As long as I have had dogs in my life, (dont care for the term OWNED) Have yet to have one that has had such a hard life as my first rescued Rott Gretchen. I moved into an apartment with a so called friend in the early 80s. After moving in, I was witnessing him being anything but loving to this poor 8 month old, beautiful Rottweiler mix pup. He would beat this dog as would only expect to see on television. Which told me that this had been going on way before I got there. After moving in, I made sure that this action never happened again. ESPECIALLY in front of me. He continued to he extremely harsh with her. Which caused me to wonder why he even had her in the first place. She still was not pooty trained, which as you know is not right for her age. He again started to punish her for this while I was not home. After returning home one day, I noticed that she was limping, and was extremely tender around her rear area. I needed no proof or explanation for what happened. I put my foot down, (leaving but certain details that may be better suited for another types of groups) and POLITELY, made him moved out of his own apartment.....without Gretchen. As soon as he was gone, I could see a complete change in her. That same look that I seen in Manswers eyes when rescuing her. We sleep on a sofa, with her at the foot between my legs. On occasion she would have what I assumed were nightmares. And on night, it was more than confirmed. She started to shack as whine so furiously that she was actually BOUNCING up off the cushion. Whether or not was a actual seizure or not, I would never know. But I just held and comforted her till she was back to relaxed. Over the next year, I just allowed her to regain the feeling of what it was like to be a dog again. There was no way to work with this poor girl that she did not feel fear. I then felt she was ready to start from scratch, just as she was a new puppy. And to my utter amazement, this once poor, beaten, abused creature, was learning things with only having to be shown one time. Over the next year, she had over the 30 tricks to her credit, and was so loved by every soul she ever encountered. And to my surprise, trusted in every good person she ever met. But if you were in the slightest way, a bad person in ANY WAY, oh she let me know it. Another year had passed and I met my, now ex wife. And now looking back, I had to then question her ability to take to good people like I previously stated....lol As we had children, she was the most amazing big site to all 3 of my daughters. Backing up a bit, my ex was pregnant with our first child, and down I owned a mirror image double unit apartment. Up and down. We were living in the top unit at this time, that had a porch on the front the whole length of the house. We also had gotten a new pup some months before who is picture with her. A Shepard Husky mix Bandit. As she parked the car, I heard the screen door open and shut as the dogs went out onto the porch. Just then I heard a faint yiping. As I went out on the porch, I only seen Bandit. My heart sunk. As I bolted to the rain and looked over, there was Gretchen, on the ground in a squatted position like she was getting ready to be punished. As I got to her, she looked at me was like, I am sorry dad. There was nothing hurt at all. This was a 20 foot drop. Just a month later, my brother came to visit. The dogs were out on the porch. Both had their paws up on the rail looking over at him coming up the drive. My brother looked up and said, Gretchen, and she pushed off, and over again she went. Unfortunately, this time she went over at the side, with the drive way below, and not the yard. Again she appeared to be unharmed. But after about an hour she was walking around the apartment, and her bowels started moving on their own. We took her to our vet and explain what happen, as well told him it was the second time she had done this. He x-rayed her, then explain she only had a small perforation in her kidney. Put her on antibiotics. I dont remember how long it was after that, but we were driving down the road and she had her head sticking out the passenger side window always does, and at about 25 30 miles an hour, she jumped out the window. And needless to say, that was the last time we let her in the passenger side with the window rolled all the way down. Two years later, we moved to a farm house out in the country, that had a 500 foot long gravel driveway. To our surprise she started chasing cars down the driveway. One particular day, I was dropped off after work, and as my friend drove down the driveway in his full size Chevy van, I hear Gretchen yiping all the way up the driveway. as I ran outside to see what was happening, she came to me and her scalp was peeled back, she had teeth pushing her cheeks outward, and her jaw was broken down the center. We called our vet immediately, and he said bring her in and well see what we can do. After getting there he said just leave her with me and I will call you and let you know what we find. Two hours later the phone rings. He informs me you can bring me a hundred seventy five and pick her up in the morning. He pulled the bad teeth so the scalp back together and wired the jawful together from side to side. After a full recovery, she did slow down, just a bit, but we would take that. She lived to be a ripe old 17 yrs old. When I had to make that final decision to lay her to rest.. After getting her home I was forced to dig her resting spot in the pouring rain. And I swear to this day, that there were more tears in at whole than rain water...... Thank you all who took the time to read my short novel. But after getting involved with these groups, I see so many pics and stories that just get you remembering old time, and feel the need to share your story. If not just to keep it fresh in my own memory.....
Posted on: Sun, 14 Sep 2014 23:12:05 +0000
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