Ike, 80 pounds of resource guarding, skunk killing, always shedding, grumpy old manness is the love of my life. He is MY shelter dog. Reportedly, he is a German Shepherd Dog mix. I am willing to believe this, but mixed with what? I'm sure every adoptive parent goes through this struggle...sitting on the couch with his or her childhood dog encyclopedia (mine still sits proudly on my book shelf), reading through every dog breed just to fathom a guess as to what mix their dog really is. It doesn't stop at looks, I am talking about every personality trait possible.
I am nearly 100% positive (as is every adoptive parent) that my dog is German Shepherd, Burmese Mountain Dog (his coat is so soft and fluffy), Rhodesian Ridgeback (he could take down a lion), Siberian Husky (he loves the snow), Pit Bull Terrier (what doesn't have pit bull in it?), Chihuahua (he can have a nasty bite), Golden Retriever (he's great with kids and the elderly), Border Collie (he likes to bite ankles), Basset Hound (he can be very lazy), oh and of course i can't forget...Wolf!
Of course this is a complete exaggeration, well except for maybe the wolf part, that I actually WOULD believe.
I am nearly 100% positive (as is every adoptive parent) that my dog is German Shepherd, Burmese Mountain Dog (his coat is so soft and fluffy), Rhodesian Ridgeback (he could take down a lion), Siberian Husky (he loves the snow), Pit Bull Terrier (what doesn't have pit bull in it?), Chihuahua (he can have a nasty bite), Golden Retriever (he's great with kids and the elderly), Border Collie (he likes to bite ankles), Basset Hound (he can be very lazy), oh and of course i can't forget...Wolf!
Of course this is a complete exaggeration, well except for maybe the wolf part, that I actually WOULD believe.
We love our own dogs, but have no idea the number of dogs in limbo, waiting for someone to love them. So I'm here to help us remember the lost and forgotten, pray for the abused and neglected, and rejoice in the found and reunited. Thousands of dogs are adopted into new homes each year, and each one of those dogs has made an impact on their respective families, just as much as Ike has impacted mine. However, all these individuals are not privy to working in an animal shelter, where not just the one you take home impacts your life, but every dog that enters the shelter does. In my ideal world, they would all come home with me. In actuality, they face the uncertainty of shelter life. As a shelter agent, I can only work my hardest to find homes, safe havens, and peace of mind. I LOVE these dogs. And though at the end of they day they are tucked in their cement blocked kennels with a donated blanket, toy, and bowl of water, not knowing what tomorrow brings, whereas Ike curls up beside my bed safe from harsh criticism, disease and stress, I know they are loved. I love them.
Every dog deserves their day. So I dedicate these writings to my shelter dogs and to Ike. These are my dogs, for each one has captured a little piece of my heart.
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