Here is a personal (and heart rending) Dog Story by HealthierDogs.com reader, Debbie, from East Texas …
The way we got my Shorty is a little unusual, and really sad. We live in the country, and there was some real low lifes, living across the street. Maybe 10 dogs and several cats, and when the man got home he threw out a bowl of food, and whoever ate, ate, and the rest got nothing.
Shorty started coming to my gate, and asking to come in. We let him in, and he stayed all day on the porch, with fresh water and food. At night we turned him outside the gate, we are 2 acres fenced. The next morning he was there again, outside the gate waiting patiently to get in. I did not want to bring him in the house, because he was not mine. I fell in love with him from the first time I saw him. Let me clarify when I turned him outside the gate, our road is a dirt road, and does not join a main road for a good while, so he just crossed over the dirt road to hell again.
Finally my husband went over to talk to them and see if they would let me have him. The neighbour said they did not want him, or any of the others, feel free to take him. He was so protective of his food for quite a while, we understood. We went to the vet first off, because he did not look well in his eyes. Being part Chow, and part Basset. I knew he could have problems with being part Chow.
I had been there before. Indeed he had red mange, passed from mother to son, in too close mating with Chows. Also bad internal parasites.
Shorty
Long story short, after 2 years of medicines and weekly soaking baths, he made it ok. He is my baby, and I will truly be uncontrollable when something ever happens to him. Shorty is 12 now, and always travels with us, and goes everywhere.
Thank you for pointing out that there are some of us who think of our puppies as family, not to be tied up in the yard, or locked outside. I am a road warrior, and pick up animals, or abused animals, as I suspect. When you live in this part of the country, it is really really sad. We live in east Texas, in USA.
Gypsy’s story is different. We found her on the side of the road, her whole back side covered in blood. She was probably thrown out of a car and run over. Her right leg was broken in two, almost her left, and her tail was broken in 2 places. We found a vet and he tried to put a rod in , which he did, her ball socket was destroyed, and had to be removed.
Long story short again, she atrophied, which is muscle seered to the bone. Tough start for s 6 month old little girl.
Gypsy
She loves everyone, and when we have them out, no one will touch her, similar to a person in a wheelchair, people want nothing to do with her when they see she has a problem.
She does not understand. Everyone wants to play with Shorty, but will not touch her.
Unless people understand we just keep them with us.
Gypsy is 13 this year. She is my little angel. Follows me everywhere. I know when she is hurting, and give her a baby aspirin, next day she is back again. She never complains, doesn’t get too cold, wet, or hot, always willing to follow us everywhere.
Sorry to bend your ear, thank you for listening,
Debbie.
