping so many animals but she adjusted. We adopted a barn kitten that showed up in our yard one Saturday, we still have him, think he's about 12 at least now.
We have a black lab/border collie we got at a PetSmart adoption fair almost 5 yrs. ago, he's almost 6 and is our little boy. He is so precious to us, it's like he's a real child. We'd had a black mini cocker spaniel we'd had since she was 4 months old and lived to be over 14. She got to do some traveling with us. From MT to KY to CO and all over US and some of Canada in hubs truck. It was very hard when we had to put her down, she'd had an immune system problem for long time
. I wasn't ready for another dog for quite a few months til we went to PetSmart that Saturday and came home with Tommy. We were on our way there when our Grand daughter called us to tell us she'd found us a dog, not quite what we were looking for, but when I looked at that frightened face and that skinny body we had to take him home. He's so smart, so special, so loving and sweet, funny too. Him and our cat get along fine and they watch out for our 5 chickens we took when a neighbor of our daughters was moving earlier this past summer. We have almost 1/2 acre out in country. We enjoy all our furry, feathery kids and love each and every one of them, even the 2 mean chickens.
Happy weekend and Fall
Those of us who love a sweet furry face have a hard time imagining those who do not. It sounds like you nurtured and loved too many to count...so many babies! Each one of ours has held a special place in our hearts, as I know yours have. I don't know who's luckier: the adopters or adoptees.