Every ending is a new beginning

When I posted the photos and asked for help for the blind puppy, Speck, a couple weeks ago, I had hoped someone somewhere would know someone somewhere and maybe just maybe Speck could be saved. Wow, the you did not disappoint. Some folks linked to the post and some copied the post to their sites. A friend of mine who lives in Calgary copied the post into an email and sent the word out to her friends and company contacts back here in Houston. In turn, they told their friends, and they told their friends. If you remember that old Breck commercial -- and she told two friends, and she told two friends -- then you know how it worked and you know how many emails I was suddenly getting from people who wanted to help. I never thought I'd be in a position to choose who would be best for Speck, but one woman in particular really knew her stuff about handicapped dogs -- as opposed to being generous enough to take him, which is great but more than a home, he needed to be taught how to live with his handicap -- and after speaking with her on the phone, I knew she was the one who was going to turn Speck's life around.

On Sunday, I met with this woman, a devoted handicapped dog rescuer named Carrie. It was awesome to watch Carrie interact with Speck, to watch her apply her knowledge of working with blind dogs, and to listen to her explain how Speck would be treated, trained, and live. I learned how she says the word, touch, before she touches a blind dog so that he'll grow to associate the word with the feeling of being touched and not be surprised by sudden hands upon him. I learned that he will be provided a scent that is for him, for his bed, for his toys, etc. And I learned that there will come a day when even though blind, Speck will chase after and return a ball because that ball will be recognizable to him as his own, due to the scent. Speck will get to be a dog, in other words, and not only will he be able to learn and gain confidence, he'll be able to play. All dogs should have play time and as I watched him in her arms, his nose stiffing the new scents and paws feeling through the air, I was happy just thinking about him being able to chase a ball.

Carrie wrote me last night and gave me a Speck update. When she got him home and introduced him to her Aussies, one of them immediately took to him as her own and Speck was responsive and comforted by that dog's attention. Speck had devoured his dinner and was thrilled with a Kong toy with peanut butter inside. He'd had a big day and, as she was writing, she said that the he was curled up with the Aussie female on the older dog's bed, sound asleep.

A broad heartfelt thank you to each of you for spreading the word about this puppy in need. We did it!