The story of Daisy Duke

Oh, Daisy...where do I start? I love her--I really do, though sometimes people don't believe me. We got Daisy in June 2008 from the rescue organization where we got Angel. After we lost Angel, Sampson was devistated. (I never believed that an animal could get depressed until I saw what happened to him after she left us.) We decided to get another dog, wanted a puppy for our daughter to grow up with, and decided that the best way to honor Angel was to rescue another dog who needed love and a good home. We got our Daisy Duke! Daisy, who just turned 1, still has way more energy than any of us here...even the toddler! She is a beautiful boxer-mix and a wonderful addition to our family. Here is a little bit of her story from older blogs...

Rescuing Another Boxer with a Tail

June 11, 2009

Well, I am trying to turn the page after the loss of our Angel-girl. It is a much tougher road than I had even imagined! We have decided to adopt a puppy from the Boxer Rescue organization in Florida where we got Angel. (I volunteered there and they are working with us even over the miles.) We think the best way to honor her is to do it all over again. This time, we are helping a puppy! She is only half-boxer...but she does have a tail. Angel showed us just what Boxer-tails can do...and we like it. :o) This puppy was born in rescue--she is currently named Target, but we are going to name her Daisy. Her mother has a very sad story and I am thankful for BARC for saving her (as much as they could) and her pups. (Too see a picture of Target/Daisy and read about her mommy, check out http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3LmJveGVyYXJjLm9yZy9wZW5kaW5nLnBocA== . Her mommy was Miley.)

People still give me grief over my animals, but my skin is getting thicker to it. If you haven't read "Just a Dog" on my page, check it out! I am a better person for my love of animals...and am a stronger person because of my history (and future!) with Boxers. It must be in my blood--I have grandparents and great-grandparents that I have seen and heard stories about who where "those" people who just had a "way" with animals. Supposedly, one of my grandfathers could tame and ride a wild horse. My other grandfather was like Steve Carrell in Evan Almighty with animals--they flocked to him! (Seriously, when I was a little girl , my cat snuck to his house and jumped in his car when he was traveling out-of-town. She was so quiet for the ride, he didn't know until they were there.) But I digress...maybe I don't have that "way" with animals (I can't even tame a Boxer--which, in my defense is quite difficult) but I do have a love for them and they bring so much into my life.

In all of my sadness, there is an overwhelming feeling of happiness about what we did for Angel. So many people (including veterinarians) have been touched in one way or another by her gentle nature, her strength and her courage. Without us, she would not have had those opportunities. How does a dog who LITERALLY came from a crack house do that? Even after she entered rescue, people didn't want her. A family adopted her before we did and gave her back...yes, they gave that sweet dog back. But I am glad they did--she was meant to be OURS. One of Angel's doctors told us that she showed a strength even in the face of horrifying pain that many humans can not claim. One of the vet assistants that took care of her told us that she will never forget her smile. Yes, Angel had a smile. She was a great dog...she was a great being...and we are better people for having been close to her. She was amazing--and her spirit is still amazing.
Some kind words from her doctor, seeing Sampson light up around puppies, and knowing that we saved Angel's life and let her do what she needed to do here on earth are helping me to move on. I still have a long way to go, but I hope that time will help me through. In a couple of weeks, we will have another rescue dog in our midst. I am looking foward to it. She will not replace Angel. But I think rescuing another dog with no home to call her own will help us keep Angel's legacy alive. She taught us the joys and rewards that come from opening our hearts, homes, and minds to something a little different and challenging. She also taught us the joys of the Boxer tail!

Hopefully in the future, my blog (which, yes, is dedicated to our four-legged family members who make our lives whole) will be full of puppy funnies. I can't wait for Sampson to be a big brother--he has never really grown up himself. He has had a tough time without Angel. He lost his best friend, his sister, and his pack leader. But I think he, too, is ready to move on. He is gentle yet full of energy...I think a puppy is just what he needs. And HE is a better dog because of Angel. He used to be very selfish (if dogs can be selfish) but he LOVED to play with other dogs. We got Angel for him. (Little did we know how much she would do for us.) He used to sleep on an old couch in our bedroom. He was pretty territorial over his stuff. So, when we got Angel, we made a bed for her on the floor in our room because we did not want him to feel as if she was taking over his space. (Which she eventually did--and he happily let her do it.) The first night she was with us, he stayed on the couch. The second night, after the lights were out, we heard some noise...we turned the light on to see that he had gotten down on the floor and snuggled up with her. This is the dog who will not even sit on hard floors and taking a nap on the floor is out of the question...but he was going to do it for Angel. When we left them in boarding one week for a cruise, Sampson's face was raw--they said each night, he took the blankets in their kennel and made pillows for both him and Angel. He loved is alpha-dog and treated her like a queen. Though I know he misses her (he has showed his grief), he has a lot of love to give. Daisy is one lucky dog!

BARC out loud!

March 1, 2009

http://www.youtube.com/BARCoutloud

This is the YouTube channel for BARC...the organization where we got Daisy (and Angel, but it was known as something different then). Our little family is in the video "From the 'children' of BARC." :) The video "Boxer Aid and Rescue Coalition" is dedicated to Miley and others who did not make it--Miley was Daisy's mom. But if anyone questions WHY us animal lovers do what we do, it's because of how bad things can be if we don't--and the volunteers for BARC know this as well as anyone else. Bless all of the people who open their hearts and homes to those four-legged babies who need us!

The Toy Nazi, Jr.

April 7, 2009

When Sampson was a puppy, he LOVED his toys. He played with them, slept with them, traveled with them, etc. But when we got Angel, his love affair with toys came to an end not out of his own wishes, but because he had to. Angel was the original Toy Nazi. She was obsessed with toys--anyone who knew Angel knew she had a slight case of OCD. (And anyone who knows me very well knows I have a tendency to relate things in my life to Seinfeld episodes--and anyone who knows much about Seinfeld knows about The Soup Nazi...which is where this title has come from.) Anyway, Sampson had to give up toys pretty much all together because if he so much as looked at a toy, Angel took it from him. He would just sit there with his "duh face" and watch his sister run away with his old (and new) toys. The only time while Angel was in our lives that he got a toy to himself, it was a 99cent green ball from Petsmart that he ended up eating and it cost us about $1000 to have it surgically removed, but I digress.

Daisy is a very different dog than Angel--she has never been abused and she is not scared of storms. Yet, she has some similarities with Angel that are a bit erie. She came from BARC and she LOVES her toys. We didn't think a dog on earth existed that could tear toys apart quicker and more violently than Angel--but then we found Daisy. It only takes her a little bit of time to chew a black (supposedly indestructible) Kong into pieces and a matter of minutes to devour a rope. But most importantly, Sampson can have NO toys...none...period.

I love when Sampson has his good days where he wants to play--LOVE it! It reminds me of my puppy Sam-dog and even my adult Sam the Man without all of his pain and sufferring. This morning was one of those times; he wanted to play with a toy SO bad. He kept trying and trying to sneak one past Daisy and I swear he was trying to get my help. We tried and tried. I attempted to distract her with another toy or give Sampson a toy out of her sight, but Daisy came out ahead every time. I couldn't hold her back and we couldn't sneak anything by her. And in Soup Nazi/Toy Nazi form, I imagine Daisy saying to Sampson "No toys for you!" every time he even tries and no matter how great his efforts. So my old man has given up on trying for a toy for the moment. He's in his chair staring out the window looking depressed. Maybe I will throw Daisy outside for a little bit and play a little fetch with the Sam-Dog...he'll tire out soon, I'm sure, and we can bring Daisy back in before she knows what's going on. Sometimes, I think he likes the interventions so I am not sure if he would even try to play without her presence. So for now, I will sit here and be entertained by my four-legged children. :) Sorry, Sam, NO TOYS FOR YOU! :)

Rescued

January 22, 2009

I found this in something I picked up at the vet's office and wanted to share...

Her eyes met mine as she walked down the corridor peering apprehensively into the kennels. I felt her need instantly and knew I had to help her.

I wagged my tail, not too exuberantly, so she wouldn’t be afraid. As she stopped at my kennel I blocked her view from a little accident I had in the back of my cage. I didn’t want her to know that I hadn’t been walked today. Sometimes the overworked shelter keepers get too busy and I didn’t want her to think poorly of them.

As she read my kennel card I hoped that she wouldn’t feel sad about my past. I only have the future to look forward to and want to make a difference in someone’s life.

She got down on her knees and made little kissy sounds at me. I shoved my shoulder and side of my head up against the bars to comfort her. Gentle fingertips caressed my neck; she was desperate for companionship. A tear fell down her cheek and I raised my paw to assure her that all would be well.

Soon my kennel door opened and her smile was so bright that I instantly jumped into her arms.

I would promise to keep her safe.I would promise to always be by her side.I would promise to do everything I could to see that radiant smile and sparkle in her eyes.

I was so fortunate that she came down my corridor. So many more are out there who haven’t walked the corridors. So many more to be saved. At least I could save one.

I rescued a human today.