About Me
There wasn't anything about me that made me especially qualified to rescue a dog like Pooh. I wasn't an experienced dog trainer or a vet, hadn't raised a a lot of dogs, had never read about dog behavior, and had absolutely no idea what I was getting into.
We chose Pooh based on some specific physical characteristics that had little to do with her personality. We had talked for weeks about "our next dog" and narrowed it down by learning about breeds. We didn't want a dog that looked like our beloved long-haired doxie that passed away the year before, but we have a tender spot for longer faced dogs so we ruled out a couple short nosed dogs. My husband had always wanted "a dog with legs", then he was sure he wanted a beagle. After some online research we were pretty sure a beagle wouldn't be the dog for us. We wanted a dog that wouldn't mind laying around for hours, but would like to play outside too. We chose Pooh because she was mid-sized, had a cute face, her coat wouldn't require trips to the groomer, and was calm during the visit. We noted that she was shy and didn't want to re-enter the shelter, but these seemed like reasonable issues.
I want you to know this background so you realize as you read this blog that my husband and I are simply: people. We didn't take Pooh on as a project knowing how much work she would be. It wasn't a grand rescue gesture. We were just typical adopters who brought a new dog home knowing there would be an adjustment period. I had worked at Willamette Humane Society for six months as Business Operations Director. I do accounting, computers, and oversee the thrift stores and facilities. I don't have contact with animals on a daily basis, nor was I hired for animal expertise. A wonderful volunteer, along with a staff member helped us choose Pooh. They probably assumed that since I was a manager for the organization I had more advanced dog skills that a typical adopter.
Just last night, I was talking to a co-worker, who has been a wonderful resource for me, and she said that I needed to blog. I thought that was a ridiculous idea. Why would I want people to know how crazy my dog is?? She explained that the blog would help our employees guide potential adopters who were considering a "project" dog to really understand what they were getting into. It could also help those who began this process without full understanding, like me, have hope and not give up. I realized that she was right, because I had lost hope along the way and nearly given up more than once in the first year. Pooh's kind spirit and the stigma of giving up on her (considering where I work??) were simply too much to bear so I would circle back with the resources and try again. So, I'll tell you the ups/downs and secrets of our crazy life to help other dogs like Pooh. Always remember, I am not an expert. I can only tell you what I know about my dog.
Sarah
10/30/2011