Success Pictures and Stories
DEXTER’S STORY
In mid February 2008, my family and I received the gut-wrenching news that our beloved dog, Sam, was stricken with cancer. We made the painful decision to put him down. He was 9 years old. I cannot remember a time when I cried so hard. I held him as he took his last breath, and within a second, I was sobbing. Tears poured out of me as I continued to stroke his head. I loved Sam, and in my mind, he was gone way too soon. I envisioned having an old, graying dog by my side, with bad gas, a bit of a limp, minimal energy, but still oh-so loving and generous with his “kisses”.
It took us awhile and there were a few bumps along the road, but we decided to bring another dog into our lives. Our biggest concern was that our chosen dog needed to be very good with kids (two girls, now 8 and 5) We wanted a somewhat large dog (60-70 pounds) that would be one part sleep-at-your-side, one part playful companion, and one part watch dog. Not a common mix!
We spotted a possible match, Dexter, via Petfinder.com in late April of this year. He looked like a very sweet young boy with a somewhat unfortunate past. He needed some loving and was getting it in a foster home. We arranged to meet him at a dog park in Fremont. We were immediately smitten with his energy, goofy antics, and happy-go-lucky demeanor. As an added bonus, we noticed his handsome looks!
We also knew that this young (18 months) boy was a big ol’ puppy that would probably chew things that he shouldn’t and probably need plenty of training. He would need multiple walks and/or visits to the dog park daily. In short, he was going to be a rather high-maintenance dog!
And he was perfect.
After nearly three months as a member of my family, Dexter has settled in. He still chases the cat, he has chewed his share of forbidden items, he has dug up a few spot in the yard and has earned his nickname “Marley” (from the movie “Marley and Me”) Everyday in an adventure with this goofy boy. He is so much fun and is so loving. He is AMAZING with kids, even if they poke him and grab his tail. He is somewhat of a celebrity at the local dog park and loves to play fetch for hours on end. He loves to “mix up” the throwing part by giving his ball to others. They all know that it “takes a village…” to play fetch with Dexter.
We are very grateful to Diana and her network of volunteers at The Perfect Dog Rescue that helped make it possible for us to adopt Dexter. They were all so pleasant, easy to talk to, knowledgeable about dogs, and eager to help in any way they could.
To anyone considering adopting a rescue dog, I wish you all the best in your endeavors. It is truly an act of love that will return to you many times over.
David
Livermore, CA
