Whew quite a story this one. Rich and I had just moved into our own house and we headed the pet store to pick up some cat food. There, we saw a siberian huskey pup and I was smitten. Rich prodded me along because we had promised that if we were to get a dog, we'd go to the pound. Reluctantly, I agreed.
Next day, found us at the pound. We walked by a large number of amazing dogs (go to the pound if you're thinking about getting an animal. They have lots of incredible ones who all need homes so badly) and passed a smallish huskey. She was incredibly friendly and happy to see us. Rich fell in love in one glance. I kept walking and saw this amazing awe-inspiring creature stand up and look at me with quiet brown eyes. She was big for a huskey but that's what her tag said, and she made no noise whatsoever. We took both dogs out and the smaller huskey ran and played with Rich and the larger dog simply went to the gate that led to the parking lot and sat down looking at us and periodically straining at her leash to get out into the lot. We both knew Rich would be with the new dog more than I would so we applied for the smaller huskey (whom we had already started calling Rogue after the character in the X-Men.) Athena, the larger huskey we left behind.
For four days, while the humane society did their check on us, I could not eat because my stomach hurt so badly. Finally, I declared to Rich that we had to go back and apply for the other dog. I knew she was the one we had to have. "but she's not really friendly," he protested, "you saw that all she did was go to the gate and wait to leave." (Well sure, she knew she was meanto to be with us so of course she sat by the gate, you know, "Mo-om, da-ad, you're late. What took you so long?") So we changed the application to "Athena" as I had dubbed her, and I made the woman who was to do the site visit come at 10:00 o'clock at night so that I could get the dog sooner. Athena came home with us and settled right in.
Oh and when we took her to the vet, I asked that she be tested for heart worm despite the fact that was listed as negative. "Oh, she looks so healthy, I'm sure she's negative and we can start her on the preventative," the vet said. "Test my dog." "I'm sure we don't have to." "Test her." So, she was tested and so of course, she had heart worm. (Incidentally, had we started her on the preventative while she had the parasite in her heart, she would have died; I'm glad we got the test.) See more info on Athena (who BTW has gotten people with dog phobias over their phobias because she is so good with adults and children.)
Oh and one more thing, as soon as she got home she played and has played with Rich ever since. She had simply wanted to go home before she let down her guard.
She lived a long time. We got her as a young adult (roughly 2 or 3) and she lived for another 11 years. We had her put down at home, and she wanted to stay with Rich so much that the vet couldn't get her heart to stop. We knew it was time as she was infirm, but it was definitely one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. She was a treasure.
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