so a little story about how love can change a dog

my dh's old dog (she was put to sleep about a year ago) was a shar pei yellow lab mix. she was a skiddish dog who ONLY liked my mil, fil, bil, and husband. that is it!!! so he got this dog before he went off to college and this dog was his baby. but she didn't like ANYONE!!!! and she was very protective of her family. she barked like crazy and growled and the hair on her back stood up whenever ANYONE came in the house. she wasn't mean, but very protective and once in the house, she would watch you but never ever let you touch her. so then i enter the picture. at the time i came around, she was 10. there was no room in her heart for someone new. the first 6 months of being with dh, we'd go to his parents and she would not let me near her. then slowly, she started sitting near me. i would give her food, give her water, talk to her, take her for walks. then dh and i started to live at his parents house to save some money. she still wouldn't let me touch her, but she stopped barking at me. i think it took about a year before i could touch her with fear on either part. then i started massaging her ears. then she started wagging her tail when i came in the house. then she started jumping up and down and crying when she would see me. but what made me so proud, and sorry for babbling, but finally she let me touch her paws. that was huge!!! she took me into her heart and actually let me clean her paws when she came in from a muddy yard.
anyway, long story short, i just think how cool it is when a dog senses your intentions and responds to that. dh's dog took me in after everyone said she didn't like anyone! that makes me proud, silly to say, but i was just missing this dog.

Re: so a little story about how love can change a dog

First, sorry for your's and FH' loss. This reminds me Fh's dog Lassie. When I came into the picture she was already 7 years old (6 years ago). Lassie was the same way, very loving and affectionate to FH and his family but weary of anyone else. It took Lassie about 3 years to totally open up to me. By this time, when we would walk into his house Lassie used to come to me first. It's weird but like you said it made me feel proud or maybe special is a better word. Around that time I started calling Lassie 'our dog', I used to walk her when FH was tired. I loved bathing her and brushing her. She was the best. This past summer when we were leaving for Aruba I said bye to Lassie and kissed her (she always knew someone was leaving when she would see suitcases in the house) she looked so sad. Well while we were in Aruba Lassie ran away, which me and FH still can't believe Lassie was so well trained and such a loyal dog. She was old too (13 by this time and couldn't even really run). To me and FH there will never be another dog like Lassie. I'll always keep her in my heart. Sorry for the long story...your story reminded me of her.

This is the only pic I have of her on PC.

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Re: so a little story about how love can change a dog

That was really nice! (sniff sniff)
Animals are amazing creatures!

Re: so a little story about how love can change a dog

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Posted by gNi1125

First, sorry for your's and FH' loss. This reminds me Fh's dog Lassie. When I came into the picture she was already 7 years old (6 years ago). Lassie was the same way, very loving and affectionate to FH and his family but weary of anyone else. It took Lassie about 3 years to totally open up to me. By this time, when we would walk into his house Lassie used to come to me first. It's weird but like you said it made me feel proud or maybe special is a better word. Around that time I started calling Lassie 'our dog', I used to walk her when FH was tired. I loved bathing her and brushing her. She was the best. This past summer when we were leaving for Aruba I said bye to Lassie and kissed her (she always knew someone was leaving when she would see suitcases in the house) she looked so sad. Well while we were in Aruba Lassie ran away, which me and FH still can't believe Lassie was so well trained and such a loyal dog. She was old too (13 by this time and couldn't even really run). To me and FH there will never be another dog like Lassie. I'll always keep her in my heart. Sorry for the long story...your story reminded me of her.

This is the only pic I have of her on PC.

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that was so sweet! i'm sorry about Lassie. and like you, there will never be another Casey. Dh swore that there would never be another dog like her and that she was perfect. Well, i told him he's right but like children, every dog has a unique personality...along comes charlotte and he is in love all over again. while he misses casey, he thinks charlotte is amazing and no dog is like her, either. they can't be replaced but another will come along that is so special and captures your heart that you think maybe the other dog helped pick the new one out.

Re: so a little story about how love can change a dog

We had already bought another dog (a lab 'Baby') while we still had Lassie. But the difference between Lassie and Baby is day and night. Like you said each dog is one of a kind.