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Gara Doll's avatar

Thank you for this post, Terrell. I can relate on all points. Marley and Me...a movie I will always be happy to watch again...for so many reasons.

I understand too about the political conversation between family. It's very difficult at this time as issues have us polarized to opposing extremes!

The touch of a pet in a family can have that bonding love experience when issues have become issues. Our grandson adores our lab, Diesel, and as a 16 year old kid who has known Diesel most of his life...it's such a blessing to see them together. We send Diesel in to wake him up when he spends the night..it's adorable ...Blake wakes up and hugs him all groggy like.🐕🥰.

Anyway, Terrell..always a pleasant surprise to read your blogs. Thank you for your heart and friendship.

Gara

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Terrell Johnson's avatar

Thank you so much, Gara! I bet Diesel is an AMAZING dog. What kind of lab is he?

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Gara Doll's avatar

A yellow " blockhead"..Once, he cracked the windshield in the front seat of our truck on a quick stop..and he didn't even wince!!!🤪He has our hearts...💙💙💙💙💙💙💙🐕🐕

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Elizabeth Marro's avatar

I loved every word of this. A dog who has known only kindness is a special being for all the reasons you've given here. As I read, I teared up, thinking of my dog who died suddenly last December and how much she gave us just by being herself in the 3+ years she lived on this earth. Only days before she died, she instinctively went to my husband when he was grappling with the news of his daughter's serious illness. She did what no words could. We both miss her so much that it is hard to imagine another dog sometimes. But I want to want another dog. I know the difference a dog makes. Reading this made the thought of starting over again more hopeful and more possible. Thank you.

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Terrell Johnson's avatar

Thank you, Betsy! That means so much, more than you know 😀

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Michelle Tenzyk's avatar

Made my day Terrell - here is to Twix and our Zoey, a Bernese Mountain Dog. They just seem to make everything, and I mean everything, ok!

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Terrell Johnson's avatar

Thank you so much, Michelle! I know exactly what you mean!

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Tracy Babcock's avatar

Thanks, Terrell. I loved reading about Twix and seeing her picture. I’ve mentioned before that I am a teacher - I’m also a lover of dogs and have had three Golden Retrievers who have given my family and I more love than you can imagine. My most special girl, Daisy, was the most intuitive dog I’ve ever owned. She knew when someone needed her and, like Twix, silently supported them. A friend who was visiting and was very sick and trying not to show it had Daisy at her side the entire night. I nearly died in 2010 and she never left me. When she died suddenly (of cancer at age 10) I was filled with grief and a need to honor her. I created a “Daisy Award” that my students can give to one another when a friend needs to be lifted up and supported or when someone does something “Daisy-like”. They give them weekly and we read them. I tell them the story of why she was special. I think it honors her to help my 10 year olds learn to spread love and kindness. Dogs ❤️

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Terrell Johnson's avatar

That is so incredibly touching, Tracy. What an amazing tribute to Daisy!! I think our dogs can sense a LOT more than we realize, as it seems clear from your story about your friend. Just wow.

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Steve Leitschuh's avatar

My wife and I have been members of United Yorkie Rescue for almost 10 years. We just adopted out a female puppy tri-pod last week... it was our 95th foster.

We've taken in so many abused dogs it would make even the strongest person cry. We've seen them beaten almost to death, shot and even thrown from a car on the highway. In all this time, we've only not been able to save but two.

People ask us how can we give them up after nursing them back to health...wouldn't we want to keep them? We've adopted two that would have been put down. JoJo can be mean as a snake and had a bad habit of biting and Scotty was born without a butt hole. It took our Vet two surgeries to give him one that actually works. He may drop a piece of poop on the floor once a while but to put down a beautiful puppy wasn't an option .

The worse case was a 4 month old female puppy that was turned in on New Years Eve that had Parvo. She got down to less than two pounds when we had to feed her with a syringe.

It's almost harder to adopt a kid than a dog from Yorkie Rescue. We do a vet check, call four of their references and do an in person inspection of their house and yard. It's all about the dog!

We don't want to have a dog go through it a second time..

Animals aren't toys or play things... even though I've looked for the on button on a few TINY Yorkie's that I was sure they were toys.. The greatest joy is to see a rescue in a new home and all the love they're giving them...No dog or person deserves to be abused. They just want to be loved and wanted.

Sorry about the length but we're passionate about what we do.

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Terrell Johnson's avatar

Steve, I can’t begin to express to you how moved I am by what you wrote. The generosity of spirit, and the time and effort it has surely taken all these years to care for 95 dogs who we’re probably down to their last lives before you came along, it really does bring me to tears. Guardian angels walk among us and you are one of them, my friend.

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Catherine's avatar

Y’all are angels

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rneverette@gmail.com's avatar

I'm with you Steve, we worked with dachshund rescue groups for years, were actually foster home coordinators for a few. You're right in that the hoops that we make adopters go through is very stringent. Those that have nothing to hide, and have read the horror stories of the starts to these babies, usually understand the "why" we do what we do. My children were trained to do home visits for potential adopters in their cities that they lived in. One daughter participates in transports frequently in and around St Louis area. My husband keeps a running total of those that made it to rescue through transports, last year alone was well over 100 dogs, puppies, cats/kittens, and a couple of rabbits. (I think rescuers are just wired a bit differently) It's great to see so many runners that have love of rescue dogs. Maybe a new theme, Terrell. How many have rescue dogs that have learned to be runner companions? (Yorkies might be in a backpack or a stroller) :-)

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LarryH's avatar

Great post Terrell. It reminds me of the 'Wag More, Bark Less' bumper sticker I keep seeing (and forget to buy for my own ride).

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Terrell Johnson's avatar

Love that, Larry!

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Kel B.'s avatar

omg my eyes are watering!

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Kara Kennedy's avatar

Beautiful, touching post Terrell. I feel all of this and more about my King Charles Cavalier mix, Casey, who we rescued from a kill shelter 8 years ago. We’re considering getting another as our nest empties with the second of our three kids heading off to college in August. Our dogs have the capacity to cultivate the seed of virtue inside us, which is evident through the stories shared here.

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Dave Weinstock's avatar

This left us in tears … animals DO love us humans!

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Terrell Johnson's avatar

They do!! ❤️

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Daryl Beatty's avatar

Terrell, wish you the best on your time off, and thanks for avoiding falling into the political trap here on your blog. We have plenty of other places to go for that. Even many companies are going off the rails and away from what they are in business to do, and in so doing alienating half their customers.

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Terrell Johnson's avatar

Thank you, Daryl!! Good to hear from you, my friend 👍

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Brian Pillsbury's avatar

Welcome back brother. I missed you. The world would be a better place if everyone had a Twix.

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Terrell Johnson's avatar

You have no idea how much it warms my heart to hear that -- right back at you, Brian!

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Danny Magro's avatar

Thanks for sharing. I lost my mixed breed lab two months ago. I still look for him when I get up in the morning. I miss my hugs.

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William Lamont's avatar

GREAT, GREAT heartful experience. Well said.

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Catherine's avatar

Nothing like a rescue! When I was struggling with infertility, I impulsively adopted a one year old Pit that was scheduled to be euthanized the following day. We didn’t have room for her- We already had 3 senior dogs and lived in a small condo. Seven years later, I can’t imagine life without her! She’s the best dog we’ve ever had

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Diane's avatar

Your thoughts and spirit really resonate with me. I recently lost a dog who meant the world to me...thank you for cheering me up today. ❤️

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Terrell Johnson's avatar

I'm so sorry to hear that, Diane! My heart goes out to you ❤️

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Maria's avatar

I haven’t had a dog for many years now, since our last one, a Chihuahua named Chiquito that I call Weeto, passed away at age 14. I still miss him.

One of my fondest memories was the way he greeted me when I came home. Whether I had been gone 10 minutes to the store, or 13 hours at work, his reaction was the same. He would be at the door when I opened it falling to pieces with joy, as though it had been years since I left. I would often ask my husband why he didn’t greet me the same way and we would both laugh imagining it. But, I guess that’s what makes dogs so special. They love, they show it, and it never gets old for them.

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