Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Looking Beside You and Thinking Ahead

Written by a CP Volunteer


A Sweet Cairn, lucky to have a Guardian Angel

The harness is on and snug;  The ID tag with contact number is secure;  The leash is clipped and securely in hand;  The gate is shut before the door is opened;   Every hazard is safely out of reach;   You always take the extra step to keep your little dog safe and secure…  But, do you know for sure what will happen to your dog if, God forbid, something happened to you?

Just this past week, a Col. Potter Foster Mom wrote about how she was called in to rescue a 7 year old Cairn and her 10 year old Scottie brother.  They were well loved pets, but their Mom had suddenly been taken from them and her family simply didn’t want the dogs, so they were going to be put to sleep.

Beautiful, lovely dogs, but they would be dead without the quick intervention of friends and the unreserved willingness of a wonderful CP volunteer to take them in.  In this case, it worked out like it was pre-ordained, the pieces falling into place as though they were guided by some gentle, all-knowing being…

You see, days before, this Volunteer had learned that one of her first Foster Cairns had passed away, breaking the heart of his fantastic adoptive Mom.  The moment Foster Mom met her, she knew, absolutely, that this homeless 7 year old Cairn was a perfect match for the woman who had just lost her best friend.  She opened her broken heart and adopted the Cairn and the Scottie, filling her house with love again in the most wonderful way!

Not all stories have a happy ending.  There are no guarantees that there will be someone to reach out to a Rescue group or a known rescue volunteer, especially if you have let your little dog have the Alpha role in your home.

Look beside you and think ahead!  Write a will and include specific provisions for your pets, creating a Pet Trust and/or a stand alone Pet Protection Agreement.  Put a notice on the fridge or other obvious place, clearly summarizing your instructions.  Put a plan in place to ensure that your precious dog will not end up in a mass grave if something unthinkable happens to you. 

Equally important, you must be sure to assert your Alpha status in the home and you must correct any inappropriate behavior in real time, establishing better, more acceptable patterns.  Do not assume that your family will step up and take care of your treasured little dog if the dog in question has questionable social skills.  You can learn and so can your dog - It is never too late to get your Alpha on!  Do this for your dog, and you will both benefit enormously!

So, look beside you and think ahead!  Don’t take a chance that your dog will end up with a one-way ticket to the shelter because you didn’t prepare him or her for life without you.



Who's the Boss?

Alpha: adj. Having the highest rank in a dominance hierarchy…


1 comment:

  1. Such a very important message. Those who work with rescues see this happen more often than it should. Please share this with your family, friends and neighbors!

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