The St. Louis Senior Dog Project is a not-for-profit organization that rescues dogs and finds them new homes. Most of our dogs are 5 years of age and older. Otis, pictured, is one of our newest rescues. Visit our website to see adoptable dogs and to donate.
Ellen’s Notes
For some dogs, the preferred way of fighting is showing who has the loudest bark or the longest teeth. Curl up that lip, snarl and fill the night, the day, the hour, and the moment with the fullness of your voice.
That’s also the way many humans fight. No real blood, although I might prefer blood to the kind of email bomblasting that sometimes fills my inbox. Ouch. Ouch. And Ouch. If it’s not one rescue group ranting about the mistakes of another, it’s people within a group all trying to get in the last word (the last punch) about some (usually) unimportant or already resolved issue.
Is it true, as some say, that rescue people are nicer to their dogs than they are to each other? Or are we all just a tad crazy, hiding fragile psyches under hairy sweaters?
Well, it’s been that kind of a week. I console myself by remembering that we save most of our fighting spirit for our good cause. And for every angry email or bad news call, I receive many more that remind me it is all worthwhile.
One such email began, “It’s been over a month, and Merle and I are doing just fine. He’s a goofy, loveable guy – very sweet personality wrapped in a coat/body everyone compliments him/me on….We’re working on our clicker training and there’s a good chance we’ll go for training and our Canine Good Citizen Certificate this summer.”
Even better, Dave sent along pictures. I never could understand how a dog as gorgeous and good-natured as Merle could end up as a stray in a county shelter. But he’s definitely where he belongs now.
I received another email about Donner (previously known as Gummy), a white cocker spaniel rescued from the city pound. Donner/Gummy was one of those so-called “unadoptable” dogs. He was too old (8 or 9 years) and entirely too pathetic. Matts on top of matts meant the groomer shaved him nearly to the skin. His hair, now growing back, is clean and fluffy in the pictures I received.
“We have nicknamed him our sponge because he is such a lapdog. We love him a lot and thank you again for saving his life.”
News also came about Lizzie and JP, a little pair adopted together.
“After about 30 seconds of sniffing, the dogs acted as if they had always lived here. My family came over to meet the new kids and everyone loves them. They wanted to take them home.”
One of the pair has been 3-legged since birth, but their new owners love t hem completely.
Of course, it’s not always good news. Reba the Redbone Coonhound came back after a minor altercation with the new home’s other dog. Henrietta returns because of a few potty accidents. Both are wonderful dogs who will eventually find good homes.
And then there’s Gracie, a Cairn Terrier who’d spent her first 7 years as a puppy mill breeder. Gracie had already come back from a couple failed adoptions when she found what we hoped would be her forever home. For awhile, though, it seemed like she might be coming back again. She wasn’t housebroken. She wouldn’t play. She wasn’t very outgoing.
Then yesterday I received a call. “Do you remember me? I’m the one who adopted Gracie. I’m just calling to tell you how happy we are with her. We weren’t sure it was going to work out at first, but now she’s everything we ever wanted.” He went on to tell how she was now well housebroken and that she spent evenings cuddled up between him and his wife on the sofa. “Tell people to be patient. I’m glad we were.”
Poochini the Pomeranian, is coming along nicely too. My first email about him said he was housebroken but had taken to barking for hours at a time. The resourceful new owner armed herself with a squirt gun and a bag of treats. When Poochini barked, she squirted. When he stopped barking, she offered a treat. Success.
We’ve taken in some beautiful new dogs that weren’t all that beautiful when we first saw them. Tacoma is an elegant Golden Retriever left to die at a county shelter. Marta is a spaniel mix who lost enough matted hair to stuff a mattress. Otis is a senior rat terrier. And Kiri is a schnauzer who practically dances for joy.
With dogs like that, who cares if the humans sometimes snarl too much?
Ellen Ellick
