ANDY-- SHELTER DOG

Look at this boy-- and read his story. And then come back and look at him again. We love you, Andy!!!

You're wondering why I have a picture of a pen on my blog. I'll tell you. I was in church last week, and using this pen to take notes.

And it suddenly fell apart on my lap. Nice. I just looked at it and was going to just throw it away.

It didn't seem worth fixing. And I thought, "that's what people think of a lot of shelter dogs." They see them, with broken spirits and broken bodies and bad skin and think they can just "throw it away." That's where rescue comes in. (My husband picked up the pieces of the pen and put it back together, even though I had tried.)

I received an email from an animal control near me. They had a Peke who had been there for three weeks and they didn't think anyone would adopt him. He had a terrible skin problem and people looked at him and just walked away. He may have looked like that broken pen, but inside, he was a dog who wanted to be saved and loved. And fixed.

So, I went over and they brought him out to me. He wagged that tail like crazy! I checked him over, giving him every opportunity to snap at me-- he didn't. I put my hands on his face, in his ears, in his mouth-- no reaction except to wiggle more and wag that tail. He was a big boy-- 20 pounds. Pure happiness.

But, his skin was so inflamed and raw, and he was so itchy. No way was this dog going to be adopted-- we were his only chance. He looked like a "junk yard dog." I've gotten those before-- and they have become BEAUTIFUL dogs. Like Lacy. Like Bear-Bear. But, they have to have someone who will give them a chance. That's where rescue comes in.

If my skin looked like this, I'd be miserable-- and he was. But, he was still so happy. So, I got him, took him straight to the vet and had him checked out. He had a shot for itching-- I said, "please help him now." We got pills for itching, we got antibiotics, we got special shampoo for baths every three days (thank goodness I have a Peke-sized sink with a spray nozzle), he got ear and eye meds, he got bloodwork, and a nail trim. He was checked all over-- and he just wagged his tail.

He is extremely playful! My Scooterbug, my therapy dog for newcomers, and Andy really hit it off! They have been playing since he arrived.

Andy likes toys-- he really likes the tennis balls I have. But, he'd rather have me-- to follow around, to watch. I think he's saying THANK YOU. His body was so itchy and oily and smelly-- but there is beauty beneath that. He is worth fixing.

I took a video of him playing so you can see his personality.
Click here: YouTube - andy He is so happy! Maybe I should just call him Happy!

Do you think he is worth saving? I'm sure you do, too! If you want to help with his care, you can go to http://www.potomacpekes.org/ to make a donation. Or just reply on this blog to tell him he's worth it! And that he is loved and that we will find him a home. He's only about 3 years old-- so young. He has a lot of years for health and happiness. I know there will be more like him, but for now, he's the one that we are helping. (And all the rest in rescue.) And he's worth it!