Rescue Dogs

It is common knowledge that Deirdre O'Dare is a dog lover, no? Many of you have probably read at least one of my Canine Cupids stories. There are eight so far and a couple more that could fit into that category but are not 'official' additions. 

Anyway over the years I have had some great dogs and they were all some kind of rescue, either formal and official, simply found, or given to me. My first dog was Flash, probably an English Shepherd or at least that was his predominant type. Loved him so much but he sadly came to a bad end while still too young. I shared that story on my deirdre-fourds blog a few weeks back. He was given to me by some friends who had a litter and needed to find homes for them. That was on my 11th birthday. That got me started and Flash was followed by many more.

In my household today there are three K-9 kiddos. My old girl is Belle Starr, a purebred Australian Sheherd who began her life as a back yard breeder's puppy-producer and then developed an auto-immune disorder called Discoid Lupus and was abandoned. That made her a special needs adoption when I got her thru Aussie Rescue in February 2007. The other two dogs in the home are KayCee, probably purebred Blue Heeler (aka Australian Cattle Dog) and BeeBee, who we think is a Heeler/Corgi mix.  I am partial to the herding breeds. Most of them are quite intelligent and very loyal when they take on a human or family to protect. They are mostly high energy and need exercise and activity though or they can be destructive or aggravatingly hyper!

Belle wound up being the star of my first Canine Cupids story--even before I got her. I'm not sure if I am clairvoyant or what but the dog that introuced Damon to Eric was Dixie Belle, a blue merle Aussie! Call it coincidence? Well, I cannot say for sure but I believer there are no 'coincidences'--everything is part of a plan or serendipty of some kind! Anyway the idea for a hero in a story to be someone who wanted to help animals in a major way worked out well for me as I wrote Rez Dogs. I'll share an excerpt in a minute and you can see for yourself .

The fun picture above has been going around on the net; I have to laugh every time I see it. That is a Border Collie and an Aussie trying to crowd thru the doggie door. The Aussie looks a lot like Belle! Ours have never gotten into that kind of a traffic jam but it has been close at times. The other pictures are Belle and KayCee as a 'pound puppy' in Colorado Springs about three years ago! He was about 8-10 months old at that time.

Dogs are great companions. I have never bought a dog. I don't say do not do it or that I never would as it depends and what you want to do with your dog but just for a companion, I do feel strongly that adoption is the best way! Rescue dogs rock!