This is Halston. She's 13 years old. She came into our lives from the Seeing Eye school for the Blind. She was supposed to be a seeing eye dog. We were puppy raisers. Halston lived with us from 6 weeks to 18 months. Then the Seeing Eye sent a van to pick her up. There wasn't a dry eye in the house. When you raise a dog for the Blind you have to write a report that goes back with the dog. In Halston's report I said she seemed afraid of loud noises. Fireworks, thunder, parades and anything else that goes boom.
A week after she went back to the Blind school they called and said she failed school. After reading my report they took her out in traffic to see how she would do in a busy area. Halston failed. It was too noisey for her delicate little ears. So we got her back.
Happy Day!
The whole time we had Halston we also had Lokie, a Sheltie, a year older than Halston. They were best friends and often cuddled together, bathed each other and romped in the yard together.
When she was about 8 Lani came to live with us. Lani was a greyhound mix.
Last November we lost Lokie. She passed on to the rainbow bridge.
Last month Lani moved to Florida with my daughter.
Now, for the first time in her life, Halston is an only dog. :(
We're thinking of getting her a friend. Go to the shelter and let her pick out another dog. Probably an older, couch potato like her.
What do you think? Good idea?
6 comments:
Just don't get a dog that is too old. If you think it's hard losing one dog, it's even harder losing two in two weeks. Just speaking from experience. But getting a friend is always a good idea, and I'm sure the doggie would love a home (the future doggie you pick out at a shelter)!
Yes, definitely! I know puppies aren't the best dogs to adopt, but they tend to liven up elderly dogs, give them a little pep. Usually. At least, that's what I hear.
Maybe they feel like they're grandparents!
SJDuvall-Good point. Once I lost a dog and two cats within a two month period. It was awful. In the past year we lost Loki right before Christmas and then our cat, Inky a few months later. Its so hard. Maybe I should look at younger dogs.
Spy,
I was at the shelter yesterday and it just about broke my heart. They came to the edge of the pens trembling and looking at me with those soulful eyes. I wanted to help every single one!
I'm not sure how Halston will do as a grandparent. She's such a big goofball.
You might like Koontz's "The Darkest evening of the year." Definitely a book for dog lovers.
What a beautiful face! I, too, have an inability to function in noisy traffic. I just get overwhelmed. It's a lovely thing to adopt an older dog.
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