Just because we're cat people doesn't mean dogs get the shaft! We currently have one dog, and have rescued a few as well. Read on...

Our Dog, Jack

Jack, like everyone else, was a rescue. He is a husky-german shepherd mix as best we can tell. He and his pup were found eating out of a dumpster in the NC mountains by an innkeeper. To make a long story short, his owners were found but were not interesting in having him back, which is just as well as they were totally neglecting his medical needs. As fate would have it, Brian spent a weekend at the inn, where the innkeeper was looking for a home for the dogs. Big surprise - they came home with Brian. Jack turned out to have heartworms, to the point that the vet said another month without treatment and he would have died. Fortunately it was not too late, and he is now perfectly healthy.

Jack is a good dog, fairly obedient and extremely loving. He loves to ride in the car. His nickname is Houdini because of his ability to get out of any collar or harness you put on him, not to mention out of an 8-foot fence. He's not much on playing but he likes to gnaw on cowbones. He also a darn good cow herder, the problem being that he jumps the fence and herds the cows that live down the road! He is smart as a whip. But the best story I can tell about Jack, is the following:

One weekend, Brian took Jack camping with him. They were hiking a trail and came upon a couple with two young children. The little girl saw Jack, froze and said "Mommy, is that a wolf?" Her mom assured her it was a dog, and Brian assured her that he wouldn't hurt her. The girl moved hesitantly towards Jack, and finally reached out to pet him. He was his usual sweet self, and Brian told the little girl where he likes to be petted most, and she obliged. Brian looked up and noticed that the mother was staring in disbelief. She explained that the little girl is terrified of dogs, to the point that they can't walk down the street in their neighborhood because fenced-in dogs send her screaming back home. But the little girl fell in love with Jack and even asked if she could keep him. I don't know what Jack did or what vibes he sent out to let this little girl know that he was OK, but it is one incredible story. If he wasn't so bouncy, I bet Jack would make a great therapy dog.

Wondering what happened to Jack's pup? See below!

PAST DOG RESCUES

JAKE is Jack's pup. We kept him for about a year while first deciding which of the two we wanted to keep, then waiting on an opening at the humane society. Jake is a goofy, fun dog and quite sweet. I hated to give him up, but without a fenced-in yard we just don't have the facilities to keep two large dogs - puttting them both on runs resulted in them getting tangled up, and having them both in the house was a nightmare! But after he left us he became a nursing home visitation dog, so he makes many people happy.

MADELAINE was a puppy found stray near Brian's work. She is a Rottie mix but is sweet as can be. A week after we brought her home she contracted parvo, which cost us quite a bit to treat but turned out to be a good thing, as the vet tech at the emergency clinic fell in love with her and adopted her. She is getting along great in her new home!

DARWIN is a deaf Dalmatian. His owners were getting rid of him because he was too hard to handle, and he came to us through my brother-in-law. He is a loving dog but is VERY particular about which people he likes and doesn't, and he didn't like several members of our family. Deaf dogs require a lot more time and effort than your average dog, and he was no exception. Fortunately, we found him a home with someone who had cared for deaf Dals before and was up to the task.

Click the bridge to meet our dogs who have passed...