Max & Gabbie

We went without living with a dog for 10 years, the time just wasn't right. Having a dog, to me, is a huge commitment, for I know when I take one on, it's part of our family till it's time for them to cross over that rainbow bridge. That is another reason why it was a hard decision, it's always been difficult for me to loose an pet. After much prodding by one of my daughters, we started checking out the animal shelter the end of August 2005. I had never been to one of those places, animals had always found me, I never went looking for one. This particular animal shelter is divided into good doggies, and bad doggies....although I don't think there are any bad doggies, only bad owners. Max was in a cold cement room with 65 cages, they were filled with the undesirable dogs. He was just dropped off that morning, and I suppose because of his breed, (chow, german shepard, retriever), and not knowing if he had any of those dog diseases, he was placed with the quarantined dogs. He looked so frightened, so mangy, and just so out of place. I remember after seeing him, I high-tailed it out of that room, holding my breath so my flood gates didn't break loose. My senses were reeling, I felt like I had just walked through a prison, like you see in a movie with the prisoners begging you to acknowledge them. I placed my name on the list for Max, grabbed my girls, ran to the car, and sat there and cried like a baby. We had to wait 5 days to see if someone would claim him, I didn't think that was going to be a problem. We returned the following week when the doors opened to take our new baby home...I asked the people at the desk (a county run shelter...paid for by taxpayers) if they would like vet references from me, they said with a puzzled look, "no, but we need $25.00 in CASH"....obviously they don't give a shit who takes these animals home. The only thing that curbed my "evil tongue", and "my wanting to bitch-slap-em hand" was Max's beautiful thankful eyes, and my daughters smiles.
Max has been everything I could have ever dreamed of in a dog, he knows his place in our home, and learns rather quickly, he only wants to please us (most of the time). I love him so much that this past Christmas we got him a "toy" named Gabbie.....she is another story, but for now I have to return to the book I'm reading titled "Cesar's Way" by Cesar Millan, he has the TV show "The Dog Whisperer", it's really a neat informative book.