Jake

I had three dogs, and I lost all three of them within a year’s time. A German Shepherd named Zeus, a Border Collie named Molly, and a Miniature Yorkie named Lizzie. They were the three musketeers. They all grew up together, and they were all beginning to show their age. Zeus and Molly both passed in their sleep, and little Lizzie had to eventually be put to rest. My heart was broken when I lost them all. I promised myself that I would not put myself through that again. My heart was empty, and I couldn’t find a way to fill it again. My husband suggested that I get another dog. I pondered the idea for a few weeks. Finally I decided that I would go to the shelter and take a look at what they had. This was my first time going to a shelter to find a new companion. At the shelter I was greeted by a friendly young lady that offered to show me around. I looked through a lot of glass doors at all the different dogs. She took me by the medical wing that had a few dogs that would be getting released soon. I walked by the first door, and I only seen a cot set up in there with no dog. I went in and sat down on the floor. After a few minutes, and a bit of coercing, he was slowly making his way out from under the cot. He came over and sniffed my hand, and sat down staring at me. After a few minutes of talking to him, he finally allowed me to pet him. When the door opened, he ran back under the cot. The young lady informed me that they had rescued him from an alley, and he was digging in the trash cans for food. When they evaluated him, they were certain that he had been abused by someone. I thought about it all the way home. I woke up the next morning, and told my husband that I was going to go and visit with him again before I made a decision. When I arrived, the same young lady approached me. She asked me if I wanted to see him again. She then lead me to where he was. When I walked up to the glass door, I saw his nose sticking out from beneath the cot. I crouched down until he could see me. All of a sudden he bolted out from beneath the cot, and started jumping around, barking and whining. She gasped in surprise and said that she had never seen him behave that way. We opened the door and I stepped inside. He was jumping all over me and crying. He had claimed me. How could I say no to him? I told her with tears in my eyes that I would take him to his forever home. I opened the car door, and he jumped right into the front seat. He sat there all the way home staring straight ahead as though he was a human being. We got home, and he went inside as though it had always been his home. He was shy around most people that came around for quite a while. He has become an amazing dog that stole my heart and filled it with happiness again. That was almost 5 years ago. He has overcome so much. I am so thankful that I walked in to that shelter that day. By the way…..his name is Jake.