Siberian Husky Meets Her New Brother!

Kiana lost her entire pack in 2019: her brother, mother and a small dog, Roxy. Her owners wanted to find Kiana, who has been despondent and without a playmate, a brand new companion. Their efforts paid off when they tracked down her long-lost half-brother, who she meets for the first time... and then gets to spend the rest of her life with.

[More videos on our YouTube channel]

And watch this follow-up from a few months later! Precious!

Libby, The Miracle Pup

By Belinda Cai

In the fall of 2017, Andrea Fletcher lost her dog and BFF of 18 years. She was mourning, but wanted to rescue another pup in need. That’s when she came across the perfect match, through the Puerto Rico Dog Fund: Libby. 

“Libby was found at just a few weeks old, near death, on the side of a highway in Puerto Rico right before Hurricane Maria,” says Andrea. “When I saw her face on an Instagram post, I immediately knew we were meant to be together.” 

The stray pup traveled from Puerto Rico to Los Angeles to be with Andrea, only to then be diagnosed with a rare condition. The journey was a tough one, but Libby and Andrea persisted time and time again. Today, Libby is healthy and thriving, thanks to the unconditional love of her owner. 

A happy Libby with Andrea.

Dog Whisperer HQ: How did you get Libby from Puerto Rico to her new home with you?

Andrea: The Puerto Rico Dog Fund got her vetted and gave her all of her shots, and arranged her flight to LA. I picked her up from LAX where a volunteer from the rescue was there with me to take care of the paperwork once she landed. It was love at first sight. I knew in my heart. There was no question. 

DW: What was it like when you first brought her home?

A: Libby instantly knew it was home. She kept picking up the toys I bought her and bringing them to me. It was so cute. 

DW: What issues did you eventually encounter with Libby?

A: I noticed she kept regurgitating her food. The vet diagnosed her with a condition called Megaesophagus, which basically means her esophagus is enlarged and the muscles don't work to push food to her stomach. 

DW: That sounds very serious. What did the vet suggest as treatment?

A: When the vet told me there was no known cure for Megaesophagus and to consider euthanasia, I immediately researched the condition in hopes that Libby could be saved. I found a Facebook support group, Upright Canine Brigade, filled with pet parents all over the world that manage the disorder with their dogs. 

DW: With advice from the support group, how were you able to help Libby?

A: I used a Bailey Chair, which looks like a high chair for a dog. It keeps the dog in an upright position so gravity lets food slide down to the stomach. A family from the support group sponsored us because I didn’t have the money. They paid to have the chair made through Bailey Chairs for Dogs. You take the measurements for your dog and they make them specifically to fit your dog. 

Libby in her Bailey Chair.

DW: Was anything else done to treat this disorder?

A: I then took Libby to a specialist who concluded her Megaesophagus was caused by a birth defect where a blood vessel is overgrown and wrapped around the esophagus. They told me she was a candidate for surgery but it would not cure her Megaesophagus — just make it easier to manage and give her a better chance of gaining weight. Five weeks after surgery, X-rays revealed that Libby's esophagus had totally healed. Even the vet couldn't believe it. 

“Libby is now more than three years old, and is totally healthy. She eats like a normal dog. In the course of a year, she went from 15 pounds to 45 pounds and is the sweetest, happiest dog ever. We donated her Bailey Chair to another dog in need from the support group.”

DW: That is absolutely wonderful to hear. How is Libby today?

A: Libby is now more than three years old, and is totally healthy. She eats like a normal dog. In the course of a year, she went from 15 pounds to 45 pounds and is the sweetest, happiest dog ever. We donated her Bailey Chair to another dog in need from the support group.

DW: What are some of Libby’s favorite activities?

A: Libby's favorite thing is going to the dog park. We spend an hour there every single day and she has a whole pack of friends that she plays with. She also loves going to the beach; she loves to jump in the water then roll around in the sand.

DW: You’ve helped changed Libby’s life — how has she changed yours?

A: Our lives are now filled with love and adventure. Libby goes everywhere with me. She's my best friend and has brought nothing but joy and purpose into my life. For anyone that takes on a special needs dog, don't give up. With love and care, anything is possible. 

Check out Libby’s Instagram @LibbyTheMiraclePup. 

How Kimber's New Home And Pack Made Her The Happiest Pup

By Belinda Cai

Brittany Roetman and her boyfriend Nick have three dogs. Two of the pups, Sam and Norbert, are relatively well adjusted. The female spaniel mix, Kimber, however, has always struggled a bit. 

“We’ve had her about four years and it’s only recently that she has started to come out of her shell,” Brittany says. “She’s definitely been abused and was feral when Nick got her. She used to hide all day from us and never really barked, played or acted like a normal dog.” 

Then everything changed. The second the couple moved into a house together, she became a different dog. 

“She’s currently sitting next to me on the couch sleeping, something she’d never done before,” Brittany explains. “She cuddles now and even barks. Being with her whole pack constantly and not in an apartment has changed her a ton.”

“She cuddles now and even barks. Being with her whole pack constantly and not in an apartment has changed her a ton.”

Brittany and Kimber.

Dog Whisperer HQ: Tell us a little about Kimber.

Brittany: Kimber is a brown and white spaniel mix and has the cutest ears I've ever seen. She’s about four to five years old, and is very timid around new people. It took her about a year to warm up to Nick, my boyfriend, when he got her. When we started dating, she was very nervous around me, but I won her over. Once she opens up, she’s a total goof. We call her “Spaz” because she will just do the funniest thing. She jumps off the back of the couch, runs full force uphill in our yard barking the whole way up, and has even leapt head first into the creek outside our house just for fun. 

She has a bad habit of chewing on everything in sight. Including her own hind quarters. She has some issues to work through but it’s mostly just anxiety-based. She likes to be in a safe and quiet space, so having a house with a backyard is perfect for her. Apartment living was really hard on her with all the noise. 

“Once she opens up, she’s a total goof. We call her ‘Spaz’ because she will just do the funniest thing. She jumps off the back of the couch, runs full force uphill in our yard barking the whole way up, and has even leapt head first into the creek outside our house just for fun.”

DW: Tell us about your other two dogs.

B: We have two other dogs, Sam and Norbert. Sam is a lab-chow mix who came to us as an owner surrender. He has a very calm and dignified personality until he sees grass, and then he starts rolling in it like a complete goofball. Norbert is my dog. I’ve had him for about five years now. He’s a Manchester Terrier that I found on the side of the road. He’s a bum half the time and the other half, he just wants to run.

My sister also lives with us and she just got a mini dachshund puppy named Charlie. He’s the newest to our pack (The East Atlanta Dog Squad, as we call them). He just wants to play with all of them but they’re still getting used to him.

A happy Kimber.

DW: How do they all get along?

B: Sam, Norbert and Kimber all get along great. They enjoy lounging on the couch and running around the backyard together. Because Norbert and Kimber were both strays, they don’t know how to play very much but they have their own way of bonding. Like I said, they are still getting used to Charlie. Kimber isn’t too fond of him but Sam and Norbert are warming up. I’m sure Kimber will grow to love him in time; she just takes a minute to get comfortable with newcomers.

“She’s a completely different dog. Mainly, having a house with her whole pack where she feels safe has helped her come out of her shell. She used to hide behind the couch every time someone walked into the room and would stay there the whole time. Now she will only hide for a minute and then comes out to say hi.”

DW: How has moving into a new house transformed Kimber?

B: She’s a completely different dog. Mainly, having a house with her whole pack where she feels safe has helped her come out of her shell. She used to hide behind the couch every time someone walked into the room and would stay there the whole time. Now she will only hide for a minute and then comes out to say hi.

Before we moved into the house she would even sleep under the bed all night. In the last year and a half, she has started to literally sleep right on my chest all night. While sleeping with a 30 pound dog on your chest isn’t the best thing, I would have it no other way.

Whole gang’s here!

DW: So what's it like with the whole pack?

B: We love our little pack. They all have such different personalities but they meld so perfectly together. I’ve even seen them accept my brother’s dogs and our parents’ dogs as members. 

Sam is the alpha protector and the others follow him. Kimber mainly just likes to be left alone but comes out when she wants to. Norbert likes to be rolled up in a blanket and pampered like the prince he is. Charlie just wants to know everything that’s happening. 

The East Atlanta Dog Squad is a close pack. We’ve even made our own hashtag on Instagram, #eastatlantadogsquad.

A Pup’s Escape From Danger: Lita’s Story

By Belinda Cai

Jason Medina unexpectedly came across Lita, a Jack Russel mix, one evening in downtown Portland, where he lived several years ago. Someone who appeared to be a runaway told Jason he didn’t have the means to take care of Lita, who was a puppy at the time. Jason took her home, and the two have been inseparable since. 

Lita is now ten-years-old but still has the energy of a playful puppy. She can be anxious sometimes, but loves to play — and is always friendly. 

Jason and Lita now live in Los Angeles. One day, when Jason was out with Lita, a larger dog appeared and started to chase after her. Lita escaped her leash, and the two dogs were off. Jason was incredibly worried and devastated, thinking she would either get attacked or the two dogs would get hit by a car in the busy street. What actually happened surprised him, and is nothing short of a blessing.

A happy Lita as a pup.

Dog Whisperer HQ: Describe how you felt that day when Lita escaped and was being chased by a larger dog. What went through your head? 

Jason: When the dogs were running toward the busy main street, I was sure that either Lita would trip and the larger dog would catch and hurt her, or that one or both of them would be hit by a car. Once I saw them successfully cross the street, I initially was relieved, but then had a sinking feeling that if Lita managed to escape, she was going to be lost. I wouldn't be able to find her, especially on foot.

DW: So these two women, who were strangers, offered to help drive you to find Lita? How did you feel when they helped?

J: I was sincerely grateful that they were willing to interrupt their day to help me, but also felt a little bit like I was humoring them. I honestly didnʼt think that we were going to find Lita.

Jason and Lita.

DW: After the long and tiring search, what happened? 

J: I [went back to my car and] saw Lita next to my car — it really felt as though I was dreaming. It went from the worst day ever to the best. I honestly canʼt remember having felt that level of happiness before, having felt totally hopeless just before.

“It went from the worst day ever to the best. I honestly canʼt remember having felt that level of happiness before, having felt totally hopeless just before.”

DW: What advice would you give dog owners who encounter a similar situation, with their dogs escaping or being chased?

J: It still seems like a miracle, but having experienced this, I would say to never, ever give up hope, and donʼt take your dogʼs brain and instincts for granted. I would have never guessed that Lita could maneuver her way back to a location that weʼd only been to once, especially in a high-stress situation.

DW: How is your bond with Lita now?

J: I donʼt know that much has changed since that incident, but I certainly have a different perspective on her — and dogs in general — specific type of intelligence. Iʼm only responsible for myself and for her, so she gets plenty of my attention, and Iʼm happy to give it. Sheʼs a happy dog, and fun to be around. 

Lita at home.

The Rescued Dog That Ended Up Rescuing His Owner

By Belinda Cai

When MacKenzie Robinson, 22, moved to Atlanta, she hit it off with Pete* and they quickly began dating. Being new in the city, Pete was her main social connection. They were happy at first, but after a few months of being together, things started taking a turn for the worse.

“When you date an alcoholic, it’s okay for a while — but then everything switches,” she says. “It was early last year when things started getting really bad and uncontrollable.”

They had serious conversations about how Pete needed to stop drinking. Nothing changed.

But then, everything did. MacKenzie found her soulmate: Morty, a one-and-a-half-year-old dachshund-beagle mix. 

“I rescued him from PAWS Atlanta,” she says. “They are a great rescue around here. I got him, and three weeks later, kicked out my ex and turned my life around.”

MacKenzie and Morty.

New priorities

MacKenzie says she was putting up with the abuse from Pete, at the time, because she wasn’t in a good place. When Morty entered the picture, she had a low-tolerance policy for any kind of mistreatment — especially when it came to Morty. 

“I rescued Morty,” she says. “My whole life and priorities changed. It’s like having a kid. I took on that priority so I could focus on Morty. If he couldn't come out with me, I wouldn't go because he was freshly rescued and had separation anxiety. He came from a really hard background.”

“I rescued Morty,” she says. “My whole life and priorities changed. It’s like having a kid. I took on that priority so I could focus on Morty. If he couldn’t come out with me, I wouldn’t go because he was freshly rescued and had separation anxiety. He came from a really hard background.””

Morty was abused in his last home. His previous owners had moved and left him in a cage for three weeks by himself. When PAWS found him, after someone called because they heard howling, he had a broken paw and both of his eyes were infected. 

“After I’d get off work, I’d want to go home right to my dog,” MacKenzie says. “I wanted to make it all about Morty, his training and making him comfortable. He needed a lot of time at first to learn how to be a dog.”

Pete didn’t like that MacKenzie's attention was focused on Morty. It made their relationship, which was already suffering, go even further downhill. 

“The person I was dating was jealous of a dog,” says MacKenzie.

She described how there was one night when Pete expressed he didn’t care whatsoever about Morty. MacKenzie already knew she had to leave and started to tolerate less and less of the abusive behavior.

“He brought a presence of negativity around the house and Morty could feel that,” she says. “He was never comfortable around Pete.”

A few weeks later, MacKenzie kicked Pete out of her home and started on her own road to recovery. She did it with Morty by her side.

“He’s like my best friend,” she says. “I literally look forward every single day to going home to him.”

For a while, she struggled to leave the house due to serious depression. 

“When you live in an apartment with a dog, you have to get up and walk and get those endorphins going,” she says. “He’s made me exercise. We also sleep together every single night.”

Morty being the cutie he is.

Love at first sight

When MacKenzie went to PAWS, she initially wanted an older dog, knowing it’s harder for them to get adopted. She walked several of them but nothing really clicked.

“I walked through the puppy room and there were so many puppies going crazy in their kennels,” she says. 

Morty had on a cone because he had just had eye surgery. He was sitting very calmly, unlike the other puppies, but was shaking ever so slightly.

“We made eye contact and I just knew,” she says.

“‘We made eye contact and I just knew,’ she says.”

MacKenzie took him for a walk and into another room, where Morty hopped up in her lap. 

“I originally couldn’t adopt him for two days because I had to clear it with my landlord,” she says. “I went back each of those days to make sure no one else was going to take him and we formed a bond. I adopted him that week.”

Morty needed a lot of training. MacKenzie put in the work. Both she and Morty have changed a lot since they initially met.

“When I really prioritized Morty, it made me stop going out to bars as much,” she explains. “It helped me get my life together. I’m way more comfortable being alone. When you’re in a low spot and you just have the cutest little guy there, just to love you, it really helps with your healing. It’s corny, but he rescued me.”

*name has been changed

The Golden Lab Whose Loving Spirit Lives On Through Hurley’s Halo

By Belinda Cai

Stephanie and baby Hurley.

“‘I grew into who I am today with and because of her,’ Stephanie says. ‘Hurley figuratively stuck by my side through break ups, a cross-country move and everything in between.’”

Hurley, a yellow Labrador, entered Stephanie Kurtz’ life when she was 24-years-old and beginning to navigate the many challenges of adult life.

“I grew into who I am today with and because of her,” Stephanie says. “Hurley figuratively stuck by my side through break ups, a cross-country move and everything in between.”

Stephanie's dog and best friend also literally stuck by her side four years later, when she had to undergo multiple spine surgeries and procedures as a result of being hit head-on by a drunk driver.

“Hurley would lay next to me while I healed and was by far the best nurse I've ever had,” Stephanie says.

Hurley suddenly passed away around Christmas of 2018. Stephanie was devastated, but channeled her sadness into something altruistic: Hurley’s Halos. It’s a fostering initiative to honor Hurley’s life — and a way for her beautiful spirit to live on.

Dog Whisperer HQ: Tell us a little about Hurley.

Stephanie: Hurley was a yellow lab that loved life more than anyone I know! She was genuinely excited to see old friends and new, often greeting people with her signature "Hurley Shake.” She would wiggle with such excitement that her tail must have hit her nose! During her 13 years of life, she made everyone that came in contact with her smile. She loved the dog beach, dog park, the couch, pizza crust, pillows, Santa, cuddling and people. She hated baby carrots, squirrels, hardwood floors, car rides and not being next to me. She was so eyebrow expressive and ear-to-ear smiled often! She was gentle, silly, loyal, sensitive and by far the best dog to live (some may call me biased).

“Hurley was a yellow lab that loved life more than anyone I know! She was genuinely excited to see old friends and new, often greeting people with her signature “Hurley Shake.” She would wiggle with such excitement that her tail must have hit her nose! During her 13 years of life, she made everyone that came in contact with her smile. ”

DW: What was your bond with Hurley like?

S: Until her passing, there was no me without her. I would take her everywhere I could and spend as much time as possible with her. She always had to be touching me, whether that meant resting her head on my feet while I worked at the computer or placing her paw on my leg even if we were lounging on the couch. When I would leave the house for 30 seconds to get the mail, I would be greeted with the greatest celebration when I walked back in, as if I'd been gone for weeks. No one has ever been so excited to see me! Her love was unconditional, and so was mine.   

Hurley with foster animals.

DW: You were fostering other animals. How did Hurley interact with them?

S: Since Hurley loved every animal she met, we knew she'd be a great foster sister and we were spot-on. She was so tolerant of every dog or kitten that we brought home. From her accepting our first foster (Kiska, a Husky/Shepherd mix) laying next to her and eating her food... to allowing pit-mix Brownie to actually lay ON her... to loving the four-week-old tabby kittens (TJ, Rocky and Benji) actually swinging from her tail... she never ceased to amaze with her gentle spirit and welcoming nature. Hurley was especially receptive and protective of the kittens. So much so, that when we "foster failed" (aka, adopted our fosters) with TJ and Rocky, their bond just grew exponentially.   

DW: Tell us about Hurley's Halos.

S: When Hurley suddenly passed around Christmas of 2018, my world was torn apart. My best friend was gone. As a way to channel the grief and have her beautiful legacy live on, I began a fostering initiative in February 2019 called Hurley's Halos, where I intend to foster 13 fluffs in honor of Hurley's brief 13 years on Earth. I have documented the journey on the @hurleyshalos Instagram page. In just eleven months, 11 "Halos" have been fostered (and adopted!). The page has also been a resource to share other adoptable animals and even raised funds for a special kitten's surgery (Fig, the unofficial Halo!).

A happy Hurley.

DW: How do you feel Hurley's legacy lives on?

S: Not only does Hurley's name and image live on through the initiative, but so does her gentle, loving spirit. In a strange way, it was her passing that has allowed us to help rescue more animals than we could have imagined. I know that she is ear-to-ear smiling down upon us because of this — while doing the "Hurley Shake," of course!   

Check out Hurley’s Halos on Instagram @hurleyshalos.

The Wild Dog That Wasn’t

By Kelly Gorman Dunbar

A few months ago, as I was perusing Facebook, I realized I’d been tagged in a post from a local humane society. A click took me to a photo of a creature that looked like the love child of a werewolf and The Swamp Thing.

She was straining at the end of a leash, standing upright, rearing up on her back feet, tail swishing, mucky front paws sticking out in front of her mimicking the posture of a t-rex. The photo had captured her head mid-thrash, mouth open, showing off her sharp pointy teeth. Without even reading any further I immediately realized why I had been alerted to this particular post. She was beautiful, potentially tragic, and I fell in love instantly.

Found roaming in the rural countryside, this swampy werewolf had just been admitted to a small, private shelter with few resources. With one glance, I knew she’d be in trouble if she stayed there even a week. She was a high octane breed of the very same kind as my two boys, Laz and Mars. My Facebook friends were hoping I’d step up to help this swamp monster, and the poor unsuspecting shelter she’d landed in.

The shelter had taken to calling the swamp wolf Gator and upon meeting her a few days later, it was apparent why. Tigger would have suited her just as well; that girl had more bounce than a kangaroo on a trampoline! She’d jump, lunge, snap! With each effortless leap, she’d be at eye level, her teeth gnashing right in my face. She’d grab anything she could get a hold of and tug or hang from the object mercilessly. Pulling toys out of people’s hands, grabbing jacket sleeves, leashes hanging on the fence, nothing was safe.

Walking her was quite a feat. She’d strain to the end of her leash and dig in, facing forward, towing her walker like a sled dog. If we were unfortunate enough to encounter another dog, which happened many times since we were in a shelter, then things really got out of control! Gator would become laser-focused on the animal in front of her, cat or dog, and bark incessantly, pacing and pulling at the end of her lead like a wild animal. There was no redirecting her, no distracting her, no calming her down. She’d either have to be dragged away or we’d have to wait it out until the animal was out of sight.

Some of the behavior Gator exhibited was breed specific and very familiar to me. Other behaviors Gator favored were a bit intense and it was difficult at first glance to tell whether her fits were all frustration and unbridled energy, or whether her actions were laced with aggression. Regardless, for sure, none of this unruly conduct was going to improve in the animal shelter and she was already getting a reputation there as a wild one. The shelter thought she might be a bite risk and was likely dog aggressive and predatory towards small animals. Would she perhaps also be dangerous to children? They weren’t going to be able to confidently showcase her or adopt her out.

So I took her home. I told the shelter my adoption would not be permanent. I would assess, train, and then place Gator in an appropriate, qualified, committed home. That day she hopped in my car, growled at my dog in the kennel next to hers, and off we went. A new beginning deserves a new name, and Nox was born.

“Once I removed her from the chaotic shelter environment, I could assess, test, and observe Nox in peace. It quickly became clear to me that Nox was not the swamp monster/werewolf cross she appeared to be. In fact, she didn’t have an aggressive bone in her body. Once she began to decompress from the stress of her at-large adventure and stay in the big house, her playful, affectionate side began to come out. ”

Once I removed her from the chaotic shelter environment, I could assess, test, and observe Nox in peace. It quickly became clear to me that Nox was not the swamp monster/werewolf cross she appeared to be. In fact, she didn’t have an aggressive bone in her body. Once she began to decompress from the stress of her at-large adventure and stay in the big house, her playful, affectionate side began to come out. When handled, she melted like butter. She’d flop over for belly rubs from anyone willing and loved to sit quietly in my living room, chewing on a bone or chew toy. She loved to play fetch, but was pretty terrible at catch and it occurred to me that probably nobody had ever played that game with her before. The intensity she initially showed when in the presence of other animals started to mellow out once she wasn’t dealing with the constant barrier frustration of kennel fences and shelter induced over stimulation. Her demeanor around dogs and their subsequent responses to her actions informed me that most likely, Nox was not even a year old. It also appeared that no one had ever bothered to train her. She didn’t seem to even understand a basic “sit” request and I tried in several different languages. She certainly did not understand how to walk on a leash politely.

All of these shortcomings, her lack of experience, training, and impulse control (pretty common in an adolescent dog) coupled with the vigor of her breed and the chaos of the shelter made her seem a monster. In actuality, she was no were-creature, just misunderstood. However, yes, left unchecked she could have been a monster in the making. She was a pressure cooker with no steam valve. Without directed release, she’d have eventually blown up.

Thankfully, training and enrichment act as a perfect means of controlled guidance and release.

Nox transformed from a beast of a dog into the best dog. I helped her find her new forever human, and they’re nearly inseparable. Together they go to work, travel, ride ferry boats, sail the bay, eat at cafes, go to parties and cuddle at night. It’s a true love story.

Before finding her new owner, Nox stayed with me for three months and loved her lessons. She became the star in a YouTube video series where I documented her progress, training her in real time, so people could watch her learning process. We made the video series as a team, in honor of all the misunderstood teenage delinquent and under-educated shelter dogs out there. Dogs like Nox are just struggling to understand how to get along with us humans so we’ll love, feed, and play with them. They’re just waiting to find a home to call their own.

Many a misunderstood dog is punished, abandoned, labeled dangerous or dominant when really all they are is untrained. Training gives dogs a guidebook for how to act in the foreign land of human desire and expectations. Training provides a common language for two different species to communicate clearly and live harmoniously. Training turns the wild beast into a best friend.

Watch all the “Nox” real-time training videos on Kelly’s YouTube Channel, The Dunbar Diaries

The Right One Will Come Along: Frannie’s Story

By Melissa Jo Peltier

“After going everywhere, from NYC animal control to dog adoption days, a wonderful woman named Cece from ‘Tails of Love’ rescue said, ‘You guys would be perfect for Frannie. She’s a very special dog I won’t let go to just anyone.’”

We were ready. Our beautiful Millennial was out of college and on her own, and my husband and I weren’t traveling as much as we used to for our jobs. We’d finally be able to adopt a dog.

We ended up looking for over 3 months. First, we sat down and wrote out honestly what kind of energy would work with our lifestyle: a medium-small, medium energy dog that would be easy to travel with. That meant the dog couldn’t be aggressive with other dogs or people; neither of us had the time to work on issues that serious. Other problems, we could and were willing to handle.

After going everywhere, from NYC animal control to dog adoption days, a wonderful woman named Cece from “Tails of Love” rescue said, “You guys would be perfect for Frannie. She’s a very special dog I won’t let go to just anyone.” Frannie, – about 3 years old and some kind of herding dog/pit mix – had been pulled from a 72 hour kill shelter in Georgia and brought up north with a group of other dogs. Cece sent us video of Frannie who looked wonderful, but at 52 pounds of solid muscle, we thought she’d be too big.

Cece brought her over anyway. When I met her and took her for a walk down our street, her expressive eyes looked up at me for direction, and once inside our house, she again looked at me for permission to explore. She took treats so gently, you’d think she was accepting them with her lips. When she leaned on me and looked up wistfully into my eyes, I was won over. I asked Cece how this extraordinary dog could’ve been in foster care for a year. She said Frannie had some issues that turned people off. She looked too much like a pit bull to some people, who believed the myths about them. Her foster parents said she was notoriously unreliable off-leash – bolting chasing after any nearby critter for miles. She was also skittish around loud noises and crowds, and absolutely refused to get into a car. She’d plant, pant and shake like a leaf. No one wanted a 52 pound dog they’d have to lift in and out every time they wanted to go somewhere.

My time on Dog Whisperer had taught me that those were problems I could fix. But when Frannie met my husband, he said “I just don’t connect with her.” He took her impeccable Southern manners to be stand-offishness.   We agreed we both had to be thrilled with whatever dog we chose. But over the next weeks as we continued our search, I actually had two vivid dreams about Frannie. In the dreams, she was begging me with her eyes to bring her home.

“After a month more of looking, I tentatively suggested to my husband that we take Frannie for a weekend. He agreed, and Frannie’s foster parents brought her to our house with her crate, her bed and some favorite toys. Fifteen minutes in, Frannie leaned her head on my husband’s shoulder. He turned around and said to me, ‘This is our dog!’ The day was January 9, 2015. Frannie never went back.”

After a month more of looking, I tentatively suggested to my husband that we take Frannie for a weekend. He agreed, and Frannie’s foster parents brought her to our house with her crate, her bed and some favorite toys. Fifteen minutes in, Frannie leaned her head on my husband’s shoulder. He turned around and said to me, “This is our dog!” The day was January 9, 2015. Frannie never went back.

I was able to fix the car problem within about two months, and I immediately started practicing with her off-leash on 3 mile walks around a local lake – three minutes on, three minutes off, gradually increasing the durations until she understood that off-leash means staying with us at all times. I have video of her walking off-leash, right next to taunting squirrels on St. Patrick’s day 2016. It’s taken me nearly two years to get her to the point where she won’t sprint after the many deer in our woods-surrounded neighborhood. I put a GPS on her collar for the inevitable times she’d make mistakes, and practiced in the woods constantly. Frannie is like a teacher’s pet who never wants to get the answer wrong, so a stern voice and a command to sit and make eye contact did the trick over time. Just today, two separate herds of deer ran just behind our yard, and I saw Frannie start to get excited. By using a stern “Uh uh uh!” – and calling her to look at me, I watched her relax and wait until they were out of sight. Then we resumed our walk, with me praising her to the heavens. She always walks proudly when she’s accomplished something big.

As for her skittishness, Frannie now goes to every possible dog-friendly place with us. We go to the doctors’, the chiropractor, boutiques, Lowes, the Mac store; we’ve been to hotels, motels and on a plane; and in good weather we lounge around at outdoor cafés and restaurants. She can trot through crowded Times Square without flinching and has even been sailing and to a drive-in. It’s all built on trust. Everyone who meets her remarks on her gentle, loving nature and calm energy. She’s got an amazing nose on her – her DNA says she’s about 10% rat terrier (also about 37% pit bull, 33% border collie) — so I decided train her as a medic alert dog my life-threatening nut allergies. Working with a close friend who has trained hundreds of seeing eye and other service dogs, we’ve got her about 2/3 of the way there. She’s proven she can do it, but needs to be more consistent.

I often think my prescient dreams of Frannie make this truly a tale pre-ordained love. It’s worth any wait to find your perfect dog, even if you have to say no to some winsome faces along the way.

Maxwell’s Journey Home Part II

By Kay Sumner

“Max continued to outclass the ‘breed standard’ by packing away the groceries. A mere 5 months after adoption, he was weighing in at 115 pounds. Our denial was strong.  We kept telling each other we just had a very ‘special’ Bouvier.”

I guess it was just plain denial, the kind when you don’t really want to accept that you might be wrong about something.  Could our newly adopted Bouvier Des Flandres, Maxwell, be an imposter?

The first red flag was his size. We had fostered four Bouviers before and knew that the breed standard weight was 65-70 pounds. Maxwell was 95 pounds. and still a puppy. We justified this by remembering we’d seen some larger Bouviers in Canada.

Next was his playful nature. Bouviers are great working dogs but ‘playful’ is not their strong suit. While cleaning out a used Airstream trailer that we’d acquired, I found a box of stuffed dog toys, and absently put them aside on the patio. Twenty minutes later, I glanced up and the box was just half full. A half hour later, it was totally empty. On the other side of the patio, there was Max, playing with all the toys that he had very neatly laid out in front of him.

Max continued to outclass the ‘breed standard’ by packing away the groceries.  A mere five months after adoption, he was weighing in at 115 pounds.

Our denial was strong. We kept telling each other we just had a very “special” Bouvier.

Then one day, we brought Max with us to the pet store. A fellow animal lover approached us, exclaiming, “Oh, a Black Russian Schnauzer, we had one of those!”

I gasped. Had Max been fooling us all along? Was he really an imposter?

I nonchalantly sidled up to the book section, leafed through the breed pictures and boom, there was his mugshot — right there under “Black Russian Terrier – aka Black Russian Schnauzer”. Maxwell was so busted!

Max’s history only got more fascinating the more we researched it. He is a rare combination of 21 different breeds. In the 1940’s, Stalin commissioned the Russian military to genetically engineer the “perfect guard dog.” Stalin had one of Max’s ancestors for his personal bodyguard. Introduced into the U.S. only about 15 years ago, Black Russians are still quite rare, especially in animal shelters.

We can’t fault Max for working his way into our home and our hearts while pretending to be a Bouvier. After all, he wasn’t the one in denial!

Maxwell’s Journey Home

By Kay Sumner

“After years of experiences on the Dog Whisperer, and working with all kinds of animals on our ranch, we felt we could work out what whatever character issue might come our way.”

It all started when my husband Murray and I received an email from a canine rescue organization that specializes in the Bouvier des Flandres breed. The Bouvier had been our dog of choice for many years and we were committed to help as many as we could.

Since they are herding dogs and require a lot of exercise, they are not for everyone.

We drove about 50 miles to check him out in the shelter. His description said he was four years old and might be aggressive.

After years of experiences on the Dog Whisperer, and working with all kinds of animals on our ranch, we felt we could work out what whatever character issue might come our way. We arrived at a busy shelter that had a rampant kennel cough epidemic.

Yikes — we had healthy older dogs at home, and that cough could be a risk for them.

We wandered past so many cages that it was heartbreaking. There were dogs of every size, every color and every breed. They were mostly sad-eyed, and many were sick.

Finally, there he was — a Bouvier — pure black one, with long hair, that almost covered his eyes. He lay halfway back in the kennel, so despondent that he would not even look at us! His head was between his paws and we could not even get him to look up. He was forlorn, lonely and distant — not the usual Bouvier disposition with lots of tail-wagging tail and affection. It was as if we did not exist.

The volunteer offered to bring him outside where we could meet him properly. We were ushered into a meeting yard that was fenced-in so he could run loose. It was small, cement covered and not especially dog-friendly. When he arrived, it was as if he were walking on springs desperate to relieve himself, bouncing around. It was clear he had not wanted to foul his kennel, so he was obviously house-trained.

Again, he made no eye contact, hardly noticing we were there. It seemed that he had not been out of the kennel in some time. This was a different dog than we had intended to find and he was a sick dog. He also seemed very large for the breed standard, but we decided to take him and see if we could help. We were informed that there was a waiting period as he needed neutering, which required a second trip amounting to another whole day’s journey.

We adopted him on the spot and planned the return trip. We needed to set up a kennel in which to keep him in a warm location while he was quarantined and medicated for his cough. We moved it into our studio with blankets, bed, toys and food but he was still once again inside a kennel. We gave him his new name: Maxwell.

I picked him up at the appointed time and he rode in the back of the SUV. At first, he had very little interest in the ride, as the trip was long, but he gradually began to look out the window, still ignoring us.

It took about six weeks to make sure the other dogs would not get sick. We walked him several times a day. At first, he ate very little, but he gradually came around and let us pet him and talk to him. Eventually, he began to respond to our care. By the end of those six weeks, he looked forward to our visits, but it took a long time. Then he made it into the house at last! Unfortunately, another problem arose. Our female dog Breezy, our cream-colored Bouvier, would not let Maxwell get close to my husband!

Everyone who got in the way as Breezy tried to guard Murray got bitten! Poor Max. He had graduated from the kennel to the house to be met with a bossy female who wanted to put him in his place. We lived an uneasy truce with Breezy exerting her domineering nature from time to time.

Max was very passive with her. He was extremely good with all other dogs, even small ones, and he continues to be a happy pack dog.

After months of caring for him, he was over his shyness. He became part of the family. Taking him for a walk in town, we met a dog-lover who came up and petted Max and said to us, “You have a Black Russian!” We said, “No, a Bouvier des Flandres.” But… he was right. Max was a Black Russian!

(To be continued…)

The Best Present Ever

By Sheila Emery

When I was engaged to my now husband, I used to march around the house saying “I want a puppy, I want a puppy!” I took an online test that was supposed to tell you what kind of dog would be good for you.

The first answer was a St. Bernard and second was a Havanese. I had never heard of a Havanese and was intrigued. I looked them up and learned they were from Cuba (hence Havanese — from Havana).

They used to be companion dogs for the Cuban nobility, but after the revolution, they became the dog of the people and were used to herd chickens!

They are super smart and are referred to as the Labrador of small dogs. So after lots of research, we found Ollie. Ollie is my best friend. I have had the pleasure of his faithful company for 16 years. He is blind and deaf now and sleeps most of the time, but he still can find me and will ask for a snuggle.

I remember him as a young dog running in the park with his tail up like a rudder.

He especially loves our family and elderly people. I taught Ollie a million tricks; he could do everything with hand signals. He was very motivated by treats and would learn a new trick in a flash. Ollie always looked you right in the eyes. He liked it when I sang to him.

Havanese are hypoallergenic — they have hair, not fur, and do not shed. Ollie slept on our bed his whole life. He used to spring up on the bed and now I have to lift him. He’s not too warm in the summer (like my husband) and he keeps me warm in the winter. Lots of times he’ll stretch out all the way down my back. It’s like having the most comfortable and perfect private heating pad.

Ollie’s job is to be my companion and he has done his job every day for 16 years. No matter where I am in the house, he will find me and curl up at my feet. He is loyal, smart, gentle and adorable. Even today as an old doggy, he gives me pure unconditional love. I can’t imagine life without him. I still take him to the park where he enjoys walking around smelling everything.

Ollie, you are and always will be the best present I ever received. Thank you for loving me and letting me love you. You are my precious Ollie dog.