She's Not Like Other Dogs

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve cried through Sarah McLachlan crooning "In the Arms of an Angel" while images of shivering puppies and dirty kittens pepper the screen. These animals did nothing to deserve the pain that they lived through and I am so thankful that there are organizations and volunteers dedicated to rescuing them.

I knew that I wanted to help and give a home to one of those dogs who needed a second shot at forever.

In 2012, I moved out of the city and bought my first house, a three-bedroom bungalow with a fully fenced-in backyard. My toy poodle and I deserved space to run and play, a sharp contrast from the apartment we lived in before. I grew up on a farm, but Brady was the first animal of mine that made a home in the house. He is a sweet, devilishly clever and spunky toy poodle that I bought from a registered breeder.

After Brady and I had settled in, the echoes in the empty house reinforced that it might be too big for just two of us. We got Dmitri, a Siberian kitten, as company for Brady during my long workdays. Fast forward a year and I added my boyfriend, Luc, to the mix. Shortly after that, his three daughters were living with us part-time, too.

You know how goldfish grow to be the size of their pond? My family is sort of like that.

I started searching for another dog to fit into our crazy family. Petfinder is an excellent resource for anyone looking to open their home to a rescue! I agonized over countless profiles, hunting for just the right dog.

Finally, I came across a photo of the sweetest toy poodle I'd ever seen. I filled out the application, crossed my fingers and waited.

Volunteer rescue organizations often have tremendously in-depth applications. They include questions about your home and schedule, your knowledge of dogs, your family and their experience with dogs. I had to provide character references, including one from a veterinarian. It was almost as much work to adopt a dog as it was to apply for a passport.

The rescue organization that had taken in Amber is called SPIN - Standard Poodles in Need (but they don’t discriminate on size or pure-bred’ness, they’ll help toys, minis and mixes, too!) Based in Canada, they have a foster network predominantly in Ontario but have expanded into other provinces. This wonderful group of people volunteers their time and homes simply because they have a shared love of poodles.

My application was received and accepted. That was only the first step! We were invited to a poodle party to meet a few of the pups currently up for adoption. A caveat of the application process was that we might not end up with the dog we applied for if SPIN felt another would be a better fit for our family.

I wasn't able to attend, but the girls and Luc went to meet the poodles and made quite the impression. Many rescues won't allow families with young children to adopt. The kids interacted appropriately with the dogs and of all the ones they met, SPIN felt that Amber might just be the right dog for us. Step two was successfully completed, on to step three - the home inspection.

The first time I met Amber was her visit to our home. The little golden poodle was so nervous and sweet, I was immediately enamoured. Brady thought she should play more and Dmitri, in typical cat fashion, was unimpressed. I remember Amber’s little tail was firmly pointed down and seemed stuck between her legs. At one point during the visit, she gave the tiniest, hesitant wag. That tentative tail wag erased any lingering doubts I might have harboured - Amber was meant for our family.

Luckily, SPIN agreed.

While I felt compelled to help out an animal in a situation that Sarah McLachlan showed me, the truth is a lot less romantic. Amber belonged to a breeder who reached out to SPIN for help. The breeder was suffering from depression and realized that she had too many dogs to take care of, it was overwhelming her. Amber wasn’t abused, she wasn’t part of a puppy mill, and while she was at risk of neglect it hadn’t reached that point.

Amber found herself in a situation where her forever home turned out to be less than ideal. When SPIN took her in, they made a commitment to ensure that she wouldn’t end up in a similar or worse setting. The rigorous process was put in place to ensure that these dogs truly find their forever home. Humane societies and volunteer organizations like SPIN exist to give these dogs a second chance, regardless of the circumstances that brought them there.

Amber isn’t like other dogs.

The breeder’s notes informed us that she was a good mom. They didn’t say that this little dog is the sweetest and best friend a person can have! Her little derpy face has been my constant companion for the last seven years, I am eternally grateful to SPIN.

The first night we had Amber at home, we were prepared to introduce her gradually. Sure, she’d met Brady and the cat during the home visit, but visiting territory and sharing territory are two very different things. Amber was crate trained, so we left her in a crate in our bedroom. That didn’t work. We relocated her to the bathroom. That also didn’t work. This anxious little dog cried, howled, scratched relentlessly and destroyed the bathroom door frame! We caved and let her in the bed with us. So much for gradual!

Amber is not at all possessive or even interested in toys. She easily shared everything with Brady and they quickly became inseparable friends. Amber is definitely the alpha dog, but sometimes she lets Brady think that he is.

As families sometimes do, ours expanded again. Amber became extremely protective of me during all of my pregnancies. She is normally my shadow, but while pregnant, this little dog was a near-constant in my presence. She loved the babies, too, up until they started trying to grab her fur.

We eventually stopped taking her to dog parks. Amber loves people. She loves all the people. Any time someone was sitting at a bench she would ask to be picked up. They seemed to think that she needed protection from the bigger dogs. She really didn’t, Amber has no tolerance for bullies. If no one was there to give in to her old lady-dog demands, she would tour the perimeter of the park, trotting along with her tail up like a little flag.

Amber has a special note on her file at the kennel she stays at while we’re away. She can climb chain link fences. Yes, you read that correctly. She is part dog and part monkey, there is no height that she can’t scale. Does she do it to escape her confines? No, this ridiculously sweet little dog just wants to be where the people are. Does your dog have a theme song?

That aptly sums up Amber - she just wants to be with the humans all the time. I can’t tell you how many nights I’ve woken up because a small dog was using my head as a pillow. When we’re at the table, she’s underneath a chair. The second there’s an available lap, Amber is in it, curled in a little ball. She is a queen, she demands pets and when they don’t come quickly enough, she will use her paw to bring your hand back to where it should be.

We’ve had Amber for over half of her life. She is the most loving dog and I feel truly lucky that we were given the chance to be her forever home. We wouldn’t have met her without the kindness and dedication of volunteers who give so much care to ensure that dogs are matched with their perfect families. It takes time and effort, but when the match is perfect, it’s worth all of it. Whatever the reasons that brought these dogs into shelters and foster homes, be it abuse or someone’s changed life circumstances, it truly doesn’t matter. What matters to them is the home that you can give.

Amber isn’t like other dogs, but no two dogs are alike. Having raised one dog from a puppy and adopted another as an adult, I can tell you that my bond is just as deep and poignant with both of them. Give a rescue a chance and you might just find the missing piece to your own family.

Amber's story is a happy one, but there are many dogs out there who aren't as fortunate. If you've enjoyed this story, please consider making a donation to SPIN or your local SPCA. Adoption fees cover most of the veterinary costs associated with each dog who finds a home, but there are always special cases that require emergency or intensive treatment. Every little bit helps!