My Life as a Good Dog -- Tommy, Part 2
The next morning, one of the women at the shelter, a young woman, came and took me out of the cage. She put a lead around my neck. Was this it? Was I going to my death? How would they kill me? Would I suffer? I was very afraid and shivered in fear.
The woman dragged me outside and put me in her car. OUTSIDE! I was very relieved, but dazed, too! Then, slowly, I began to wonder: Where am I going? What is going to happen to me?
We drove a while through the forests and mountains of my home, up to a gas station. At the gas station, we saw a woman with gray hair in a white car. She waved at us, and I looked at her. She had a big smile on her face. Dazed, disinterested, I looked off into the distance, wondering where my family was.
The woman took my lead and put me in HER car. Would my journey never end? Where were we going? What was going to happen to me? Then, we drove for a long, long time. We drove out of the mountains, the woman talking to me the whole way. She patted my flanks, and told me she was going to have to fatten me up. Why? Was she going to eat me? I shivered in fear. No one loved meI was a dog that had been left, put into the "dead dog" cage.
I looked out of the car window, and saw broad green fields with strange animals in them. She said, See the horses, Tommy? I looked at her, puzzled. Who was Tommy? My name was Spike!
We came to a big city. It was the biggest city I hadever seen! We drove up to a house, and the woman got out and came back with an older boy. They both got in the car, and we drove some more, the boy talking to me and patting my flank. Dont be afraid, Tommy, the boy said. Were going to take good care of you. The boy was nice, but who was Tommy?
We got to a place with lots of shops. The women got out and came back with a bright red collar. A brand new collar! This is for you, Tommy, she said, and put it around my neck. Then, she hooked a brand new leash onto my collar and took me inside.
I had never seen such a store! There were bags and bags of dog food, and I was very hungry! There were chew sticks and sweaters, and all kinds of wonderful things for a dog. It was a dog store! We walked past all this to a special place in the store, where dogs are bathed. I had never had a bath in my life, until this one. OH MY! I shivered and shook! The womanmade the water warmer, but it was still awful! She lathered me up and rinsed me off, and then, to my absolute terror, she turned on a very loud machine that dried my fur. I couldnt stand it, and rolled my eyes in fear, pulling at the lead until I choked, so the woman turned off the machine, and the boy helped me down from the table. I stood, dripping, while the woman said she was sorry to have scared me so, paid the man in charge, and back we went to the car.
We went back to the house, and she took me out of the car. This is your new home, Tommy, she said. I was dazed-- so tired, hungry, thirsty, and still so very scared. Home? What does home mean? My home is in the mountains, not here. My name is Spike, not Tommy
First, we had to go up the steps into the house. I could do that, but I had never climbed steps before. Then she took me inside, and showed me a huge bowl of dog food and a huge bowl of water. Tommy, you need to eat something and have a drink, she said. She patted my flank gentlyas I drank my fill and ate the entire bowl of food. Good boy, Tommy, she said. Youre such a good boy! I wagged my tail, just a little. Just the tip.
After I had eaten, she took me outside, behind the house. She opened the door, and said, Tommy, do you want to run around a bit?
I had to climb down steps, which I had never done before, but outside was wonderful! There was a fence, but I could run and run and run. There were squirrels and birds, and all kinds of wonderful smells! The yard was flat and covered in nice grass! I ran all afternoon, from one side to the otherI had never been allowed to run free before!
Now, I live with my familymy Mama, Daddy, and the boy named Peep, and two other little dogs and three cats. Freddie and LuLu are my dog friends, and Pharaoh, Boo, and Andy are my cat friends. Freddie and Andy just came, one day. Freddie is my best friend-- he follows me everywhere and sleeps right up against me. It is really fun to have a dog friend!
I have a nice bed, but I don't sleep in it. No Sirreee! Mama's bed is the softest! I have plenty to eat, plenty to drink, and I stay inside at night and when it rains. I can run all day in the backyard if I want to, and when it is cold, Mama brings meinside.
Best of all, I know my Mama and Daddy love me. I sleep with my Daddy, and even though he snores-- he will wake up in the night, and pat my flanks. He says, Good boy, Tommy. Youre such a good boy! I wag my tail, now, full circle, not the little end wiggle that I had when I first came here.
Daddy takes me in his truck, and we ride places! He lets me hang my head out of the window, a little bit, and he takes me with him on his errands. Daddy never leaves me in the truck unless it is really nice out, and he always asks me, "Tommy Boy, what's going on? Are you a Good Boy?" And I wag and say, "Yes, I am, Daddy!"
Daddy takes me for long walks and we have so much fun together! I always wag my tail at the other dogs, even if they bark at me. I still don't bark, very often. But, Mama and Daddy don't mind if I do. They say I have a lovely voice! What does that mean? I'm still learning their language, I think.
I love my Mama, who gives me treats, and knows that it bothers me to pat my head. She always pats the side of my face, and then slowly works her way up to my ears. She knows it bothers me, and is very careful. Mama bought me a lot of toys at first, but I didn't know what to do with them. I sniffed them. They were nice. Now, Mama gives me rocks to play with, and I love my rock toys! I love my Daddy, too! Best of all, I have my very own boy. I always wanted a boy of my own!
I still think of my other family, sometimes. I wonder where they went and why they didn't want me anymore. Sometimes, my Mama says I'm looking sad, and she'll hug me with all her might and tell me she loves me, very much.
I found out what it was that I needed, so long ago. It was love. All I needed was love.
Thats my story. My name is Tommy, the Good Dog!
This really isn't a very good picture of me, but I don't like to have my picture taken. I was helpingMama and Daddy redo the bedroom, and it was a Mess! Now, it is a pretty blue color,and I like it better. It doesn't matter what color the room is, as long as my family is with me.
Thanks for coming by!
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Ok, we are going to have a contest here-- What kind of dog is Tommy? The shelter said he was a Sharpei/Husky mix. Other people seem to thinkhe's part pit bull. Everyone is scared of him, but he loves all of them...
The good news is that no one was put down in the shelter that day. A rescue group out of Lexington came over and got all the dogs and cats that were to be put down that day, and they all found good homes. When the shelter flooded, the air waves and internet was flooded with pleas for help. I picked Tommy, as being the one least able to be adopted because of his size. He weighs about 50 pounds and is such a sweetheart! I drove the 3 hours over to the gas station at Morehead, and got my boy.
Tommy loves everyone-- he adores the cats, who have gotten to where they will love on him, he adores the little dogs, and he worships his Daddy. He will never forgive me for giving him a bath, that first day, and when I run water in the bath tub, he is long gone... Sometimes, he still looks sad, and I know he is missing his first family-- never really sure that he is home, now, with us.
I think when a dog has been treated so badly, or a child has been treated so badly, something inside them never really heals. They are alwaysa little scaredthat the people they love the best will leave them. Tommy is my sweet boy, and I will never leave him. He pulls me up the steps, and sits beside me when I'm sick. I need him more than he will ever need me. As a token of my utmost affection, I even let him play with my rocks. Now, he doesn't know it, but THAT's love!
I don't know what kind of dog he is Dowser, but I do know that I'm so happy that you adopted him, or him you, and the family.
Wiki will play with toys and bones, since we rescued her at a very young age. Annie, doesn't know what a toy or bone is. She follows us everywhere, room to room, chair to chair. If we move, she moves. I'm sure that she is afraid that she will be left again.
So happy that Tommy is part of your family now Dowser.
Thank you, dear Kavika-- he has made our lives very bright!
Poor little Annie-- I don't think they ever get over it. It haunts them to the end of their days...
Tommy loves "tossing" rocks. He tosses them up in the air, and, of course, they land with a thud, and then he dances around, tail wagging... It's cute! But we have to be careful where we let him play!