|
 |
 |
| Name: |
Scout
|
Age: |
One year old
|
| Gender: |
Male |
Breed: |
Rat Terrier |
| Home: |
Clover, South Carolina, USA |
This
is my precious baby, Scout. I found Scout off an online breeder who
claimed to have healthy puppies and use humane breeding practices.
When we got there (after a 2 1/2 hour drive), we were shocked. It was
just a puppy mill! They had rows upon rows of puppies in cages and it
smelled terrible. 99% of the dogs were younger than six weeks old, but
there was one dog there, my Scout, who was five months old and had
evidently been just forgotten. He stood on his hind legs and peeked out
of his crate while I was looking at the rest of the new pups. When we
all walked around to another part of the room, he climbed out and came
around to us. Of course he was scolded by the owners. It was then that I
decided this dog had to come home with me!
Our first week home was terrible. Scout had absolutely no social skills
whatsoever. His feet had never touched the ground outside. He had never
seen sunshine or other people. He didn't even know how to drink out of a
bowl. They had been feeding him from a self-feeding "trough" and
watering him with something like I had only seen in hamster cages. The
pads on his little paws were pink and irritated from sitting on wire
24/7. He was afraid of his own shadow! He didn't bark, wag his tail or
even act like a dog. Our vet checked him out and we learned that he had
demodectic mange, which, luckily, was treatable.
It has taken us seven long months, but now Scout is the master of our home.
His has three cat brothers and sisters and he plays with them and even herds
them around the house. He has a toy box full of toys, lots of chew
bones, hooves and his favorite toy, Froggie! If I am even three minutes late
in the morning with his Beggin' Strip, he lets me know about it! We live
near a great dog place called Barbara's Canine Cafe in Pineville, NC. On
Scout's first birthday, 5/18/04, we got him a cake from Barbara's and
had a little party. He just loved it. He is now very happy and very
loved. I have managed to house train him without ever even so much as a
harsh word. He is so smart and animated now! He is definitely the boss
of the house!
The first five months of his life were a living hell! Now his lives like
the little king that he is to me and my husband!
|
|
|
|
|
