Shelter Dogs

by Peg Kehret

  If you see someone with a service dog, be sure to ask permission before you pet or talk to the dog. The dog is working, and it may be important not to distract him.

  To learn more about service dogs, contact:

  National Service Dog Center

  289 Perimeter Road East

  Renton WA 98055-1329

  The Delta Society can be reached at the above address or at:

  300 Park Avenue, 2nd Floor

  New York NY 10022-7499

  You can also visit the Delta Society at:

  www.deltasociety.org

  Danny

  OVERCOMING FEARS

  Jessica Mitchell leads Danny through the “Dawg Gone Days” 4-H qualifying obedience competition in Enumclaw, Washington. They are trying for a spot at the Washington State Fair in Puyallup.

  5

  WHEN JESSICA MITCHELL was three years old, she went to visit her grandmother. Her uncle was also visiting that day. He had brought along his dog, a pit bull.

  Pit bull terriers, commonly known as pit bulls, were originally bred to fight. Although pit bulls can be gentle, many are used as guard dogs and are sometimes trained to be aggressive.

  As little Jessica ran up the sidewalk toward her grandmother’s house, her uncle’s dog attacked her. Jessica screamed with pain and fear as the dog knocked her down and bit her many times in the face and around her eyes.

  Police and paramedics raced to the scene. Sirens wailing, an ambulance rushed Jessica to the hospital.

  She went immediately into surgery, where doctors rebuilt her torn cheek and put her jaw muscle back together. Jessica spent a week in the hospital. Her wounds were painful, but eventually they healed, leaving a lot of scar tissue.

  When Jessica was in first grade, she was hospitalized again while doctors did reconstructive surgery to minimize a C-shaped scar around one eye. Later, another surgery removed excess scar tissue from her jaw. While her face looks fine, she may still need further surgery.

  After she was attacked, Jessica became fearful of dogs. She liked other animals, and she understood that most dogs never attack anyone unless they are threatened themselves. Still, whenever she saw a dog, she felt panicky.

  By the time Jessica was eight, she wanted to conquer her fear. Many of her friends had dogs, and Jessica longed to pet them and play with them without being frightened.

  She didn’t think she would feel threatened by a little puppy, so she asked her parents if she could have one. Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell agreed, and they took Jessica to the Humane Society.

  One of the available puppies that day was a shepherd/Lab mix who was eight weeks old. Because he was brought to the shelter when he was too young to be adopted, he had been placed in a foster home, where he had received plenty of love and attention.

  The pup was gentle and friendly and liked being held. The Humane Society staff thought he would be a good choice for Jessica, and Jessica thought so, too. She named him Danny and took him home.

  Danny turned out to be the perfect puppy. His silliness made Jessica laugh. She liked to pet him and play with him. Danny gave her puppy kisses and napped on her lap.

  Of course he grew bigger, but Jessica already loved and trusted him. She had nothing to fear, even when he was fully grown. Although the rest of Jessica’s family enjoyed Danny, too, he seemed to know that he was Jessica’s dog.

  While she felt completely comfortable with Danny, Jessica still had twinges of fear when she met other dogs.

  A year after she adopted Danny, Jessica joined 4-H, an international program for young people. The 4-H club emblem is a four-leaf clover. The four Hs stand for head, heart, hands, and health.

  All 4-H members select a project to work on. Jessica could choose from dozens of possible subjects, including plant science, computers, performing arts, geology, and woodworking. Because Jessica was having so much fun with Danny, she chose “Companion Animals.”

  At weekly meetings, Jessica learned about vaccinations Danny needed, how to groom him, and how to control parasites such as fleas, ticks, and lice. She and Danny practiced basic obedience. He learned how to heel on a leash, how to stay, and how to follow other commands.

  As they worked together, Jessica and Danny became even closer; each one trusted the other completely.

  Of course, the other members of Jessica’s 4-H dog group brought their dogs to the weekly meetings. Jessica got to know those dogs well and grew to like and trust them. Before long, she was no longer afraid of dogs.

  Jessica also took a 4-H veterinary science class. She learned more about the health of her dog and became aware of career opportunities for working with animals.

  Jessica’s family had a fenced backyard with a locked gate so that Danny could spend time outdoors. One afternoon, the Mitchells left Danny in the backyard while they were away for a while.

  Before, whenever they returned home, Danny had always run to greet them, happily wagging his tail. That day, when the family got home, Danny tried to hide behind a bush. Instead of flapping his tail from side to side as he usually did, he kept it tucked between his legs. He shook with fear.

  The Mitchells took Danny inside and examined him carefully, but they couldn’t find anything wrong. Jessica knew something had happened, but she had no way to find out what. Danny did not seem sick; he seemed terrified.

  From then on, whenever anyone outside the family came to the door, Danny hid under the dining-room table, peeking nervously out at the visitor.

  Jessica’s formerly happy dog was now a fearful dog, and she had no idea why. Jessica gave him extra love and attention, as did her parents, but Danny continued to act frightened of strangers.

  About this time one of the local utility companies was doing work in the Mitchells’ neighborhood. A few days after Danny began acting scared, a worker from the utility company needed to go into the Mitchells’ yard.

  Danny was outside. Though he had been cowering at strangers, he barked ferociously at this man.

  Jessica’s father went to get Danny, to put him inside.

  The worker said, “It’s okay. If he gets near me, I’ll just Mace him.”

  Mr. Mitchell knew that Mace, a chemical spray, is sometimes used to control mobs of people who are rioting. When Mace is sprayed in a person’s face, it causes tears, dizziness, and nausea. The victim is usually temporarily unable to move.

  Horrified, the Mitchells speculated about what might have happened on the day they were gone. Utility workers had been working in the neighborhood then, too. Had one of them climbed the fence to do work in the yard and then, when Danny approached, sprayed the dog with Mace? If so, it was no wonder Danny acted traumatized. And no wonder he was now afraid of everyone except his family.

  Danny continued to act scared of everyone who came into Jessica’s house. But when she took him to the 4-H meetings, he was excited and seemed happy to go. He acted glad to see the other dogs, and he clearly enjoyed the 4-H training.

  Just as 4-H had been a way for Jessica to forget her fear of dogs she didn’t know, 4-H became a way for Danny to get over his fear of people he didn’t know.

  In between 4-H meetings, Jessica and Danny practiced all the obedience commands over and over. When Danny obeyed correctly, Jessica praised him or rewarded him with a small treat. Their practice sessions became a way to play together. Jessica kept records of his progress.

  Danny did so well that Jessica decided it would be fun to show him in a 4-H dog show. Unlike most dog shows, 4-H shows do not require that the dogs be purebreds. In 4-H, the judging is based on the ability of the person showing the dog to control the dog and on the condition and grooming of the dog. A mixed breed like Danny has just as much chance of winning as a purebred does.

  Jessica established a goal for herself and Danny: to compete in the 4-H dog show at the county fair. Before a 4-H member can show a dog at the fair, he or she must successfully complete two 4-H Fun Matches.

  The Fun Matches are run like dog shows but are done just for practice
, to get the dogs and their handlers accustomed to performing.

  Jessica and Danny entered a 4-H Fun Match. The event was well-named; Jessica and Danny both had a great time. Danny loved being brushed and fussed over while Jessica waited for her turn to perform. Jessica liked watching the other 4-H kids and their dogs. Most of all, she enjoyed showing the judges how well Danny obeyed.

  Danny heeled beautifully as he walked in with Jessica, sat down promptly on command, and stood motionless while the judge examined his fur.

  The hardest part of the show for Danny was when the dogs were told to stay while the owners walked away from them. There were four dogs in Danny’s group, and they were supposed to sit where they were until the judge told the owners to call them.

  Jessica knew Danny wanted to be close to her when there were strangers present. After she gave him the stay command, she crossed her fingers while she went to the far side of the arena. Danny sat still, with his eyes focused on Jessica. Even when one of the other dogs got up before he was supposed to and ran to his owner, Danny remained where he was. When Jessica finally told him to come, Danny galloped happily to her side.

  “Good dog,” she told him. “Good, good dog!”

  To Jessica’s delight, she and Danny won second place. She received a rainbow-colored ribbon with a rosette.

  Jessica entered another Fun Match, and this time she received a first-place blue ribbon. She and Danny continued to practice. She groomed him daily.

  They moved up to the novice class and then to graduate novice, where Danny had to know more difficult commands and be able to do them without a leash. They entered another match and another. They won more ribbons. Jessica and Danny made it to the county fair where they did so well that they qualified to go on to the state fair. There, the top two handlers each won a medallion with dogs on it. Jessica beamed with pride as the judge hung the beautiful medallion on its red-white-and-blue ribbon around her neck.

  The crowd watching would never have imagined that this confident girl, who showed Danny with such poise, had once been terrified of dogs.

  A vendor at the fair sold necklaces. One was a silver chain with a four-leaf clover on it. Purchasers could have their names engraved on the clover. Jessica bought a necklace, and she had two names engraved on it: Jessica and Danny.

  He had rescued her from her fear of dogs, and she had rescued him from his fear of people. No wonder they are best friends now.

  About 4-H Clubs

  There are 4-H clubs in all fifty states and in eighty-two other countries. The members are divided by age level, with groups for students from kindergarten through twelfth grade.

  To find a 4-H near you, contact:

  National 4-H Council

  7100 Connecticut Avenue

  Chevy Chase MD 20815

  About Preventing Dog Bites

  1.

  Never go into a yard or reach through a car window to pet a dog you don’t know. If the owner is there, ask permission to pet the dog.

  2.

  Always be gentle and kind when you play with a dog.

  3.

  Never grab anything such as a toy, ball, or bone from a dog.

  4.

  If a dog growls or snarls at you with his teeth bared, he is getting ready to bite. It is also a warning if his legs are stiff and his ears are laid back.

  5.

  If you think a dog might bite you, walk slowly away from him sideways. Do not turn your back and run away. Tell the dog “No!” but don’t stare into his eyes.

  6.

  If an angry dog ever jumps on you, curl into a ball and protect your face.

  Tyler

  THE DOG WHO COULDN’T SEE

  At the home of Ann Graves and Donna Amos, in Renton, Washington, Tyler makes sure that a kitten from a foster litter gets clean.

  6

  TYLER IS A BORDER COLLIE, black with a white chest, white on his muzzle, and tips of white on his tail and feet. He was three years old when he and his sister, Tipper, were brought to the Humane Society.

  Tyler and Tipper had always been barn dogs. They had never lived indoors, had not been house-trained, and except for being fed had received little human attention. Both dogs were matted and filthy.

  Tyler was blind.

  The owner’s reason for giving them up was “They harass the chickens.” When questioned, he stated that neither dog had ever killed a chicken or even caught one. What they actually did was try to herd the chickens.

  “The one dog can’t see,” the owner added, as an afterthought. He had never taken Tyler to a veterinarian to have his eyes checked. “What for?” he asked. “He’s blind.”

  Border collies are bred to work as herders, so it was not surprising that Tyler and his sister had tried to herd the chickens. That fact did not make the dogs unacceptable as family pets. But Tyler’s blindness would probably make it hard to find a home for him. With so many homeless dogs to choose from, few people will select one who can’t see.

  The day Tyler and Tipper came to the Humane Society, Ann Graves was helping in the veterinary department. Ann had recently left a successful career with United Parcel Service. Now she was in college, studying to become a veterinarian. Every Thursday, she volunteered at the Humane Society.

  As Ann assisted Dr. Quinn, the vet who checked the two border collies, she was impressed by their sweet, gentle nature.

  Special attention was paid to Tyler’s white, cloudy-looking eyes.

  “He can’t see because he has cataracts,” Dr. Quinn said. “If that’s the only problem with his eyes, surgery might help. He needs to be seen by a vet who specializes in eye care.”

  Ann hoped that Tyler would find a home with someone who would take him to a veterinary eye specialist.

  The two dogs were kenneled together. Tyler seemed to depend on Tipper to guide him, and everyone at the Humane Society hoped that someone would adopt both dogs.

  The next week was that year’s Tuxes and Tails fund-raiser, and Ann was in charge of selecting which shelter dogs would appear at the annual event. Every year, professional groomers volunteer their services so that each dog will look his or her best. The dogs receive extra practice walking on a leash to get them ready for their big evening.

  Three days before the auction, two of the dogs who had been prepared got adopted. Ann wondered about using Tipper and Tyler as their replacements. She knew that a fully grown blind dog who had never been house-trained was unlikely to get adopted. She decided the auction was Tyler’s best chance. The audience would see his beauty and his loving personality; they would see how well he got along, with Tipper’s help. Maybe someone would want both dogs.

  Ann worried about how a blind dog would react to being in a crowd, especially a dog who was not used to people. She discussed her concerns with Dr. Quinn and the rest of the Humane Society staff. They agreed that the auction was the best opportunity for Tyler and Tipper to find a permanent home.

  Ann took them to the groomer. When she went back to get them, the groomer said, “Those were the dirtiest dogs I’ve ever bathed.”

  Ann practiced leading the two dogs on leashes and discovered that as long as they were together, they did fine. When she tried to walk them separately, Tyler panicked and Tipper became extremely shy and nervous.

  Ann gave special instructions to the volunteers who would be working with Tyler and Tipper at the auction: “The border collies must walk together down the runway.”

  Three celebrities from a local radio station were scheduled to go down the runway at the same time—two men who would have Tyler and Tipper on leashes, and a woman who would walk slightly behind the men and the dogs.

  The volunteers got the dogs and celebrities in place. The announcer gave their names. And then, at the last second, there was a misunderstanding: the woman ended up with both dogs, while the men preceded her across the stage.

  It is hard for one person to keep two excited dogs under control. In the confusion, Tyler got too close to the edge of the
stage. Unable to see, he toppled off.

  Ann was backstage getting another dog ready to go on when her walkie-talkie blasted the news. “Ann! Tyler fell off the runway!”

  Her heart in her throat, Ann rushed out in time to see a member of the audience lift Tyler back onto the stage. Tyler sniffed for Tipper, who was overjoyed to see him. Tyler wasn’t hurt, and the two dogs finished walking down the runway and back with no more problems.

  As the auction-goers filed out the door, they passed by all the dogs who had taken part in the event. Many people stopped to pet Tipper and Tyler and to talk with the volunteers about the two beautiful border collies. Ann pointed out that surgery might help Tyler’s eyesight.

  For the next few days, all the staff and volunteers waited, hoping that someone would want both dogs.

  No one did.

  Meanwhile, Ann and her partner, Donna Amos, talked about the possibility of taking Tipper and Tyler themselves. Donna had met them when she helped at Tuxes and Tails, and she agreed that they were special dogs. But Ann and Donna already had two dogs: Skip, a fourteen-year-old black Lab who had arthritis and back problems, and Blue, a nine-year-old Australian shepherd/Lab mix.

  They worried that it might not be fair to elderly Skip to bring in another dog with medical problems. And they worried about their finances. As a college student, Ann’s income was limited to part-time work. In addition to the dogs, Ann and Donna had two cats. They didn’t see how they could afford to take care of another animal.

  The week after the auction, Ann arrived at the Humane Society for her regular volunteer shift. She went out to the kennel to check on Tipper and Tyler— and found Tyler alone.

  “Tipper got adopted yesterday,” she was told. “She went to a good family, with children who are crazy about her.”

  “They didn’t want both dogs?” Ann asked.

  “They didn’t want a blind dog.”