For ForestHaven: the story of my dogs

You asked if my dogs are housebroken, and they are. But I love to tell their stories, so I’m shamelessly taking this opportunity.

Margot was probably a stray most of her life before she was picked up at about age one. Her ears were full of hundreds of ticks and she didn’t seem healthy, so she was scheduled to be put down. A woman from a beagle rescue group who regularly goes through all the shelters and kennels spotted Margot and felt compelled to save her, although she’s not a full-blooded beagle. After some begging, she was allowed to take her, and she made sure Margot got excellent care (in fact, her ears are not even scarred, which is amazing). Once Margot was healthy, she was placed with a foster family.

In August of 2000, Tom and I lost our twelve-year-old male dachshund to liver failure, and only five days later, our ten-year-old female dachshund died because of kidney failure. Needless to say, we were traumatized. Since I work at home (this was a year before Tim moved down and began working in the Home Office, too), the silence and emptiness in my house were making me crazy. However, we were mourning our dogs so fiercely, and we knew we were going to be traveling a lot that fall, so we pledged to wait until after Christmas to look for another dog.

A friend, Denece, who is an animal lover in general, and a dog lover specifically, saw Margot’s picture on the rescue site Twyla’s Friends in early September of that year and suggested we at least look at her. Her foster family had several other dogs they were fostering, as well as a couple of their own, so when we went in the house, Margot timidly stayed at the back of the pack. The woman put all the other dogs out except Margot. When Tom sat down on the couch, Margot literally climbed him and rested her head on his shoulder. Well… that was the end of any question about that. We were hers. She came to us housebroken, spayed, and crate-trained. And her Uncle Jim paid her tuition so we could get her comfortable with the usual commands and with walking on a leash (which she never really enjoyed until Tim worked with her).

The crate made it easy for her to travel with us by car, and we only had to board her once during that fall during all our traveling. In January, our friend Lynne called us about another dog that one of her coworkers found, also about a year old. (Our vet’s assumption, because her tail had been professionally docked, is that her owner thought she was a specific breed, and when she turned out to be a mutt, she was dropped off. Sometimes people really suck.) She must not have been on the street long, because she was very healthy. We took Margot to meet her to see how they’d get along. They greeted each other with tons of kisses and began playing together immediately. She came home with us that night, and we named her Guinness. She got all the vetting she needed, including spaying. I don’t know if she’d received any training, but Margot taught her to use the bathroom outside and also crate-trained her for us!

Until they both passed their second birthdays, they had chewing issues, so we crated them when we were out of the house. Now they are both beautifully behaved. We only crate them if someone like an electrician, plumber, or exterminator is in the house. But they love their crates and often choose to use them on their own. They are usually good with other dogs and they are great with kids, even though we don’t have children (other than them). Although they were a little standoffish with River at first, after not seeing him for nearly two weeks once his heartworm treatment began, and following his recent vacation to Spa We’re Holding Your Dog for Ransom, they welcomed him home with effusive kisses and nudges. I think they’re going to be a happy pack when he can finally be around them full time and can run and play again.

There is unimaginable joy in rescuing a dog who might not otherwise have the chance to be in a good home, and even if someone is partial to a breed, they should check rescue organizations first. It’s unbelievable how many purebreds as well as mutts are available. Most rescue organizations are like the Humane Society and SPCA and require spaying and neutering of their adoptees, which I fervently support. I also think crate training is one of the greatest gifts for a dog. If done properly (and NEVER used for punishment), a crate is a dog’s safe place and can help avoid a lot of household mishaps and frustrations.

Tom and I are so lucky to have our girls. They rescued US. Not only did they help us heal from losing Pete and Stevie, but anything we’ve done for them they’ve repaid a million times over with their unconditional love and their entertaining personalities. And no one could ever be a better friend and trainer to them than Tim has been, so River definitely knew what he was doing when he walked up to Tim on the street and said, “Take me home.”