Greenbriar Animal Hospital

By Sandi Thompson

My family brought me home, cradled in their arms.
They cuddled me and smiled at me and said I was full of charm.
They played with me and laughed with me and showered me with toys.
I sure do love my family, especially the little girls and boys.
The children loved to feed me, they gave me special treats.
They even let me sleep with them all snuggled in the sheets.
I used to go for long walks, often several times a day.
They even fought to hold the leash, I’m very proud to say.
These are things I’ll never forget - cherished memories.
But I now live in the shelter, without my family.
They used to laugh and praise me when I played with that old shoe.
But I wasn’t taught the difference between old shoes and new.
The kids and I would grab a rag, for hours we would tug.
So I thought I did the right thing when I ‘tugged’ the bedroom rug.
They said that I was out of control, and banished me outside.
This I did not understand, although I really, really tried.
The walks stopped, one by one. They said they hadn’t time.
I wish that I could change things back. I wish I knew my crime.
My life became so lonely in the backyard, on a chain.
I barked and barked all day and night to try to keep me sane.
So they brought me to the shelter but were embarrassed to say why.
They said I caused an allergy, and then they all kissed me goodbye.
If I’d only had the training that I needed as a pup,
I wouldn’t have been so hard to handle when I was all grown up.
“You only have one day left,” I heard the shelter worker say.
Does this mean I get a second chance? Do I go home today?

Puppies are like children; they don’t learn life’s lessons on their own. They have to be taught, and this takes a large commitment. Invest time, effort, and money into training for your pup before he/she is 6 months old. Hire a trainer, have private lessons, go to classes, work on your own, or best of all, do several of these options. Also, if the training method you are using is not getting good results, try a different method, and please, ask us for help!

Make sure your puppy gets LOTS of exercise, especially if he/she is energetic, boisterous, or destructive. See our handout “Dogs and exercise”. Puppies can learn SIT at 6 to 8 weeks of age - so start small but don’t wait to start! Ask us for recommendations for local dog trainers & classes.

If you are considering rescuing a dog, you can help answer this poor dog’s forlorn and hopeful question “Do I go home today?” with a resounding YES. Work with your new dog every day, and let us know what we can do to help. Thank you for caring enough to rescue a dog!