I can’t let this day get away from me without sharing my love and passion for rescue dogs! It’s National Rescue Dog Day. And for those of you who know me, or have heard me talk about dogs… I am a HUGE dog lover. I would seriously adopt every dog if I could.
My Dream
In fact, a dream of mine is to one day own a huge farm that’s fenced in so I can rescue and love on as many pups as I can. Currently I have two dogs: Cody and Harley. I will admit, Cody came from a breeder. This was long before I really understood just how many rescues and shelters were overflowing with abandoned dogs.
Finding Our Harley
My Harley girl came into our lives in a unique way. A friend of mine, who was my roommate at the time, decided she wanted a dog. She’d been around Cody and really wanted a dog of her own. We went to a shelter, but didn’t adopt. I wound up finding a puppy someone was selling on Facebook. Sounds terrible in hindsight.
Anyway, I showed my fiancé and he honestly wanted her himself. I then showed my roommate and she wound up contacting the owner. She picked up little Harley (who she originally named Remi) and paid $50 for her.
Due to life circumstances and work schedule, my roommate didn’t quite have the time to give this sweet puppy. So, me and my fiancé wound up with her. But let me just say, it worked out perfectly!
Harley’s Impact
Harley has been the biggest lover. She’s protective, loyal, goofy, and the best snuggler. She loves her mama, her daddy, her “bubba” and her human sister fiercely! She never ceases to amuse me with her silly antics. The girl loves to chase a ball, thinks she’s a lap dog, and loves to go on a walk.
I will say, it hasn’t always been easy with her though. Although we don’t know anything about her life before us, we do believe abuse took place. For a long time, she would pee whenever she met new people, or even when my fiancé would come in and talk to me (his voice is very deep and scared her I guess). She now loves her daddy, and has even gotten a little better about peeing when meeting new people.
About a year or so ago, we discovered another trigger. I was in the kitchen wearing sneakers, and accidentally “squeaked” my shoe on the floor. Harley looked at me kinda strangely. At first I thought we were playing. But then I quickly realized that something about that squeak scares her. Any time I do it accidentally, she runs back to the bedroom or gets away and shakes. It’s heartbreaking.
The sound of the smoke detector when the battery is dying… same thing. She sits and shakes so badly. While we don’t know what happened to make her afraid, it just goes to show that dogs remember more than most people think. Whatever abuse she faced, has continued to live in her memory– even after 6 years.
Adopt a Dog!
If you are considering getting a dog, please adopt! There are so many incredible dogs that just need a chance. Of course, we feature new adoptable dogs every week with Wet Nose Wednesday. Those pups are with some awesome rescues, but those rescues are overflowing.
There is nothing like the love of a dog. It will change your life!
To celebrate National Rescue Dog Day, here are some photos of my sweet, silly Harley girl!