[nagdu] new prospective service dog

Sat Nov 22 18:26:57 UTC 2008

Hi all,

after much prayer and trips to varous shelters around the north east, i am happy to say that i 
have found and adopted a beautiful dog out of an urban shelter, whom i hope to train and use to 
guide me as my current dog gets older and suffers with arthritis that limits her time out working with me.

I dont know if i can post a photo to this email, but i will try.  I found this skinny little homeless boy, in one of the runs at a city shelter.
I had already visited several shelters , walked and talked with many dogs and Humane society employees, and was about to leave this huge city shelter
without any dog on my "potential" list.  

Why a shelter dog?  well for one, i dont like our disposable society's mistreatment of these beautiful loving faithful creatures, and i feel passionatley that as a disabled woman seeking a service dog, it is my heartfelt compulsion that i take one of these thrown away dogs, and give it a home, training, companionship and more-  I have rescued several such dogs in my life, and refuse to participate in lining the pockets of puppy miills and thoughtless breeders who sell to anyone with no screening or criterea to guide them in whom to sell to. (they only want to sell , dont care to whom).

So i walked past all the runs at this large city shelter one last time, this time i even visited outside, that is when i found "the" dog.  I got an employee to get him out, leashed and we spent some time walking and checking him out.  They told me he had been found running loose near one of the housing projects, no collar, skin and bones...the dog catcher picked him up and brounght him in earlier that week.  I was told he had to stay there 7 days before he could be adopted.  I filled out forms, showed proof of home ownership & all my refrences et...were checked- adoption approved...but i had to wait 3 more days till i could get him.  i called and made sure he was still there, and left for my 250 mile each way trip at 4am, got there around 1030am, signed papers, paid for him... He got in my van and layed down in the back.  about 2 hours into the drive i stoped at a rest area, when i came back out i had to laugh, he was now up in the passenger seat- with my other 2 large dogs and my 12 yr old rescued mini poodle, yes they were all piled up on passenger seat and middle console!    everyone is getting along wonderfully, there have been a couple of growls here/there - but i am THE ALPHA and i quickly interject "NO" at that time.  it has now been 3 days since i have heard a growl.
my new boy has met my parrot, my kitten, and my bunnys... he wags his long tail and sniffs them without being too imposing...  

I just ordered him a winter coat, as he is skinnny and gets the shivers easy when out in our crisp vt weather.  I am discovering he is very willing and happy to follow me all over the house, and when out on leash he quickly has learned "sit" and "heel".  Inside he doesnt seem to know "come" ... but i am not concerned, i have trained many many dogs . (prior to my disability i worked professionally with dogs).  I am now researching what vet i want to take him to, i am not "from" here, and the vet i liked the most closed up shop n moved out of state recently.  I have been to 2 others for my other dogs, and was not happy...(one didnt have xray or labratory0, the other is into doling out dangerous drugs without doing more diagnostics, and they dont seem to like it that I tell them i want xrays rather than dangerous organ ruining drugs for a condition she may/may not have.

My new boy is a boxer (like my current/aging SD) and i named him "sugar ray" .  I think he was hit by a car in the jaw when he was loose on the city streets.  His bite is off, he has scars under his chin, and he hangs his mouth in an off-centered way with his little tongue hanging out the side.   I want to find a vet who will gently clean his teeth, also he has a heavy caugh at times i want checked out.  

If any of you are so inclined please pray for my little boy sugar ray, that i find him a good kind vet, and also for my aging sd who would benifit from a vet interested in diagnostics rather than racking up $$$ doling out dangerous drugs on unconfirmed conditions.

thanks to you all,
bunny

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