Rescue Dogs Make the Best Family Dogs

MEET JAKE & LIBBY; Our Rescue-Dogs

Rescue-dogs can be the best choice for great family pets. So often, through no fault of their own, they have been abandoned on the street or dumped in a shelter. They have so much love to give and deserve so much in return.

Two of the most frustrating, curious, stubborn, spoiled and totally wonderful creatures entered our life just about seven years ago. New additions to our family of rescue- dogs.

Libby joined us first. Our business UPS driver told us about her. Another business owner had witnessed her being thrown out of a car. She kept attempting to get back into the car (Such Loyalty!). Angered because she would not take the none-too-subtle hint to leave, the man proceeded to try to back over her. Not sure how the business owner angel intervened but he ended up saving her. He took her rescue-dogsto his Vet. and had her spayed. Her choker chain was so tight, it was embedded into the muscle of her neck and had to be surgically removed.

We named her Liberty Belle because it fit the freedom she now had. She is such a joy! In spite of her horrible beginnings, she is such a happy loving dog. She loves toys, unlimited hugs and an assortment of soft furniture to lay on as she chooses. It took her a while to trust Dan but once she did she was hopelessly in love. The only reminder of her ordeal is the fact that she still, after seven years, doesn’t like feet anywhere near her. She probably associates them with kicking. It is such a pleasure to watch her sleep peacefully as in this picture; not worrying about anything. That’s as it should be for all animals.

Jake joined our family about a week later.rescue-dogs2 We arrived at our business early one morning and Jake was lying on the front lawn. Dan called him, thinking he would probably just take off but he came right up to him. Since we had eight rescue-dogs at the time and our daughter Tina only had one, we nominated her to be Jake’s new mom. So, she took him home. But, not for long.

Several hours after arriving in Tina’s home we received a plaintive phone call. “Mom, you have to come get this dog. He has lifted his leg on every wall in my house and shows no signs of stopping!” He was clearly marking his territory to let Tina’s Golden Retriever know that he was the new Alpha dog in the house. And with eight rescue dogs in our house, we were sure that he would turn into a veritable urine factory.

Imagine our surprise when he did not lift his leg even once in our home that night nor any night or day since that time seven years ago. It was like he knew he was home. He immediately formed an unbelievably close bond with Dan that has not lessened a bit. But, I’m getting a bit ahead here. Rationally, Dan felt that we could not keep him and after advertising in the classifieds that we had found him and receiving no response, we spent a full week contacting rescue groups in an attempt to place him. We finally found someone that agreed to take him but after spending a few minutes in the very chaotic environment, Jake looked up at him with his gorgeous, melting brown eyes, leaned into him and Dan caved. “We’ve decided to keep him.” Dan announced. What a commitment!

Jake, whose official given name is Jacob Montel Abercrombie Fisher, suffered from EXTREME separation anxiety anytime Dan was out of eye-site. We have some very mangled doors and walls to prove it. As quickly as we repaired them, he again destroyed them. Three months of intensive dog training classes accomplished little. We tried dog training collars, dog cages and dog psychology. These things usually help most dogs greatly but there is always the exception and Jake chose to be that exception.

We ended up taking Jake to work with us each day and not going places much when we were home unless a family member volunteered to dog-sit. He did improve some over time as he became more secure of our return. We now can leave him for eight hours or so at a time.

It is amazing that he had the security to ask so much of us considering what he probably came from. His paw pads were quite worn for a young dog and he had scars on parts of his body. The hardest workout those paws now get is when he runs to greet his dad, jumps on the bed or sofa or chases his brothers and sisters around the yard. Ah, a dog’s life!