You always hear people say things like "it comes when you least expect it" and after meeting Andrew, I would have to say that this addage is true for most. I had wanted a dog since I first moved to Illinois but my house size was never really condusive to getting a dog. I prefer larger dogs and understand much of the care and time a dog needs and the room to run. I could have gotten a smaller dog, but every one I saw never truly appealed to me. My two children would occassionally ask for a dog but I would remind them that we had three cats and hermit crabs and that was enough.
My friend Rob and I were taking the children out shopping and on the list was to take a swing by PetSmart to buy some new sponges for the hermit crab's. We had gotten to PetSmart and saw that pet adoptions were being held. Of course, my children wanted to see the dogs up for adoption and who was I to say no. I love dogs!
We went to the back of the store where Paul and the others sit with the dogs in hopes to catch someone's eye. We made our way down the line of dogs, fawning over every four paw'd cutie we could. We got to the end of the line... and there was Andrew. A young girl had him on a leash and he came right up to us and laid across our shoes, looking up at us with his big, sad brown eyes. The girl was doing her best to talk to us but in reality, she didn't have to say much because Andrew's beautiful hound dog face was saying everything we needed to hear. I don't know why he chose us that day, but it is safe to say that he did.
We talked to Paul a little and were told that he came to them after being found in the woods. He had open wounds and was filthy. They explained he was a young dog, maybe a little over one year, and that many people thought he was adorable but refused to adopt a dog with a bark as loud as his... or should I say the "hound dog bay." I explained I was raised with coon hounds and loved their bark. It is truly melodic. I think a sharp, short bark is annoying so having a dog that would bay was much more to my liking.
We walked him around the store a little and I was trying to contact my roommate about bringing a dog home, but the phone just rang and rang. I made an executive decision that Andrew would come home with us at least on a trial basis. The reasoning here was somewhat because the roomie would have to approve but also because I had three cats, one of which was a special needs cat. Carbon, who has since passed away, was an elderly cat who was mentally retarded, suffered from a nervous disorder, and was blind. I had to take her into consideration if I were going to bring a dog home because honestly, I had her since she was born and I refused to allow anything into the house that would torment her. A hound dog that had not been around cats could very well be that animal to torment my sweet Carbon.
We were told that we could keep a week or two and make a decision at the end of that time. Paul and Lynn understood that if the moment I got home it didn't work out with Carbon I was going to call them on their cell phone and bring him back immediately. I would not tolerate my cat being chased especially in her condition. Honestly, something that traumatic could kill her.
After purchasing a few dog supplies and forgetting the crab sponges, we were in the van and on our way home. I was a little nervous but I pushed those thoughts out of my mind and focused on how great it would be to have a dog in the house. I walked into the back door and Andrew seemed to take it as his own immediately. He gave each cat a good wiff and received a welcome hiss from Carbon. That hiss seemed to establish who was really the boss in the house and he walked away from Carbon, never to bother her again. He respected her and her area and moved on to claim the recliner rather quickly.
A month later, Andrew was settled in and the papers were signed. Now my house is covered in toys that the children drag out and big chew bones. I look over now at my Drew-dog sleeping comfortably on his dog bed, snoring. He enjoys his weekly trips to the dog park and loves going to PetSmart and going "shopping" which is him sniffing out the newest toy or chew bone he will be adding to his collection. He enjoys pizza night as much as the rest of us and spends his night stretched out next to my daughter in her bed. I do not think his tail stops wagging except when it comes time to snooze or when he issues some very serious begging.
For the life of me I do not know why anyone would dump a dog as good as Andrew and I really am not sure why anyone who saw him at adoption days before we did could pass up such a sweet-faced boy. After officially adopting him, we took him to the vet to find out that not only had he endured all of the neglect before, but his wounds were inflicted because he was shot. He has beads of shot embedded in his ear. But, to my luck, all of that did happen and now Andrew is in a safe and comfortable home and will never need to worry about being taken care of again.
I'm glad he chose us because we very well may not have chose him.
Crystal - proud mother to Andrew, an American Foxhound.
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My friend Rob and I were taking the children out shopping and on the list was to take a swing by PetSmart to buy some new sponges for the hermit crab's. We had gotten to PetSmart and saw that pet adoptions were being held. Of course, my children wanted to see the dogs up for adoption and who was I to say no. I love dogs!
We went to the back of the store where Paul and the others sit with the dogs in hopes to catch someone's eye. We made our way down the line of dogs, fawning over every four paw'd cutie we could. We got to the end of the line... and there was Andrew. A young girl had him on a leash and he came right up to us and laid across our shoes, looking up at us with his big, sad brown eyes. The girl was doing her best to talk to us but in reality, she didn't have to say much because Andrew's beautiful hound dog face was saying everything we needed to hear. I don't know why he chose us that day, but it is safe to say that he did.
We talked to Paul a little and were told that he came to them after being found in the woods. He had open wounds and was filthy. They explained he was a young dog, maybe a little over one year, and that many people thought he was adorable but refused to adopt a dog with a bark as loud as his... or should I say the "hound dog bay." I explained I was raised with coon hounds and loved their bark. It is truly melodic. I think a sharp, short bark is annoying so having a dog that would bay was much more to my liking.
We walked him around the store a little and I was trying to contact my roommate about bringing a dog home, but the phone just rang and rang. I made an executive decision that Andrew would come home with us at least on a trial basis. The reasoning here was somewhat because the roomie would have to approve but also because I had three cats, one of which was a special needs cat. Carbon, who has since passed away, was an elderly cat who was mentally retarded, suffered from a nervous disorder, and was blind. I had to take her into consideration if I were going to bring a dog home because honestly, I had her since she was born and I refused to allow anything into the house that would torment her. A hound dog that had not been around cats could very well be that animal to torment my sweet Carbon.
We were told that we could keep a week or two and make a decision at the end of that time. Paul and Lynn understood that if the moment I got home it didn't work out with Carbon I was going to call them on their cell phone and bring him back immediately. I would not tolerate my cat being chased especially in her condition. Honestly, something that traumatic could kill her.
After purchasing a few dog supplies and forgetting the crab sponges, we were in the van and on our way home. I was a little nervous but I pushed those thoughts out of my mind and focused on how great it would be to have a dog in the house. I walked into the back door and Andrew seemed to take it as his own immediately. He gave each cat a good wiff and received a welcome hiss from Carbon. That hiss seemed to establish who was really the boss in the house and he walked away from Carbon, never to bother her again. He respected her and her area and moved on to claim the recliner rather quickly.
A month later, Andrew was settled in and the papers were signed. Now my house is covered in toys that the children drag out and big chew bones. I look over now at my Drew-dog sleeping comfortably on his dog bed, snoring. He enjoys his weekly trips to the dog park and loves going to PetSmart and going "shopping" which is him sniffing out the newest toy or chew bone he will be adding to his collection. He enjoys pizza night as much as the rest of us and spends his night stretched out next to my daughter in her bed. I do not think his tail stops wagging except when it comes time to snooze or when he issues some very serious begging.
For the life of me I do not know why anyone would dump a dog as good as Andrew and I really am not sure why anyone who saw him at adoption days before we did could pass up such a sweet-faced boy. After officially adopting him, we took him to the vet to find out that not only had he endured all of the neglect before, but his wounds were inflicted because he was shot. He has beads of shot embedded in his ear. But, to my luck, all of that did happen and now Andrew is in a safe and comfortable home and will never need to worry about being taken care of again.
I'm glad he chose us because we very well may not have chose him.
Crystal - proud mother to Andrew, an American Foxhound.
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