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Izzie Bean's intro to Dogster

Hi Everyone! My Momma just posted my profile today. She wanted to share my rescue story with all of you pups out there.

My Foster Mom Debbie picked me up from a rural shelter in Shenandoah Valley area in VA. I had been adopted out and returned to the shelter twice within a two week period because I wasn’t potty-trained. It was reported that other than having one eye and not really being potty-trained, I was healthy and normal. When Foster Mom Debbie arrived at the shelter and they led her back to the kennels, she found the sweetest little pug girl (ME!!!) and I was so excited to have any attention! I ran to Debbie’s voice and crashed right into the side of the cage and then was a little disoriented.

We filled out my paperwork and rushed out of there as fast as we could. Once outside I ran in circles with my head tipped to right side, running into Debbie’s legs and she realized that I wasn’t seeing anything. She later told my Momma that so many things were going through her mind during our 2 hour drive home while I slept quietly next to her. Did I have some serious health issues and would Mid-Atlantic Pug Rescue find the right home for me? Was I totally blind? Debbie she kept a close eye on me once we got to her home and she cried some watching me because she was sure that I was blind in the one eye that I did have and suspected some neurological damage.

Debbie called my Momma the next day to tell her all about me and invite her to come visit me. She was a little skeptical about placing a special needs pug with a first time dog owner who also worked full time but she was impressed with how much Momma knew about the care and training of dogs and also how undaunted she was with every possible problem thrown her way. Momma visited me the very next day and Debbie and I sat outside with her so that she could talk to me. Momma told me later that her heart broke when she first walked over to me and I was just standing there staring off into the distance. We went inside and watched me try to navigate through the house, running into tables and walls and the other dogs. Debbie said that I might not even be potty trainable because in the 2 days that I spent at her house, I had only pottied in my crate at night but Momma said that she didn’t care and was committed to working on that with me. I got to go home with Momma for the rest of the weekend to see how things would go--this is not the usual procedure at all, but Debbie thought this was a special case and that Momma needed some time with me before a week of work and before making such a big decision. I had a Monday morning vet appointment scheduled and we agreed to meet back at Debbie’s so that we could all go together. The vet confirmed their worst fears, but was so positive about the outcome and commented on what a happy, spunky little dog I was despite my past and limitations. It was emotional to say the least. The vet told them that I walked with my head tipped due to trauma to the head and possible brain damage. Also, that it may have something to do with why the eye on that side was missing and why I was running incessantly in circles. The vet also told us that she was blind in the other eye due to a deep puncture wound at some point in my 2 years of life that had healed and left scarring from the eye surface to the back of the eye globe. Momma and Debbie fought back the tears and asked more questions about my care and future. When we left the office, Debbie said that Momma wasn’t obligated to adopt me but Momma was crying and hugging me tight and said that she loved me too much and that we were in this together.

Whew! What a long story for little old me. I’m doing great now and love my new home and my new Momma. She created a safe place for me and I’m proud to say that I am potty trained, walk very well on my leash and learned to walk up a flight of stairs. We even went to a Basic Obedience class and I graduated with flying colors. I no longer run in circles incessantly--now it's just when I am REALLY excited like at dinner time and I get to ride in the car.

Now we have moved to North Carolina and I love it! We’re close to my new family and I can spend time with my Grandma and her two Boston Terriers, Molly and Maxie. I have gained so much confidence and run around the house playing with them.

I'm making Momma get off the computer now so she can spend her time with more important things like paying attention to ME!