Love and Second Chances With a Rescue Dog

Dogs have given me some of the most profound moments of joy and sorrow. Only a month ago, I said a heartbreaking farewell to Wags, my companion of 16 years. In the last few years, he had done little except eat and sleep. The end came when he could no longer walk, and the vet suspected cancer.

My mum took our beloved pet to be euthanized.

As I live close to my mum, I got to see and interact with Wags most days. When we first took him home as a puppy, he was with another dog called Scally. They were instant best friends.

I have many wonderful memories of my beloved Wags. I remember when we took him into our garden for the first time, he looked confused as he’d never seen grass before.

Wags and Scally would play and rough house a lot. He used to like nibbling on my socks and I’d try to outrun him — unsuccessfully.

I’d be sitting at my computer, and I’d feel a kick in the chair behind me. Wags would be on his back, expecting belly tickles. I’d joke that he was a naughty boy, but he didn’t have a bad bone in his body. He was pure love.

The search for new hope.

The death of Wags meant my mum now lived alone, which she always hated. Within a few years, she’d lost her husband, mother, sister, and now dog.

One of the loneliest moments in a pet lover’s life is when you return home alone from the vet and have to tidy up your deceased pet’s toys. Each one is a reminder of the good times. At that moment of grief, every toy is a stab in the heart.

Within days, my mum’s house felt barren. It was missing laughter and warmth. When my mum would come home each day, there was no one there to greet her. She had a lot more spare time because there was no dog demanding several walks a day.

The walls were closing in. My mum is too old to train a puppy, but there are so many dogs out there desperate for a home. Within a short time, which felt like years, we couldn’t go without a dog any longer, so we contacted a rescue center. They never euthanize a healthy dog and had a special category of “underdog.” These were dogs with problems or needs that had deterred people from adopting them. Some were old, some had health issues, and others had traumatic pasts.

We weren’t supposed to be able to pick a dog. Instead, we had to fill in a form, and they would try to match us with a few choices. But my mum and I both spotted the same dog. A pomeranian/chihuahua called Thor.

The name was hilarious, and we noticed he’d had several owners in his short three years. Both sets of owners had returned him, and at some point, he may have been abused.

Thor was an underdog, and my mum was persistent, so they allowed us to visit. His trainer gave us all the bad news about him. He’s on doggy antidepressants to cope with separation anxiety, he guards his toys and food, and he’d bitten someone. After getting the worst part out of the way, it was time for a visit.

The trainer instructed a hands-off approach, keeping Thor on a lead while we passively observed.

We expected the worst. Perhaps he’d come in with a muzzle, barking and growling at us. Maybe he’d be terrified and hold back, shaking. This little dog had us both nervous.

Then we saw him. The reality couldn’t have been more different. When Thor bounced into the room, his strut and bright eyes immediately captured our hearts. He ate his snacks and played while looking at us from the corner of his eye. Eventually, he approached us for a quick sniff and backed away.

I don’t believe in love at first sight, but it didn’t take me long to fall in love with him. He strutted around like a little prince, and he had the most beautiful tail of any dog. I wanted to beckon him over and give him big hugs before whisking him away.

But I had to be patient and play by the rules. Thor needed time to love us as much as we did him.

The best birthday present.

We had five meetings with him, a couple of which were double visits to speed the process along. The trainers agreed we seemed a perfect fit for him, and my partner also came along when she could.

We started taking him on walks, and he started noticing and paying us more attention.

The fifth visit melted my heart and cemented my love for this little dog. By now, he could walk around the hall without a lead. We were sitting on a sofa, and his trainer was sitting opposite. Without encouragement, he jumped up to us, and my mum and I spent 30 minutes with him, giving him lots of hugs.

It was like he knew he was going to a good place and could tell how much we wanted him. After many licks and hugs, the trainer said, “I thought it would go well, but I didn’t expect it to go THAT well.”

There was one more stage to complete — a home visit. The trainer said that if it went well, she could leave him with us.

My birthday was June 4th. My mum’s was June 10th. Thor came to stay on June 6th. He was the best birthday present we could have wished for.

Thor in his new home.

Upon Thor’s arrival, he ran around the house and garden, checking everything out. He’d spent so long in a kennel that he didn’t know real comfort.

His trainers were happy with his new home and left him with us. Transforming a dog’s life must be challenging but rewarding, but then you must say goodbye.

Thor has so much energy that he spends most of the day playing with toys and charging around the garden. He also goes on two long walks each day. It’s hard to imagine keeping him locked up except for an hour or two each day.

Thor is used to being abandoned, so he stuck to my mum like glue. Even when she showered, he would be waiting on the other side of the glass. He began to like spending time with me, and my mum has never seen me visit as much as I do now. Thor likes to cuddle into me and have me stroke his belly while he sleeps. Then it’s playtime, and we play tug-of-war and fetch.

The things the trainer warned about haven’t materialized. They were part of his kennel life.

They told us he needed a crate to retreat to when things got too much — he’s never used it because Thor now has his own room with a bed.

They told us he guarded his toys — not anymore.

They told us to give him space and that he doesn’t like too much fuss. The hairs all over my clothes tell a different story.

Thor isn’t allowed to be around other dogs and needs a house without many visitors and no children. As long as he lives within those parameters, he will thrive.

It all comes down to one simple fact — Thor is now in his forever home, and the kennel life no longer applies.

What Thor has done for me.

Thor’s presence has brought laughter back into our home and given my mum a new lease on life. I can’t go longer than a few hours without looking at some of his photos and laughing at what a naughty boy he is.

I already feel love for him that I’ve never felt for other dogs. He was meant for us. It melts my heart that he accepts me, as he doesn’t seem to like men in general.

We will now spend the rest of Thor’s life treating him like a prince. He’ll never be hurt or scared again and have the best life a dog could wish for. It’s hard to believe we’ve only had him for a week when we look at how well he has settled.

Most of all, Thor brightens even the darkest day. We look forward to many more joyous years with our fluffy bundle of love, knowing he will never be hurt or scared again.

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