![[IMAGE]](dg_ln.gif)
I got a call one day last December, from a friend who works in a
shelter. She said "Cheryl, we got in a golden today and he doesn't look
good, you better come quick" You never get used to this kind of call and
I had no idea what I was in for. She told me when she first saw him
getting out of the car she thought he was coming in to be euthanized.
Some kids had found him lying in a field and noticed that he hadn't
moved for 2 hours. Luckily my friend recognized the golden under the
dirt and sores and in spite of the fact that he had almost no hair.
Doing rescue work for 10 years I'm usually not shocked by what I
find in shelters, but my first glance at Moses and I wanted to cry. I
soon found out he weighed 63 lbs. on a frame that now comfortably holds
104. Nor do I ever become overly attached to my temporary "guests". I
have 7 dogs of my own and I had never considered keeping a rescue dog.
I can't explain what happened when I took this dog out of the kennel at
that shelter and he walked over to me and leaned against my side and
gave me a look that said "In spite of what's happened to me, and even
though I have every reason not to, I'm putting my trust in you". I guess
you can only understand if it has happened to you. I was hooked! No
matter what happened, how much it cost me, or obstacles I would find,
this was my dog forever.
I didn't announce it right away, but every time an adoptive home
would be mentioned for Moses I had a good reason why not. At first he
was just too sick. He had every known parasite possible. He also had
several of the more of the obscure protazoa and viruses that can befall
canines. He hadn't eaten for so long he had to start out with one
teaspoon of food every hour because that was all he could hold down.
When he vomited, there were only rocks in his stomach. His skin was a
massive staph infection, his back was covered with weeping sores and one
ear had a hematoma that had never been treated and had swelled shut. He
was also hypothyroid and still requires daily medication for this.
These things were all clearing up and I was running out of
excuses not to adopt him out when he had his first seizure. New Years
Day Moses suddenly fell to the ground and began to shake. His eyes
remained open and focused on me but he couldn't stand. I am a nurse with
a lot of experience but I panicked. I thought he was dying and rushed to
the phone to call my vet at home. When I left the room, Moses tried to
follow me by dragging himself across the floor on his belly. By the time
my vet calmed me down and said it sounded like a localized seizure,
Moses was fine, wagging his tail and asking for a cookie. I, however
took the rest of the day to recover. This episode provided me the final
straw. "Nobody will want him now", I said. He's got to stay. Moses
became ILP Stonehills Out of the Wilderness and an official part of the
Minnier household (like there was any doubt!). Since that time Mo has
had a few more seizures and also episodes of vomiting with no warning,
but they never seem to bother him for long. We've all learned to ride
them out with him and even my children are no longer bothered by them.
My vet and the vets at Cornell I spoke to seem to feel the seizures are
from an area of localized brain damage, perhaps from being kicked or
struck in the skull at one time and are not likely to ever get worse.
As I read this I realize Moses doesn't sound like the dog of
most peoples dreams, but I'm getting to that part. I mentioned I have 7
other dogs, most of whom I bred myself and all of whom love me best in
the world. None of them though, look at me the way Moses does. To him I
am his god. When I am home he is never out of reach. Not underfoot but
always somewhere close enough to touch me or settle at my feet if I sit
down. It's like every day he can't believe he found me and he wants to
make sure he isn't going to lose me. He is the most enthusiastic
obedience dog I have ever seen. He will respond instantly to a slight
nod of my head or a shift of my hand position and I can whisper commands
from across the room, anything that will make me happy. Only severe
dysplasia has kept him out of the ring. Moses is friendly with
strangers, if it is someone I am comfortable with, but he will only
tolerate them for a few minutes before returning to me. He is wonderful
with my children and I have no doubt that he would lay down his life for
anyone of us without a moments hesitation. When someone comes to the
door the rest of the crew go to bark and wag tails, Moses comes to sit
in front of me in case there is any harm out there.
In return for all this worship, we just make sure he always has
someone to stay with him when he is having a seizure. We keep the bugs
away from him because he seems deathly afraid of them, probably from
being chained out for so long. We always let him know just what we
expect from him and never let pity get in the way of teaching him how to
behave. We've taught him that his initial defensive aggression was
unacceptable and unnecessary. In turn he has learned to trust that we
will keep him safe and he knows he can look to us when he is unsure of
anything. The world once again (or maybe for the first time) makes sense
to Moses.
If you are considering adopting a dog with a past, this is the
best gift you can give them. Don't allow the dog to rule the roost
because you feel sorry for him. Sympathy can be deadly to a dog. Let him
know the rules and expect them to be followed. Then he can sleep an
untroubled sleep and wake up knowing all's right with the world.
Unfortunately, seizures, hypothyroidism and a few other medical problems are becoming all too common in goldens. While they are problematic, I hope they will never get in the way of your adopting the dog of your dreams. No dog is perfect and they all require some inconvenience to our lifestyles, even those with no medical or behavioral problems, but the rewards that come with adopting a special needs dog are too wonderful to count! If you are looking for a Golden, keep your local rescue in mind. Your Moses may be out there waiting for you.
