# The rest of my pack



## plumcrazy (Sep 11, 2009)

I recently acquired my first poodle (a red standard), but I don't want to ignore my other girls!

I managed a humane society in my hometown from 2000 until 2004 and during those years I adopted my first dog, Meika - a mini dachshund. Meika had a sad story (not unlike most of the other shelter residents) and she came to us at 11 months old, still in bandages from a surgery to amputate the toes on her left rear foot. The owners decided they didn't want to continue her recovery (she WAS a little bit of a drama queen!  ) so they surrendered her to the shelter. She was there for a few months without anyone expressing an interest in adopting her - meanwhile she sneaked her little self right into my heart!!

I adopted her in 2000 and in 2005 she was diagnosed with Canine Lupus. With proper treatment and medication you'd never have known she was sick! Then, in December of 2008 she was diagnosed with bladder cancer. The meds for the cancer couldn't be given along with her lupus meds, so the vets took her off the lupus ones and put her on cancer meds... That was the beginning of the end. I had to escort my beautiful girl to the rainbow bridge on May 14th, 2009. She will always be my heart puppy!!

In 2001 and 2002, respectively, I adopted Juliet - another mini dachsie and Hannah (her DNA test says she's Boxer, Cocker Spaniel, Great Pyrenees, Labrador, Miniature Poodle and Viszla) I love all of my girls (including my new Lucybug!!!) The pictures are (from left to right) Meika, Juliet and Hannah-banana...


----------



## Harley_chik (Nov 7, 2008)

What cute girls! I'm sorry to hear about your little Mieka, at least she had a great life w/ you.


----------



## plumcrazy (Sep 11, 2009)

Thanks, Harley! We often discussed what kind of life Meika may have had if she had been adopted by a "regular" family (one who wouldn't be prepared for all her health challenges) - she probably would've ended up back at a shelter... She's been gone over 5 months and I miss her every day! 

Here's one more picture of Hannah and Juliet's favorite sleeping position! It was taken with a cell phone so the quality isn't great - but this is how they sleep ALL THE TIME (except at night when they're both in bed with me and hubby!)


----------



## taxtell (Sep 17, 2009)

Your pack is adorable!



Sorry to hear about poor little Meika, and thank you for giving her a great life.


----------



## spoospirit (Mar 10, 2009)

_It is wonderful that you were able to give Meika such a wonderful, loving, caring home. I'm sorry for your loss.

Your pack is sweet. It's amazing what was found through the DNA test. A true mutt and much loved I'm sure!
_


----------



## WonderPup (Oct 26, 2008)

Awww  Glad your babies all got a wonderful loving home. Thats always something to smile about.


----------



## plumcrazy (Sep 11, 2009)

spoospirit said:


> _It's amazing what was found through the DNA test. A true mutt and much loved I'm sure!
> _


Hannah is truly unique - much loved and rightfully so. She is an EXCELLENT dog - and, like Meika, she was at the shelter for months without anyone taking an interest (although at the time she was overweight and not very visually attractive - to anyone but ME, that is!) She is now slender and much happier!

She was a pound rescue, meaning that animal control picked her up as a stray and no one ever came to claim her. This blows my mind because from the second we brought her home she has been the best behaved dog I've ever met! She refused to jump up on the furniture (until I assured her that, in my house, it was allowed and even encouraged - I like to snuggle with my dogs while I watch TV on the sofa and when I'm in bed!) She was totally housetrained and was already spayed (the vet guessed she was about 3 years old when the shelter acquired her). She rarely barks - even when she's being tormented by the squirrels in the backyard, she'll just whine excitedly, but won't bark! I've had her for 7 years and I've heard her bark maybe about 20 times...

I can't understand why her former owners never claimed her from the pound. If she ever got lost from our home, I'd move heaven and earth to find her! That's the other interesting thing - I can let her off leash in an unfenced area and she'll never stray more than 20 feet from me and if I just speak her name quietly, she'll be at my side in an instant - I can't even figure out how she got lost in the first place!!

Sorry this is so long - can you tell I love my dogs??  I watch The Dog Whisperer and sometimes I'm disappointed that my dogs are so wonderful and well behaved because I'll never get to meet Cesar Milan! KIDDING!! 

I'm hoping Hannah can help our new spoo puppy become well balanced and happy with her place in the pack. So far, Lucy gets along with all of my dogs but it appears Hannah is more like a mother figure to her and the other two are playmates.

And as far as Hannah's heritage goes... it might have been interesting to see how the Great Pyrenees and Miniature Poodle got in the mix!  Hmmmmmm...


----------

