THE US REPORT

Background on rescued pup Tiny-Rusty

My cell phone rang and I heard four words that stop a parent’s heart. “Mom, don’t get upset.”

I was 3 states away, traveling with my husband to check on our parents. My mom and his dad were admitted to emergency rooms within an hour’s time in two different cities in South Carolina. Why do children always say ‘don’t get upset’ when they know what they say is guaranteed to upset you?

I asked what was wrong. Becky began to tell me about a dog owned by one of my daughter Jen’s clients who suddenly had to move and found it necessary to leave the pup behind. Big sister knew exactly what to do when faced with a rescue-wannabe. She called her little sister to go get the dog.

“Jen says he’ll be really easy to adopt out. So it’s just for a couple days,” Becky said.

Later, Jen told me, “He’s pitiful.” She said a former co-worker wants the pup. I had the impression the dog might have psychological scars after parting with his family, even at 20 weeks. “Left behind,” Jen said. “So sad.” Or something like that.

We were not looking for a dog. We have a perfectly good, hound who works hard at being lazy.

But what could I do? I told Becky to take care of the dog, get it to the vet for a go-over and we’d talk once the crisis in Carolina was under control. I waited 24 hours before telling my husband.

Key events in TR’s life

Afternoon of TR's arrival at our house: Via cellphone, Becky declares immediate bond with pup. She wants to keep him. Can’t wait for us to see him. So cute. She tells me his name is Tiny. I tell her I need to talk with Dad about this. I tell her to name him Rusty and she asks why. I tell her that was her dad’s nickname when he was a boy. She sends a pic of the pup to my cell phone. Cute dog.

Morning the day after Tiny-Rusty’s arrival: Via cellphone, Becky declares she cannot handle a puppy right now. She’s facing junior year in college, she’s on a roll with her songwriting and guitar playing, she has tons of stuff to do helping out and she just cannot handle this. Her sister did this. I tell her to call Jen and find out about the adopters. “That family is waiting for him, so go ahead and let them have him,” I tell her. I finally tell my husband about the pup. He says it’s okay as long as someone else adopts him. I tell him the adopters can’t wait.

Midmorning day after TR’s arrival: Becky calls me in hysterics. The adopters think TR is not cute dog. Not their type of pup. Adopters have opted out. Big Sister has opted out, promising to look for somebody else to adopt pup.

Day we arrive back in Jax: Becky greets us at door. Tiny-Rusty does too. He’s what we call a “yapper” in the South. Our hound dog looks depressed—I get the feeling he sees the writing on the dog house wall. Shadow knows Pup will alter his retirement years substantially. I sympathize, since the government is trying to do the same thing to us. TR follows Becky everywhere. He cries when she goes on errands. She proudly tells us what the vet said and points to the great grooming she gave him in our bathtub. TR wants to play with our hound dog’s ears. Shadow remains depressed.

Becky tells me privately she can handle the dog. Her dad keeps asking about the adopters. “Take him over soon as they’re ready,” he tells Becky.

Outcome
It’s been over a month and more than $300 in vet bills, but TR has settled in his new home. He has every perk any hardworking Schnauzer-Whatever mix could want—a clean soft bed, ample food and the treats my husband gives him on the sly. Becky is a tough doggie nutritionist because Shadow is, according to the vet, obese, and Becky will not let that happen to her dog. TR is not supposed to get unauthorized snacks Shadow gets even though Becky has told my husband not to give either dog any people food. My husband told me TR loves french fries and tacos.

Tiny-Rusty was not traumatized by parting with his family. He is loving and an active attention seeker and ham. He’s a smart pup and learns very quickly—to sit and stay, to come and to run on the treadmill when Becky does. Shadow never picks up a toy TR doesn't want. We can tell the children in TR’s first family spent a lot of time with him. When we give hugs, he's first in line.

TR knows one trick he learned from his first family. He did it the other day when he chewed the cord to a lamp I splurged on, a lamp I really really liked. Standing there with a mouthful of metal and wire, as soon as he saw me he spit everything out and rolled over on his back. He expected a pat on the tummy.

[Editor's note: No dogs were harmed during the sequence of events in this narrative. TR had the foresight to unplug the lamp before he chewed up the cord.]

Conclusions

•We are now a 2-dog family.

•My husband no longer asks about the adopters. He doubles up on snacks Becky prohibits, though. TR really likes banana slices with peanut butter. Becky has permanently banned snacks with natural fiber.

•Tiny-Rusty has found Xanadu, but he no longer gets to ride in the buggy and shop at the designer pet store when Becky goes. Except for every now and then.

•Shadow’s retirement is ruined. He can thank his lucky stars the government didn’t do it.

 Reality Puppy: Rescued dog finds road paved with doggie perks
by Kay B. Day
Jul. 7, 2009