|
BLUE
Happy Anniversary to an "Unadoptable Dog"
Today marks the second anniversary of Blue, aka Sheldon, coming to his forever home. It has been an amazing journey of healing for a collie that once had the distinction at PCSR of being " the most terrified Blue Merle in all the land." To say Blue was scared of everything doesn't really paint a picture of how he truly was two years ago. "Paralyzed with fear, deeply wounded, utterly confused" are more accurate descriptions of how Blue related to the world two years ago. This was a dog that Wayside Waifs, the shelter that received him, had declared "unadoptable." He had been confiscated from a hoarder in Missouri which, at the time, had 28 collies and 12 corgis on his property. All the dogs were severely neglected, and judging from the behavior of Blue and the others that PCSR took in, probably abused as well. But in the eyes of Hope Hemperly and those who volunteered at Wayside Waifs to help them, none of these collies were "unadoptable." They simply needed to find their human angels to complete their journeys.
When a person takes on a dog such as Blue, there is an understanding that there might be a period of time, perhaps a long period of time, when you may not see much progress. There is the expectation that there will be a lot more energy going in then one gets back, and that in the end, no matter how slow the progress is, that one never gives up on the dog. This is because it is not their fault. They are the way they are because another human being caused their suffering. In Blue's case, the harm inflicted was extreme. Because of this, we saw that he needed EXTREME LOVE! And so it has been. Of course, for those of you who have met Blue, you know this is not difficult. Even with his head turned towards the wall, pupils dilated, glued to his bed, or racing off at the slightest unfamiliar noise, you still have to love this guy, his sweet soul discernable even in the midst of his terror.
The progress with Blue was slow during the first year. Little baby steps, or sometimes two steps forward, one step back, one step forward, two steps back. But as time passed, the change began to accelerate, and with it the intense joy of seeing this beautiful boy become a truly happy dog. To all of you who have gone through this with a dog, you know what I'm talking about. For those of you who think you might want to do something like this, I can report that it is a fascinating, rewarding experience in love and patience and well worth the investment of your energy.
Blue Boy now spends his days hiking on the trails in Boulder, begging for treats from strangers, (What! Blue does that?!) hanging out on our bed watching sports with Steve (and of course discussing the intricacies of the game), romping in the backyard with his new found collie girlfriend Addy, looking smashingly gorgeous, and most of all, being the happiest, sweetest Blue Merle collie in all the land.
Thank you PCSR for bringing Blue to us. I hope his story inspires others to devote their love to a special needs collie or sheltie. -- Blue's parents, Elizabeth and Steve
|
|
