Spotlight on the dogs

The dogs are definitely what it is all about for me.  They are my motivation for running the
Chicago Marathon and fundraising for Team Paws.  All of my dogs, past (Sierra and Tanner) and present (Charlie and Endo), have been rescue dogs.  This post is more for me than anyone else.  Something I can come back and read about some of my great memories.

Sierra

Sierra was beautiful and she knew it

When I started veterinary school at U.C. Davis, I had no plans for getting a pet.  And then my classmate, Cindi Delany, brought this adorable husky mix puppy to class the end of our second year.  I looked at this puppy and knew that she was my dog.

Sierra was MY first dog and I was scared.  One would think that a person in veterinary school would feel confident in their ability to care for a dog, but I was worried that I would not be able to keep my new canine companion alive.  I couldn't even keep my plants alive.

My fears of accidentally killing Sierra quickly turned to wanting to kill her.  I realize that everyone that met Sierra after I had her for several years thought that she was the perfect dog, but she definitely did not start out that way.  In the first six months I had her she escaped about seven times, including breaking through the window of my apartment (after she broke it and bleed EVERYWHERE).  Next, she moved on to her chewing phase.  I cannot tell you how many remote controls she chewed.  I came home one day and she had chewed a phone book, my roommates alarm clock, a feather pillow, and other various objects she found around the house.  At that point, I was done.  Time to find Sierra a new home.  Luckily my friend Amy talked me off the ledge and convinced me to not strangle or give Sierra away.

She looks so sweet and innocent...

Sierra was the best dog EVER.  There will never be another like her.  She was beyond dog and I will never forget her.

Tanner

Sierra was very much a pack dog and so I knew I had to get another dog for her when I was graduating from veterinary school.  My roommate at the time (Katie) was the medical coordinator for the vet school Shelter Dog Rescue Project.  Katie said they had this adorable Golden Retriever named Tanner.  Tanner was brought to the Sacramento Humane Society in very bad condition.  He was emaciated, had heartworm disease, and worst of all, he had been debarked (yes someone had his vocal cords cut).  He was the sweetest boy and just wanted to be loved.  I am guessing whoever owned him just left him in the yard by himself and so he barked because he wanted to be with his family.  He hardly ever barked when I had him (his bark just sounded like he lost his voice).

Sierra was not happy about the new addition to the family and she showed it.  Luckily a trip to the family cabin quickly cured that and they quickly became the best of friends.

Tanner was a very sweet but not so bright boy.  He loved chewing rocks and chasing tennis balls.  Whenever he got into trouble he would squint at you.  In his mind if he couldn't see you, you must not be mad at him.

Please don't be mad at me

Tanner wearing the cone of shame.  This was
after he started chemo and developed pneumonia.

We were at the cabin and he stopped eating and didn't want to go outside to play.  I had a feeling whatever was wrong with him was really bad and so I drove him to Jackson Hole, WY to see a specialist.  By the end of the week I had a diagnosis of liver and spleen lymphoma and he was started on chemo.  It was a very rough two months, with maybe one or two good weeks in there (which made the whole thing worth it), before it was his time to go.  He ended up having cardiac lymphoma also, which does not respond to chemo.  His case was used to teach the second year vet students, which made me feel better since others could learn from the situation.  It was hard to let him go, but I am happy that he at least got four really great years with me.

Charlie

Charlie and his broken leg

About three months after Tanner died I got a call from a friend that was a fourth year vet student.  Jessica had a surgery patient from the pound that she had neutered.  He had been left in the overnight drop box with a broken leg.  (Who does that????? ) Because it was around winter break and the hospital had been closed to regular appointments he was lucky enough to get his leg fixed.  I really was not ready for another dog, but went to visit him anyways.  I spent about two hours with him and even though I didn't want to get another dog yet, it was pretty much a done deal.   His personality was similar to Tanner (sweet, but not so bright) and he even had a black spot on his tongue in the same spot that Tanner did too!

Charlie was very, very hyper when I adopted him.  Because he had a plate and screws in his leg he was very limited on what he was allowed to do.  Unfortunately Charlie did not understand this.  I had to give him valium for the first month I had him to calm him down and even that was not enough.  I ended up having to leash him to the coffee table so he wouldn't run around.

Sierra was not happy about Charlie.  From the get go she did all she could to torture him.  She quickly realized that because he was leashed to the coffee table she would steal his toys and then get a couple of inches from his face and there was nothing he could do.  A few years later she realized he was scared of squeaky toys so she would chase him around the house with one in her mouth.  Once he ran out the dog door into the backyard to get away from her.  Despite all this they did become best buds, but Sierra was always the boss.

Poor Charlie being shown who is boss

Endo

Charlie, Sierra and I moved to Atlanta and then Nick came along and joined our pack.  We were very happy and content with no plans of expanding until I got a call from Nick one night.

Nick: I found a dog at the Chevron.  It is in my car and is whining (which I could hear).  What should I do?"

Me: I guess bring it here and we can try and find the owners or another home.

Nick: Ok.  I'll be home soon.

Up pulls Nick's car and this 25 pound PUPPY comes bounding out of the car toward the house.  Nick did not grow up with dogs and he had definitely never lived with a puppy.  He had no idea what the implications of bringing a puppy into the house meant.

So cute.  We just called her puppy until we accepted she was ours.

Charlie was not always very good with other dogs but he did well with this new puppy.  In fact, she became Charlie's shadow.  I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't find them.  Turns out they were in the backyard playing.  At 3 a.m.  In January.  It was 25 degrees (F) outside.  After about two weeks with puppy we realized that we kind of loved her and that we had found her a home so we named her Endo.

Eventually Endo turned into this:

She pretty much eats everything including full bottles of imodium (that one cost us $1400), full cartons of eggs, poop of all sorts, her own vomit, and pretty much anything that gets left on the counter.  She also made some modifications to our furniture.

Sharps corners on the dining room
table and chairs are bad too

Endo keeping us safe from sharp corners

Despite her chewing and eating habit, we love her.  Everyone loves her and always wants to see her and Charlie too, but only because he comes along with the deal.  Charlie gets no respect.

Charlie: life as a beta dog

I can't believe how small Endo used to be

She has been such an entertaining dog, I can't imagine our lives without her.

It is all about the ear

I love these dogs.  For me, I would not get anything other than a rescue dog, whether it be from an animal shelter, rescue group, or off the street.  There is nothing better than coming home to these creatures that are just so happy that you are back every single time.