Rescue Corner - January 2012

My interest in rescue began about twenty-four years ago when I started my search for my perfect companion. I had just graduated college and bought my first house and decided that it was time for a dog. Of course my parents thought it wasn't such a great idea; they knew it was a lot of work. Needless to say, I had my mind made up. Back then, the internet wasn't really popular yet, so I started my search at the Montgomery County Humane Society. I went and looked at all the dogs really hoping for a puppy but not really sure where to begin. I talked to the lady that was at the desk and told her what I was looking for and not sure how to find my new companion. She right away took out this booklet on this little guy named Carey but who preferred to be called Bubba. This booklet was actually a small book about the little Cairn that had been previously owned by four other people. Each of the other owners had written about him all liking him saying great things about him but all of them said that he dug holes, ruined their gardens, had such high energy, and was feisty. These were apparently traits that others couldn't tolerate but for me a very active young person, I couldn't understand why these were such a big deal.

So the journey began with my little Cairn that chose his name Bubba and lived to be eighteen and a half. I got Bubba when he was one and a half and had the best loving, faithful companion. I traveled with Bubba, hiked with him, ran five miles a day with the little guy and completely fell in love with him. This little Cairn was completely issue free so I assumed that all rescues would be perfect. Come to find out about a year later when I began my search for a female companion for Bubba that this isn't always the case.

Back to the humane society and just as luck would have it, I stumbled upon another terrier. She was the most beautiful white terrier that I had ever seen. Since I really didn't know a lot about terriers before Bubba, I had purchased a lot of Cairn terrier books and read the history about these fabulous dogs and knew right away she was a Westie. I had to have her so I could continue with just the terrier breeds, because of course they are the perfect dog.

I adopted my Westie and brought her home. Shortly after realizing that as sweet as she could be, there was the flip side also. She got along with Bubba perfectly, but was the queen of the house and she ruled with an iron fist. I realized that she didn't like kids and was particular about her doggie friends. But I was happy just having two of what I considered the most perfect terriers.

Then along came Jennifer, my human child. Everybody that I knew said I would have to get rid of my two faithful companions, except for my family. I just couldn't understand people’s mentality that because you have a baby now the pets have to go. I grew up with dogs my entire life and my parents had never given up a dog because they had kids. I knew that my pets would be fine with my human kid even though Maxi, my Westie, didn't like kids. Maxi had been abused by kids and they had dislocated her hip she had been tortured by these very mean kids and then dumped at the humane society. I knew that patience and time would change Maxi's mind about kids. After a few minor incidents, Maxi and Jennifer became fast and lifelong friends until Maxi died at fourteen from bladder cancer. I had these two wonderful terriers for fourteen and eighteen years and completely loved every minute. When Bubba died, I again began my search for my next future Cairn companion but I'll leave that story for next time. So hopefully everybody that reads this will understand that some rescues are perfect and are a challenge, but bring you nothing but happiness at the end of the day.

Until next time, Nan Vonfeldt