ADOPTING PYPER

From the Brackett Family / Stuart, FL / 2009

My wife and I love dogs. I do not think we are silly about it. We do not dress them up in costumes or push them around in baby carriages. We do not breed them or groom them for dog shows; not that there is anything wrong with those pastimes or activities. We simply enjoy the companionship of the furrier members of our extended family. We value and cherish the love and dependence they have for us, and we willingly return that love and try to give them the best care and thoughtful concern they deserve. For the last several years, we have shared our home with two little ones. The older of the two is an eleven-year-old Maltese. We have had him since he was about six weeks old and he is still a joy! He has gone though all the normal dog stages as an important part of our lives and Bear is a great little guy. We also have a three-year-old Maltese/Shih Tzu mix. Bella is adorable, very smart, extremely loving, and probably has more personality than the law allows. Little dogs can be wonderful; I know we could never do without ours, but I have usually had big dogs around me and feel that a big house and big yard deserve a big old clunky four-legged family retainer.

We were fortunate, for many years, to have a big lovable mutt named Teddy. He was mostly Collie with probably several other big dog genes mixed in. We adopted him from an animal shelter when he was about three and was with us for more than ten years. He was not very bright; actually, he was capable of getting lost in the back yard. He was not particularly demanding; when accidently caught in a clothes closet for twelve hours, he simply lay down and went to sleep until we found him that evening. Teddy, however, did have the ability to read our thoughts and feelings. He could sense when we were tired or when we were sad. He knew when we were upset; he knew when we were mad. Teddy also knew how to make everything seem better. One of the hardest things I have ever had to do was to make the decision that it was time to let him go. I sat on the floor of the vet’s exam room and held his head in my lap until he went to sleep for the last time.

My wife and I wanted another Teddy. The specific breed or gender really was not too important. Periodically, we would search the local animal shelters, and we were avid followers of any number of dog rescue websites. Going to an animal shelter was a particularly dangerous activity. We liked them all, and wanted to take them all home! We were looking for that special feeling, that special spark we knew we would recognize when we found the right animal. We became acquainted with a variety of wonderful people and many lovable dogs. I am sure that a few of the fine dogs we considered would have made great pets, but adopting a dog is a big responsibility and we wanted to make sure. We wanted to be sure for our own sake and of even more importance; we wanted to make sure we were choosing a dog that would be happy with us.

In the face of all reason, practicality, and common sense; wouldn’t you know that the picture of a dog that caught our interest was from a particularly inconvenient source. The internet can be so cruel! Not a pleasant drive to  keechobee or Tampa, nooo.. Not a manageable trek to Orlando or Jacksonville either, noo... My wife fell in love with a poor quality digital photo of a marginally healthy, middle aged, female German Shepherd; from a little known and casual rescue organization located in rural South Carolina. We had set our sights on adopting “Pyper”. Our contact at New Beginnings German Shepherd Rescue couldn’t or wouldn’t tell us how big she was; just that she was a “Big Girl”… Now that I think back, we really didn’t know much about her. There seemed to be some significant owner abuse in her history, with no further details. This is really where the story begins…

What was to follow was a protracted send and reply e-mail thread to accomplish all the preliminaries; adoption applications, second thoughts, trip scheduling, soul searching, trip logistics, worrying, until finally, three weeks later; it was time to set out. Everyone went on the road; to meet a dog for the first time, 600 miles from home, and we were only going to have a few hours to make a decision as to whether we were going to bring her home with us. We took the little ones, Bella and Bear, along of course. It didn’t seem likely they would have time to develop a friendship, but at least we could find out if the “Big Girl” was going to get down to business right away and eat them.

Florida is a long state to drive though, end to end; as is Georgia and half of South Carolina. Our ultimate target was a country farmhouse, literally, in the middle of nowhere. I have a memory of lots of soybeans and corn; you do not want to know what the local motel was like. Checking in with pets or even livestock, was not an issue. The representative from New Beginnings Rescue was a friendly and receptive lady who genuinely loved dogs and I’m sure did her very best to care for all the homeless dogs in her care. I think there were 25-30 unruly big critters running all about; the freestyle kennels behind the house were quite casual.

Pyper was a mess. All our hopes and planning, years of waiting; and the poor thing was a sorry sight. Her white coat was ruined; stained with dog urine. She had open sores, hot spots, bloody teeth, and the tips of her ears nearly gnawed off by flies and mosquitoes. We gulped, cringed inwardly and then put on a brave face in order to go through the motions. Then we made our biggest mistake; we looked into her brave face and pleading eyes. We had a good look at the quality of her life in those surroundings, and did not even discuss all the problems. Pyper’s hips and rear legs were so weak she could barely stand or walk. What could we do? We lifted her into the back of my wife’s SUV next to the two little ones and brought her home.

The ten-hour trip home was the longest I have ever endured. Poor Pyper was miserable; and she smelled really awful. Both my wife and I spent the entire trip asking ourselves what in the world we could be thinking. Very little was said verbally; volumes of regret flowed though our minds. The first night in our home was even worse than the trip. We had a big problem!

We have had Pyper for about a month now. It turns out we do not have a big problem. She has turned out to be the most beautiful animal that ever lived; inside and out. Sure, we have moderately enriched our local veterinary clinic as well as the pet supply store. We have also bathed and brushed until we have the skills to work as dog groomers. She takes pills in the morning and pills at night. We do not regret a thing and don’t mind at all. Pyper has become a part of our family in every way. She gets along well with the little ones, seems very content and happy, and displays a healthy and manageable protectiveness of our family and home. She has turned into the dog we were hoping and waiting for all this time. We are also confident that, in time, Pyper will sense when we are tired or when we are sad. She will know when we are upset; she will know when we are mad. Pyper, like Teddy, will also know how to make everything seem better.

There are many avenues to explore when searching for the perfect dog for you and your family. Big dogs, little dogs, and medium sized dogs; all are available from a variety of commercial sources. You can find fancy animals with impressive pedigrees and buy good family dogs from home breeders. Most of us have, at one time or another; been there, and done that. Before you do, however, I would encourage you to become a regular at a local animal shelter, Humane Society, or animal rescue center. Take your time, and spend some time. Decide in advance what you are looking for in a family dog and I am quite sure the right dog will find you. We adopted Pyper and she has adopted us.

What a great experience!

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