BY JANET McAFEE
We named this beautiful dog Breezy when Loving All Animals rescued her from the San Bernardino County Shelter at Devore. She came to the shelter as a stray dog brought in by animal control, but no one came looking for her. There was no information on her past. We could only promise the young dog a brighter future, one that included a home where humans would love and treasure her for the unique and brilliant dog she is.
Breezy appeared to be a blend of Golden Retriever, Shepherd and maybe Kelpie. With golden eyes that mesmerize and look deep into your soul, she wanted nothing more than to be someone’s faithful companion. Large breed dogs like Breezy are incredibly smart, easy to train, love to learn new things, and are often sought out to perform life-saving tasks in law enforcement and the military. This dog was an amazing student in Tabitha Davies’ dog training class, however, we also learned that she didn’t always get along with other dogs. Both Tabitha and dog trainer Lauren Blachley who assessed Breezy concurred she would do best in an only-dog home.
At 60 pounds and between one and two years of age, Breezy is a giant puppy with high energy. With most Coachella Valley adopters seeking small and often calm canines, Breezy’s wait for a home took a while. However, sometimes the best things come to those who wait.
On November 9, 2017, Breezy became Buffy when Terpsichore Duncan adopted her. Youthful, confident, and experienced with large dogs, Terpsichore proved to be the right match for Buffy, and the two immediately formed an amazing bond. Buffy still makes a unique clicking sound with her mouth and teeth that was observed in her foster home. However, she seems to “click” the most when she’s happy and excited, especially when she greets the arrival of her human.
Buffy has a special squeaky toy, a Star Wars storm trooper, and she runs around the house carrying it, gently squeezing it to get attention. She goes on nightly walks, and does well meeting the dogs in her neighborhood. Some evenings, she thinks she is a tiny dog, suddenly crawling up on Terpsichore’s lap to cuddle.
An advocate of rescue dogs, Terpsichore states, “Buffy is doing great! I’ve only adopted from shelters or rescues. I don’t believe in going to breeders or pet stores because of the way the animals are often treated. Not only are they horribly treated in puppy mills, but they may be subjected to rough handling in pet stores, often from customers.”
Home for the holidays, Buffy spent Thanksgiving in her new home, and she looks forward to celebrating Christmas and the New Year. Many more animals languish in shelters this time of year, some discarded during holiday stress. Big dogs like Buffy have more of a challenge getting adopted from a shelter. This is a good season to foster or adopt a dog of any size, providing a warm home instead of a cold kennel.
Contact Loving All Animals at (760) 834-7000 or www.lovingallanimals.org for information about getting a rescue dog of any type, size or breed. Meet a large number of wonderful dogs and cats at our Riverside County Shelter, the Coachella Valley Animal Campus in Thousand Palms; view their website www.rcdas.org or call (760) 343-3644.
Buffy wishes you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2018 filled with the grateful love of a rescue dog.
Jmcafee7@verizon.net
