Alumni
- Name: Paisley
- Adopted: July 2, 2011
Paisley was found as a stray, laying on the sidewalk, completely exhausted. Following is information from the person who found her:
“At about 8:30 in the morning, on June 16th, my wife called me as I was walking home from a morning chore. “There’s a stray pitbull wandering around. Be careful.”, she told me. As I got to my block, sure enough, there she was. Lying down on the sidewalk, right in front of my house. A beautiful pit/boxer mix. My own dogs peering out the front window at her but, oddly, not barking. I kept my distance. She followed me with her eyes, her head still. She seemed sadly resigned to the unknown, not in the least threatening. I approached her, slowly, and now she kept her distance from me. Up she stood, walked a few paces away and laid down. Right in the middle of the street. Walking towards her, once again, up she stood, returned to the sidewalk and plopped down. Cautious and hopeful. Cautious and hopeful. That’s how she seemed. Never taking her eyes off me. I saw now that she was dirty, thirsty, hungry, and exhausted. Clearly, my plans for the day would have to be altered. I can’t just say, ‘wish you luck’ to a dog in distress. Can you? I sat down on the sidewalk a few paces from her and we locked eyes. She decided, quickly, that I was no threat. She closed her eyes and went to sleep. I fetched her some water and food and, this time, she didn’t move when I approached. Ignoring what I brought her she went back to sleep. My neighbor, who had been watching from her window, brought out a patio chair and table for me. I sat down, waited for animal control to come (they never did) and read the paper. An hour and a half went by. The dog never stirred. Time for plan B. I walked to her with a collar and leash I got from the house. She picked up her head, seemingly offering herself to me, and I collared her. With leash attached she followed me through my scary gangway to the backyard. No muss, no fuss. Thinking I needed to keep her away from my own dogs I left her in the fenced yard and went inside. A few minutes later, looking out my kitchen window, I saw her. She had climbed up my back steps and was asleep with her back against my door. She knew, at least for the time being, she was safe. She slept for twelve hours. Twelve. That’s how it began. Now the highlights of the next three days:
She began to eat and drink normally. Shunned the makeshift bed I put in the basement and slept at the top of the basement stairs, her back against the door. Not a sound from her all night. Next morning, she being much revived, I walked her around the neighborhood. Better than my dogs on the leash, she was.
With a hot tip on a lost dog poster I brought her to my car and opened the door for her. She looked at me and then the car. “Hop in”, I told her. She did. No hesitation. She loved the car ride. (The poster was not for her.)
Back in the basement that night she began to whine. When I opened the door to check on her she was standing, just the the very tip of her tail wagging. I let her in. She let me pick her up and carry her (still worried about my own dogs reaction) and took her to the spare bedroom where we slept together, her back pressed against me. In the morning I introduced her to my own dogs. A couple of sniffs, some shared doggy telepathy, and she was accepted as part of the pack. Easy as that! No noise startles her. Fireworks, traffic, barking dogs, nothing alarmed her. She may be the calmest dog I’ve ever met. Next night she slept on the floor next to my bed with my dogs in the same room. A peaceful night was had by all. She patiently waited her turn for treats. She did not beg at the dinner table. She understood her place. She stayed by my side wherever I went. Wanting only to be included. More walks. Children, adults, other dogs all approached her. Not a hint of a problem. She’s smart as a whip. She sits on command, heeds hand signals, understands the tone of your voice. The last night she looked like she wanted to hop on the bed with me. I gave her the OK. Up she jumped, laid down between my legs, buried her front paws under my butt, put her head on my thigh and went to sleep. About twenty minutes, of her own accord, she got down, and slept on the floor next to the bed.
This dog is a rock star. Shame on her previous owners. The vet agreed with me that she was likely being used for breeding, not for loving.”