A new addition, or proof that we are NUTS!

Hi family & friends,

Life is never dull at our house. Since losing Bailey Gerry had talked about adopting another rescue. I guess when you get used to having a house with 5 dogs 4 is not enough. I on the other hand was not really ready to take on the work of training another dog. Also our current kids are so good, I can leave the house without worry and never deal with clean-ups unless someone has a belly ache.

Last weekend a friend of mine gave me a link to a posting on Craig's list for a Havanese. Gerry and I have seen a couple Havanese at the school and we both thought they were beautiful. So when I saw the add posting about Havanese looking for a home I called the number. What a mess I got us into. The gal told me on the phone she had rescued these dogs from a puppy mill and was trying to find them homes. She had three Havanese, two female, one male. I was interested in the male, so Gerry and I went to see it Monday afternoon. We were in a not very nice area, not far from the pound. The steps up to the front door looked so unsafe I was afraid to climb them. The noise from inside the house boomed through the open windows. Kids.....lots of em. I thought maybe they were running a day care. When the gal came outside with this little dog that was scared to death, had never been on a leash and stunk to high heaven I was ready to turn and run. I told Gerry and the girl this dog needed some very special care and I didn't know if I was up to the task. The gal was so sad because she said after talking to me she thought I would be perfect to give this guy a chance. She said she had taken 14 dogs from this woman who wanted out of the pet breeding and was going to put the dogs down. This girl was young and thought she could help the dogs find a home. As I discovered the next day she also thought she could get some money by doing this (questionable) good deed.

Gerry and I talked very little about the dog when we left, other then Gerry saying no one would ever adopt him. The next morning we talked again with Gerry still singing the same tune. "We are his only hope". So, I gave in but I refused to bring the dog here until he was checked over by the vet. I called and made a vet appointment, then called this Nicole back and told her my plans and to have the dog bathed and ready for us to pick up at 2:30. If he checked out with the vet we would talk more then. When we picked him up he was not bathed. Nichole said he fought her so hard she could not keep him in the sink. So now we picked up a Wet/Stinky dog. He still would not let us touch him but he did ride in the back seat of my car without a problem.

Off to the vet's office. Nichole said he was 2 - 3 years old. The vet said he was 5 - 7 years old. He said his heart sounded good, lungs were clear, his bones felt in good shape. He tested for heart worm, which we will hear about that by Tuesday. The stool checked out clean. Then we had the vet give him his rabies and distemper shot. $100. later I am still not sure I want to take on this much work and especially with the dog being this age.

Back to Nichole's house we drove. I showed her the bill and discussed the age and the fear issues in the dog. Then I asked her how much she was asking for this dog. She had the nerve to tell me $300. I replied, You have got to be kidding! Nicole had a friend there and this friend said they would take $250. Nicole did tell her friend we had already put out $100 and she agreed this guy might not ever have another chance. We settled on $150 whereas she should have given him to me free if she was really looking to help these dogs. She then told me she had originally taken 14 dogs from this old breeder and had nine left. I told her since she was in the city she better find homes for them quickly cause she is not allowed to have more then 5 dogs or she is breaking the law. The other gal then told me one of the female Havanese just had puppies that morning and they were watching her close cause she was trying to eat the puppies. I looked at Gerry with terror in my eyes, what the hell had I gotten us into?

Gerry said, pay the girl, and lets try to give this fella a better life.

So now I have a new dog in our house that wont come near us. He runs if I get within 10 feet of him. I finally got him to take a chicken/liver brownie from my fingers this morning, but as soon as he took it he stepped back away to eat it. He is not house broken, although the first day he watched Kelsey going in and out the dog door and in his rush to get away from us he went through the door. He now uses it all day long. He prefers being in the house but hides in a corner. This morning was the first I awoke to not find any gifts left inside the house. I am hoping he is housebreaking himself cause Gerry and I are afraid to do or say anything that will scare him even more. If anyone has any suggestions on how we can earn his trust I would greatly appreciate them.

I guess God knows Gerry and I are easy marks. I will go off and lick my wounds now :)

Let me introduce, Cooper. And Tammi, no I did not steal your beloved Cooper's name from you. Just think of this Cooper being a sweet little cousin to your beautiful black lab. :)



It is hard to work with one when you have a pack of dogs that loves Mommy's chicken/liver brownies. But see how close he came this morning to get a bite of the treats. My kids have let him into the pack. ;)