Still walking, do NOT worry! I couldn't give up walking SPCA dogs, kinda like giving up air. Just doesn't work. So in the 9 months I've been dog walking, I have seen many dogs come and go. Some stay for a bit, I like to think of it 'until the RIGHT home.' In the past week I had something new. New to me not to the SPCA. The SPCA had a dog dropped off by a weird man. The dog was over weight, like REALLY over weight. Not to mention didn't have any toys. First few days at the SPCA were tough. He was scared 24/7, mainly of men but still just scared.
I came in and saw he was a level 2, due to being scared. So I decided to walk this furry marshmallow. He is a mix of Austrailian cattle dog, heeler and lab. Using a harness we were off on our walk. Now as much as I am a dog/animal person, doesn't mean I fall in love with every dog I walk. Almost but not all. haha No really, I love dogs for what and who they are but doesn't mean I want to take them all home. IN saying this, Buddy- I was calling him Chubby Bunny (watch the movie 'Just Friends')did not have my heart right away. We were walking, then he started to trot in the grass. He had the biggest smile. As it got hotter, him in his fur and extra poundage became a concern to me. He started eating grass and just flopped on the grass of some random front yard. The look he gave me was 'I'm done.'
Managing to move him a couple more houses down where there was shade and cool grass, we sat for 20 minutes. As he cooled down, I patted him, cuddled him and made him my model for photos. He was smiles the whole time.
SLOWLY getting back to the SPCA, poor dude was so chubby. We walked into the SPCA to a kennel full of barking dogs, thanks Diego you butternutter for starting it, and Buddy just barked back like 'we're barking! look all of us are barking' with a kinda doggy tap shoe dance. Once in his kennel, he drank water and became one with the nice cool floor. Grabbing a brush, I went to work to get as much fur off of him. Although I only got one side, he sat up (which took effort) got inches from my face. Gave me two soft kisses. Smiled. Flopped again to the floor. So I flopped with him. laying there for 15 minutes. You could say I totally fell for this dog. I couldn't wait to see how he would look, felt once the SPCA had him for a couple weeks. All the regular excerise, toys and food. I sent photos to my friends and my sister. My sister started on my brother in law, so once they moved at the end of the month and if Buddy was still at the SPCA they would look into getting him. Not sure if it was for them or for me. lol
Sadly, a few days later I received an email at work, on lunch, that Buddy was put down. Nothing like crying at work on your lunch over a dog that you met once and didn't belong to you. He was so scared of men, previous owner must have abused him badly, that while out on a walk - he attack a man. Poor Man, he hadn't done anything but happen to walk by. With Penny and Cory by his side he was put down. It's not that Buddy was put down, it was what Buddy had lived through prior to the SPCA that makes me sad and angry. This was a first for me.
At least he got TONS of love in his final days.
