USED DOGS

All of my dogs came to me slightly used. I have a family of 3 boys, all rescues and all more precious to me than I can say. They are a
rottweiler, a German Shepherd/Great Dane mix, and an elderly blind schnauzer mix. Each of them has special needs. I didn't really mean to
get three dogs with special needs, but I believe they were given to me for a reason.

Apollo is a rottweiler. His owner could not keep him when circumstances forced her to sell her home and move to an apartment, largely due to the
fact that rottweilers are considered "dangerous dogs". Apollo is the sweetest 110 pound lap dog anyone could hope for. He loves babies and
children and hates it when people raise their voices. We call him "Gandhi" because if people are yelling at each other he will try to get between them. He is emotionally needy and very headstrong. He was not the dog I thought I would end up with, but he had a lesson for me. Things are not
always what they seem. Sometimes the thing that looks the scariest can be the best possible option, you just have to face it with a mixture of self-confidence and humility.

Nym is a German Shepherd/Great Dane mix. He was dumped at a shelter when he was only 6 weeks old, too young to be away from his mother. My ex-roommates adopted him, but the training methods they used were too harsh. He became hand-shy and lacked confidence. When I saw what the training methods were doing to his personality, I took over his care. For a long time he was nervous and confused. I noticed a little "hitch in his giddy-up" and took him to the vet. He was found to be suffering from congenital hip dysplasia so severe that if nothing was done he would be crippled by the age of 3. He needed a total hip replacement. The surgery cost well over 3,500 dollars and pushed me to the limit of what I could afford. I did the surgery and never looked back. Nym is now in training to be a therapy dog and at the top of his obedience class. I believe he was given to me to teach me a lesson as well. Love is about sacrifice. It's hard sometimes, but the more you give the more you receive. Kindness is NEVER wasted, even if it is not returned.

Jasper is a blind schnauzer mix, somewhere in between ten and fourteen years old. He has cataracts that have taken ninety percent of his vision. He has seizures, bad knees, back problems and he sometimes poos on the floor. He was in the worst shape when I first saw him, in a dirty little sweater with a filthy, flaky coat and mats all over his body. His teeth were, to put it mildly, a train wreck. I took him home to foster because I could not stand to think of him in a noisy kennel, scared and unable to see his environment. After a few weeks, a few vet visits, and many good petting sessions, he seemed happy and comfortable. It is plain to me that the people that had him before never gave one ounce of care or concern to his well-being. He often hides after he has an accident, cowering and whining. People have hurt this dog, how much I will probably never know. He is still scroungy-looking and feeble but he is the most loving dog I have ever known. He follows me all around the house even when I know that he is in pain. After his first seizure he came and sat in my lap for an hour, licking my hand and making the weird "hoof" noise that he makes when he is happy. I ended up keeping him because he had a lesson for me too. Forgiveness is key to happiness. Even when you have been hurt so badly that you think you will never recover, you should still try again to be happy. Give people a second chance and don't hold a grudge.

There's nothing better in the world than a used dog. I think everyone should try it, goodness knows it has changed my life for the better. If
you need a used dog, please contact a rescue in your area. 
Original Story by fireopal667@yahoo.com