I've already told Z's story, so I think it's time to finally fill everyone in on the story of little L.
We adopted L because one day my husband said, "our dogs are too well-behaved. No one ever does anything bad - it's boring. We should go adopt a little trouble-maker dog to stir things up." (Seriously, he really said that! My dog friends literally swoon when I tell this story and ask me if he has any brothers that might be available - he doesn't.) I took him at his word, and started looking on PetFinder and at local rescues and shelters for dogs that looked like trouble. 
Meanwhile, L was in a shelter about 30 minutes away from us, and he is not a dog that could emotionally handle being in a shelter. (In fact, I think he may have permanently blown a small fuse during his time there.) The shelter volunteers were sure that he would never be adopted, because every time someone walked in, he would start screaming his high-pitched, ear-splitting, brain-hurting scream. He not only drove potential adopters away from his run, but he literally drove people out of the shelter entirely. I was told that they had never had a dog that presented so poorly, yet they knew that there was a nice little dog in there somewhere. I think more than one tear was shed over his probable fate. When I saw him, I knew right away that he was the trouble we had been looking for. We went to meet him, then brought the dogs to meet him. Mr. Geek voted yes, and we brought him home.
We adopted L when he was about 4.5 months old, but even at such a young age, he had already been through at least 4 homes and two different animal shelters! Unlike Z who bonded with us right away, L was not ready to bond with anyone when we brought him home. Oh, he liked us and seemed to think that we were nice enough people, but he was clearly worried about where he was going to end up next, and when. Six months later, I finally felt like he was starting to come round, but after we had him for a full year, I knew that what I had seen 6 months earlier was nothing compared to where we were going.
What made the biggest impression on him was the first time we went on a road trip, when he was about 10 or 11 months old. On our way to a wedding, we stopped overnight at my parents' house on the way up, dropped Z and S off with them, and drove the rest of the way with L the next day. (He was such a handful, I didn't want to inflict him on my poor parents.) We were staying with my husband's aunt who is a great animal lover, and she watched L for us while we were at the ceremony. She tried to take him for a walk while we were gone, but about a block away from her house he started to panic and cry and try to run back, as though he was terrified about where she might be taking him. So she took him back to the house and comforted him until we returned.
The next day we drove back, picked up S and Z from my parents, and went home. It seems like a small thing, but there was such a dramatic change in L following that trip. We went away... and came back! We came back home! Home. It was like he finally understood. I think after that trip, he finally started to truly bond with us.
So that is how L's story begins. He's been a tough cookie at times, and has definitely embraced his pre-ordained role as the little trouble-maker dog, stirring things up and keeping us on our toes, but we love him to death and wouldn't trade a minute of it. Part 2 is still to come!
(Aside: Looking through old pictures to pick out some to add to this post, I was dumbfounded at how many of my dog pictures have at least one pair of my running shoes or trail shoes in them. What's up with that? How many pairs of those things do I have, and why are they never on my feet? I only included two pics with shoes here, but I passed by many more to avoid embarrassment.)
15 comments:
Well, that answers the question why the goats arrived wearing running shoes.
What a cute story. I think YassoMan needs a friend, too....hmmm, I wonder what Mr. Sexton would do if I came home with another dog today? Should we find out? I'm always up for seeing how many facial expressions he's capable of making.
It's wonderful that you could see the potential in this dog and that you had the dedication to stick it out thru the hard times. I enjoyed L's story.
Marnie
There must be a special place in Heaven for people who take on "difficult" dogs. Looking forward to the continuation of L's story.
L has to stand for lucky, because he certainly was when you showed up at that shelter. It seems that you were kinda lucky yourself although it might have taken a little longer.
sophie: I'm guessing that Mr. Sexton would make some interesting noises, too. I think you should definitely try it, and report back!
marnie: it hasn't been easy (I may have lied when I said I wouldn't trade a minute of it - I can think of a minute or two I could give up) but it has been so worth it!
ncmountainwoman: awww, shucks. But I know that for both Z and L, there were several people along the way who went the extra mile to save their lives before we even came into the picture, and I'll always be grateful to them!
flydragon: I asked L if he felt lucky, and he indicated that he could really use a little more food in his bowl, and a basket of kittens. He said he's been good - he deserves it!
I love the way you describe your experiences with your 'difficult' dog...what fun you have with him now. I agree that it takes about a year or so before rescues feel secure in their new homes. You are just absolutely the BEST!
Thank you for rescuing L, and seeing his potential. So many don't look deep enough, but obviously you did.
This is a wonderful story, thank you for sharing it.
I had to go back and look for the running shoes in the pictures. He He!
So funny!
Kind of breaks my heart to read how dogs have emotions like that.When we went to the SPCA for a cat, Buddy, who we ended up buying, didn't even move in his cage. He had given up - just stayed curled up in a ball - the rest were all hanging their paws out trying to touch us.
I love this story. What really knocks my socks off is the statement from your husband, ""our dogs are too well-behaved. No one ever does anything bad - it's boring. We should go adopt a little trouble-maker dog to stir things up."
Where did you find him? I guess I say this because my Chloe was a handful during the first six years... She was L.
And, the best part of this story of L is that YOU CAME BACK.
Looking forward to Part II,
Mary
betty: I know with all your little rescues, you know just what it is all about!
t: the rescue coordinator at the shelter was sooo happy when we adopted L, I thought she was going to cry - she knew he was a nice little dog, but he was such a monster in the shelter that she didn't think anyone else would be able to see it. I've kept in touch with her, and she's been so proud of what he's accomplished in agility!
jean: that breaks my heart to read about poor Buddy in the shelter - you are such special people for choosing to give him a new life. The pound is such a terribly stressful place for animals. Some, like Buddy, just give up. Others, like L, start to go crazy. Every time I go to the pound, I leave in tears.
mary: it knocked my socks off, too! Mr. Geek is a pretty special guy (which I think you'll see more of in Part 2.) And like I said before, if L wasn't so gosh darned long and pointy all over, I would think he was part Boston Terrier. He and Chloe may have a lot in common (just not the shape of their noses!)
Loved this story ... and with a fairy tale ending too.
I have a brother and sister-in-law who have done exactly the same thing. They have my respect and admiration and so do you!
ladyfi: thanks for stopping by! hopefully we have a lot of "happily ever after" still to come!
troutbirder: aw, shucks. (And glad to hear your brother and s-i-l took a chance on a hard-luck case too!)
Oh good for you and Mr. Geek--purposefully seeking out a problem dog. Of course, there are no problem dogs--only problem people who are unkind to dogs.
Thank goodness you found L. I look forward to more tales about him.
My mum think's you are very brave, lovely people for doing that. She laughed at Mr Geek saying your dogs were too well behaved, now that was funny, but mum says he could have tempted fate a little too much - but it worked out. I like happy endings.
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