'Diamonds in the Rough'

The area is suppose to be the local dumping ground for unwanted pets; a strip of 'bush road' near a busy highway. It was ten o'clock at night and raining; I was on the way home with a grumpy old Beagle nobody had wanted. Not a single person had looked at 'Peabody'!
He was running along the street and came right to me; both of us wet in seconds. He jumped in the car and I would later on find out that he can be very obedient and smart when it fits his mood.
Nobody reported him missing. The Schnauzer Rescues informed me that he was not pure bred and thus didn't have all the advantages only a, I'm sorry, perfect pure bred Schnauzer can have. "Sorry, we don't do Mixes!" Well.... Nope! I am keeping my mouth shut!
Jack isn't fond of too much attention of younger children, can hold a grudge like an elephant and started out chasing my cats. I wanted him out of my house, having had just lost a cat to a dog. But nobody wanted him except a guy who wanted to breed his Schnauzer mix, because every 'woman' should experience having 'children'. Holly shit! Has he ever looked at the euthanasia rate for his home State before?! You want your dog to raise a puppy, SAVE A PUPPY FROM DEATH ROW AND LET HER RAISE IT! I had him fixed within a week, despite having just spend a lot of money on my car again!
We continued to work around Jack's ...issues. He had to stay tight-out when they were out playing and I watched him around my cats. He got lose in the house once (we learned that he is as smart as a whistle and can open crates), but everybody 'survived'. I wanted to cry in relief! We kept looking for a home for him. A fellow rescuer had tried him, but her unfixed Pom wasn't fond of him and it didn't quite work out.
I don't know when it happened or what happened, but somehow he learned to get along with cats. I think it may have been that he met the wrong one in my house and was taught a bitter lesson about angry cats and the 'charm' of claws! My cats can be quite 'persuasive' when 'bordered'! grin
The first day he was allowed to run free within my 2.5 acres, he went in circles for half an hour. He was running crazy and everybody tried to chase him. But he was so fast in his happiness that he left them all soon panting and collapsed on the ground!

You don't know what freedom means to a domesticated wolf that has spend his life in 'prison'!

With the time and exercise outside he became a much happier dog. He still favors to lay in his quiet corner of my yard and watch the cars go by, rather than come inside. But he does great with those that love the 'Jackadorus', despite his questioned and spit on bloodlines.

He almost lost his home again, because I thought of him as a threat to my cats! But instead I met a dog that was smart and willing to learn anything to be with those he loves!

I wonder if his former owners knew how much he must have loved them and felt betrayed by them when they kicked him out! His loyalty and love is a special gift by a very special guy!

One day after long hours of maintaining the 'grounds' of a local rescue, I drove home through a cow-town (not my favorite place!) near where I lived. A big fluffy dog was running lose in the middle of an intersection and almost got hit three times in the few minutes I took to park the car and go after him.
I eventually caught him and managed to get both of us out of traffic. The County Shelter is a horrible place and only beaten by the next County over; which is even worse! I wasn't going to leave him there to die, being big, fluffy, grumpy as he was.
Bär turned out to be a rough case. He comes across as ferocious and I thought he would eat me when I pat his rear in approval. Little did I know that he is 90% intimidating hot air, but only 10% defensiveness/teeth towards strangers; men especially! And that he hates his rear messed with! Try brushing that big, furry mess he is! Oh Joy!
Nobody reported him missing; figures. The area is known for people to 'get rid of' what isn't wanted for the day! And nobody wanted him; not even the big sanctuaries like a certain TV show famous one. I was told multiple times to put him down. I was deploying soon, nobody wanted him, I had payed a sweet cat rescuer to watch my animals; she wasn't really familiar with dogs. Especially not with one like him! What to do!?
After trying and trying, I made the decision to have him put to sleep rather than let him die in a shelter. Nobody wanted to mess with him! I cried for days! This 80lbs big, fluffy, grumpy sounding Bär that would jump on you to 'hug' you, sounded so scary! Little did I know that his growl is a part of loving you, playing, communicating, arguing... Anything Bär says is that same 'growl'! Lots of hot air, even more Love!
He does dislike strangers and fears most men; but loves my teenage son more than anybody! A great guy, who's tattoos and motorcycle would put him in the 'rough guy' category (Main reason I dislike judging anybody by first impressions!), turned out to be the Harley Davidson Dog Whisperer. Bär did scratch him with his tooth when he tried to scare him off and jumped up on him, sliding down, but this wonderful tough guy just waived it off. "He's a big pussycat!" He is! And I will be eternally grateful to you, Kevin, for helping me out with Bär! You are my prime example that there are many more good people between those society sometimes frowns upon than 'suits'! Just look at the great things the boys from Rescue Ink do!
I am a Sucker! And I am a German that will try harder when told I can't do something. His living conditions weren't what I wanted for him, since I couldn't put him with my dogs and didn't trust him around my children. So I begged and bought a few dog runs together. By the time I was done he had a 20x20 dog run in my front yard, weighted down to prevent digging and covered on top to prevent climbing. His 'High Risk' kennel would have held my Pitties.... or not!
The Cat lady, while I was in training, gave me the first hint of his true personality! "He's just a snuggle bug!" "?" He was! And while she did abandone my house much sooner than we had aggreed on and I had paid her for, costing me a lot of chaos and the loss of one of my Finches, his and my relationship changed!
We learned that he dislikes strangers and especially men, but loved my Oldest and his chaotic friends with all the Love only a dog is capable of. He hates his rear messed with and fixing him wasn't the easiest thing I ever did. But he mellowed down so much and finally gained weight! ONE BIG REASON YOU SHOULD FIX YOUR ANIMALS! This rather grumpy guy became a big love bug and great to have around. And while I wouldn't put him inside a house, including because he really prefers the outdoors and would eat any cat or other small creature, he is a valued member of my family.
Bär is very loyal to those he loves. He doesn't necessarily have to be Alpha in my pack, but they learned to see him as another 'Silverback'. He eats like a hawk and makes sure you remember that he is first in line to eat. He gets along with most of those at my house, but does like to cause ruckus with his 'neighbors'. Just for fun and to get my attention! grunt

I keep thinking about how I had almost put him down for who he is! He was unwanted and I wasn't suppose to be there. But God somehow prevented me from deploying and saved his life. And in the end a little patience and understanding and I got to see the true Bär. It would have been a shame if he would have been lost!

Too many dogs are judged in the first Seconds and tossed aside! I could tell you of many I met that started out ...rough... and turned out to be beautiful creatures. But too many people are superficial! One look decides over life or death!

I am glad I looked again!