From commentor Tony S (continuing yesterday’s story):
We purchased our house in 1999. It was an estate sale–the owner was hardly cold before the place went on the market. She had been a beagle lover all of her life. Although one dog passed away soon after she did, another pup, Gypsy, survived, although she had a stroke soon after her owner passed. We actually insisted Gypsy come with the house–which made us golden in the eyes of the executrix of the estate. Gypsy had 16 years of vet records and was probably a couple of years old when she herself was rescued. She lived for another two years.
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Even while Gypsy was still around, we decided to make a practice wherever we could of adopting elder dogs. A total of 10 pups later, seven of whom have passed, we’re still doing it.
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Knowing our weakness for senior beagles, a friend of my wife brought in a flyer she’d found at her laundromat in Brooklyn about two elder beagles that needed a home. The poster had been put up by a wonderful young woman named Elin who has her own ad-hoc organization for difficult to place pups. The two dogs had found a place–but Elin had another dog who might be in need of a home. He was a hound collie mix, and, although he got along with other dogs, he tended to view cats as potential snack items. This made the dog’s current placement rather problematic.
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A few weeks later, Elin called and said that, yes, Snarls was available. We arranged a pickup in deepest Brooklyn at a doggie day care center. We’ve always given our dogs fun names. One of our favorite canines was named “Woofgang I’m a Dogus Muttsound,” and went by the name of Woofy. My wife, Celine, saw the new dog’s picture and immediately decided on Snarls Barkly.
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Snarls had had a pretty rough time. He’d been left in a crate in front of a police precinct in the South Bronx at 4:00 am on the morning of February 10th, one of the coldest days of the year. He was in a state the ASPCA described as “filthy.” He also had never been fixed, had a freshly broken tail and a big tumor on his leg, and could definitely be described as emaciated. Our vet later said he was about nine years old. His cloudy eyes definitely speak to that age. As soon as the ASPCA got Snarls, they “fixed” (hate that phrase) him and removed his tumor. So when I met him, which is when the first picture was taken, he was wearing an Elizabethan Collar and an expression that mixed bemusement, waryness and fear. At one point I tried to pick him up, touched his tail, and got a nip to let me know to be more careful next time.
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We had three dogs at home when we got Barkly. We dog sit our friends pups a lot, and, given that we have seniors, our current pack is both used to four-legged comings and goings and quite accepting of new friends. Barkly pretty much ignored them. We view our dogs as both heating accessories and family, so they sleep next to us on the bed. We had to build a little nest on the side for Barkly, because he refused to get up on the bed for weeks. Instead, he would go out in the back yard, build a pile of leaves, and lie down in it. Though he would sometimes lie on his side, his favorite position was a sort of frog-like pose with his legs stretched out straight back that would allow him to move into action in the quickest way possible.
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Eventually, Barkly figured out that it was OK for him to get in the bed. Since then, he’s spent 85% of his time in the exact same space, curled up between our two pillows. He is a very quiet dog who still doesn’t seem to quite understand why he’s actually being allowed inside.
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Barkly’s learned a few things from our dogs. Our terrier mix, Jessicur Lynch, whom we adopted in 2003, will force her head under you palm and demand to be petted in no uncertain terms. Our foxhound, Field Marshal Montgomery Marshal Fields, does a pokey to ask for attention that is forceful enough to leave small bruises. A couple of weeks after Barkley arrived, we found that, at certain moments, his head would sort of appear under our hands. It wasn’t a request, or a command. Just a question or a possibility. A sense that maybe, perhaps, if we had a moment, a pet or too might be nice.
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My computer guy was visiting one day, and he looked at Barkly and said, “Every dog needs somebody to love. We’ve made them that way, and it’s our responsibility to give them the chance to do that.”
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Barkly is a very cautious dog. There have been difficulties. Our beagle Twinkle Toes, the current Alpha, is old, disabled from a past injury, small, potato shaped and completely domineering. Barkly’s Bronx background seems to leave him utterly mystified that this creature is anywhere near the top of the pack. On Friday, in a dominance dispute, Barkly nailed me pretty thoroughly, and I had to calmly but loudly explain to him who was boss. He seems to understand. But I believe that some form of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome exists for dogs as well as people, so we will be working hard on our partnership.
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We’ve had eleven dogs since we got our home in 1999. Four are still with us. Every one has taught us powerful, personal lessons. One thing Barkly has shown me is that trust is a very hard and fragile thing to build, and that it can be harder to recover emotionally than physically.
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When I come home and break out the treats, Barkly sometimes leaps in a circle, doing doggie piroutette after piroutte. These are the only moments when he actually seems care free. He is a lovely, caring animal, but he always holds something in reserve, as though his spirit has never truly warmed up from spending too many nights cold and alone, in a dark, empty and dirty backyard.
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As the days go by, Barkly’s tummy is gradually turning pink instead of gray-brown. He occasionally lets out a lovely, baritone “woof.” He hasn’t completely bonded with the pack yet, but he does cuddle with them in the few moments he isn’t sleeping, eating or totally focused on us.
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Since he’s nine years old and has had a tough life, we don’t know how long we’ll have him. But we know we are glad he’s here, and that, slowly, he seems to be feeling more and more at home.
kdaug
Y’alls good folks, Tony. And the computer guy nailed it.
Good company here.
stuckinred
Thanks!
JPL
The Story of Snarls Barkley was worth the wait. Thank you!
Amy
What a heartwarming story! Kudos to you for taking elder doggies in and giving them a wonderful life.
Jebediah
@kdaug:
Second that. And no no that’s just some dust in my eye or something…
tesslibrarian
Dogs DO need someone to love. Most dogs I’ve known have been in single-dog households, but while the dog might enjoy everyone in the family, there’s always that one special person. That’s part of their charm.
This story made me cry, too. I admire TonyS’s ability to take animals through the ends of their lives in such love and comfort. Emotionally, that’s so hard, and it’s so wonderful you and your wife are able to do that. I hope Snarls has many more years with you, so he has the time to adjust, to fully feel safe and free in your home and become his true doggie self. We’ll all be pulling for him.
JMC in the ATL
I think I love your computer guy.
bookcat
Thank you for this. Really lifted my spirits. And got me thinking about adopting an older dog when the time comes . we have two middle aged dogs, two older cats and a toddler (and fish, do they count?). So I’ll just wait until kiddo is less of a terror. I’d like to get him a puppy to grow up with but an older dog for me would be welcome too.
Violet
Aww…that’s just the BEST story. You guys are awesome for taking in all the dogs that have a hard time finding a home and giving them such a wonderful place to live. Barlky sounds like a good dog who has had a really rough time. He’s lucky to have found your wonderful home.
WereBear
What a lovely story.
There is something special about taking animals who have never known love… and giving it to them. Even if it’s for a shorter time than we’d like.
Because it’s always going to be that way.
ErinSiobhan
Beautiful.
Kristine
::blurry screen virus::
I blame the computer guy.
Thank you for the lovely story.
Woodrowfan
sweet story, thanks for posting.. we have had several rescues and we love them all…. I wish I could take more…
Bruuuuce
Two thumbs up to folks who take in older animals. Snarls is gorgeous. Thanks for the story; for ones like this, I’ll sit up and offer a paw anytime.
Annie
I am crying. What an awesome story. Give Snarls and the gang big hugs and kisses.
Scott
That’s a great story. Many thanks, and much love to Barkly and your computer guy. :)
Carnacki
I’m not a religious person any more, but people like you give me faith in humanity.
Carnacki
@bookcat:
My Lucy was nine when we adopted her. We only had her for two years. I wouldn’t have traded her for all the money in the world. Senior dogs are the best.
Tony S
Thanks very much for the kind feedback. If you’d like, we have 10 more tales to tell.
BTW, I don’t adopt seniors because I’m a good person. I adopt them because:
a: I like dogs.
b: I’m too lazy to train them, so it’s nice to have them all grown up and pre-taught.
c: I can’t bear the thought of some poor pup who has been put in a shelter through no fault of their own never having a family again.
d: Physically, I’m not a high energy person. So having a dog that functions as effectively as a pillow as it does as a canine is a good thing.
Also, I forgot to mention that one of the nice things about hounds is how you can tell the way they feel by the way their tails curl towards the sky. Barkly’s, however, no goes out 90% to the right.
I washed them all last night. Barkly has wonderfully silky fur today. But he did have a nightmare. Had to pet him for a while in the wee hours.
JoyfulA
Thanks for the story. I’m a cat person myself, and love that feral and abandoned cats find their way to my door just when I need a cat, whether I knew it or not. Right now, having recently suffered a loss, I’m down to just one elderly cat. She’s a congenial cat, friends with the ferals in the neighborhood, and I’ve asked her to bring a pal home with her, now that the weather’s turning cold.
Elizabelle
Great story. You, your wife, the computer guy and the pups are teh best.
Paul in KY
Great story. Y’all are some cool people. Good on ya!
Cathie from Canada
Our “rescue” Lab, Sam, took a long time to begin to trust that we loved him, and to start to play with us. He now leans against us when he wants to be petted, but he didn’t start doing this for more than a year.
Our previous rescue, Charley, took several months to realize he wasn’t going to have to stay in a garage anymore.
So it is an evolving relationship, isn’t it.
bystander
Awesome. Thanks. Wonderful story, told by a wonderful person, who does wonderful things.
cckids
Oh, this. Peace to you & your household.
You Don't Say
Wonderful story. I love that you adopt older dogs. And great names you give them.
caune
That story, and Snarls, are priceless! This place really is full of the best people.
Libby's Person
Wonderful story, wonderful people. Thank you so much for caring for those wonderful older dogs. There’s nothing better than giving an older dog a chance at a good life.
Your description of Snarls Barkley’s reserve and careful interactions with you really got to me. My current dog, a GSD-Aussie(?) mix, was an adult rescue from a shelter; the sweetest, gentlest dog in the world She doesn’t seem afraid of people, so I don’t think she was physically abused, but she was too reserved, too careful and polite and really wanting to know the house rules; she didn’t know how to walk on a leash, or play with toys. I think she must have been ignored when she wasn’t being yelled at in her previous home, and then they abandoned her by a farm in the middle of nowhere. After 1.5 years, she has figured out that it’s ok to express an opinion, polite mooching is permitted, and snuggling and scritches are available upon request. And she’s learned to love training – even an agility teeter-totter, as long as there’s liver as pay-off!
ruemara
This story just kills me, in a good way. Yeah, you get a ready trained dog, but you’re still good people. Snarls is beaut and mad props for giving a family to older dogs.
gil mann
How about people? You guys looking to adopt any older, hard-to-place people?
Dee Loralei
I love this story. It was so totally worth the wait. What great and creative names you guys come up with. And it’s awesome that you adopt elderly animals. TonyS, you and your wife are truly special people. And your computer guy is too. I want to hear the other stories.
AnnieLaurie, you need to compile these stories into book form for next years big fund raising push.
CynDee
@Tony S: I’m in love with Snarls, and want to hear about all your doggies. What you’re doing is so wonderful. That’s the thing about having dogs — all you have to do is be yourself. And your selves are pretty great. It’s a great comfort to think of all those doggies safe and happy with you.
Jane2
Lovely story and great doggie names!
wonkie
Bless you.
Of allthe pet rescuestories I have read here, this one touches me the most. Bless yu and your family for giving this neglected dog a chance to love. This sgtory made my day!
trollhattan
Dogpile! Literally. Wonderful story and hilarious doggie names. I’ll have to try harder the next dog we appropriate (although we’re serially giving ours nicknames du jour).
Tony S
Well, since people have been saying such wonderful things about rescuing seniors…
A friend lost his pup recently, and in the process of helping him deal with it, I came across this lovely candidate on Petfinder:
http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/13235840
Turns out he doesn’t get along with other dogs well, so I don’t think he’ll fit into our pack. But if someone is looking, please remember that it’s best to never have one dog. At the least, dogs need one other pal for company.
And half the fun in having more than one dog is watching them negotiate. Doggie politics can be as intense as human interactions, sometimes.
Tony
something fabulous
@Tony S: Tony, I also want to give you the hugest shout-out. I love the whole thing, especially the line about his pinkening tummy– how closely you guys watch over your pack!
And speaking of petfinder, for those who are inspired by Snarls, November is Senior Pet Adoption Month! Check it out:
Just enter your zip to see available senior animals in your neighborhood!
asiangrrlMN
@Tony S: Thank you for the lovely and heartwrenching story. It breaks my heart to think of how little animals ask and how sometimes, they don’t even get that in response. So, a big thumbs up to you for taking in the elderly set and giving them the love they’ve never had. Snarls is a handsome gent, and I hope, in time, he allows himself to experience all the love he was meant to have.
Now, I’m off to vote.
something fabulous
@something fabulous: Well, poop, that didn’t work! Here’s the link to the senior-pet-locating widget (I hope!):
http://www.petfinder.com/widgets-banners/view-widget.cgi?catid=&id=48
moe99
A good story to hear on a day like today. You made my heart swell. Thank you for what you do, Tony.
bookcat
Carnacki,
I remember your story and Lucy when you posted. I cried all morning. And yes, her gentle soul got me a thinking. One day, I will repay the favor of the kind stories with my own about a senior dog.
Hang tight everyone, the world is not all bad.