Rescued Dogs, Books and High Heels

Danny spent the first 10 months of his life hooked to a dog house on a chain so short he could barely get out to do his business. Then he was rescued by a local animal shelter, New Leash On Life. A coworker had recently lost her dog, so I suggested she look there for her next pet.

Danny was too large for her, but she told me how adorable he was. So he came to live with us. He is a tricolor Harrier; larger than a beagle, and smaller than a foxhound. Compared to the 3 chihuahua mixes, and the Pomeranian mix, he looked huge! The first night he spent in a crate in the kitchen. He never made a peep. The second night we let him sleep on a dog bed in the bedroom. He never moved off the bed all night. We thought he was so well behaved!

He quickly got over his shyness, going on to chew a record number of shoes. Heels, flats, running shoes, sandals, he didn't discriminate. I ended up tying my running shoes together and throwing them over the top of a door. Chair buttons, scarves, pillows, socks, all fell victim to the cute boy with the sad hound eyes. Laying his head over the side of his chair, he would look so laid back. And in some ways he is. But leave the room, and you'd never know what would fall victim to his chewing. Pens don't last long, and he is forever dragging the blanket out of his crate, so he can chew holes in it.

After he got a bit older, he began running with me. He can run 5 miles with no problem. The neighbors call him my tow motor. The worst part is that they think we're walking.

Danny loves his life now. He leaps over the small dogs to get into the house, and tears back and forth, up and down the hallway, down the stairs into the livingroom, and back up. He also loves chasing the cats in the morning. It's one of the few times he barks. He has a very low, throaty bark. He will stand in front of one of them, who is usually sitting on a dining room chair, and just bark. He doesn't touch them. They pretend to object, but never go to where he can't get them.

Recently one of my oldest dogs, Dodger, another rescue, who is 18 and blind, got into a fight. He required stitches, lost a tooth, and has a rip on his eye. Poor Danny was more traumatized than Dodger! Even though he was in a crate when it happened, Danny got a small tear on his neck. Since then he watches Dodger. He goes up to him and sniffs him, making sure he's alright. He also follows him around the dog yard, ensuring he finds his way back to the porch.

I work in a library, and read a lot. One author, Carolyn Haines, had her dog with her in the book jacket photos. The dog was also a character in her books. Last year, she mentioned she had lost her real-life Sweetie Pie. I emailed condolences, and she wrote back the same day, a nice, long, chatty letter. We commiserated on the status of too many animals who are neglected or worse, and what should be done to the perpetrators. She has 21 animals and I have over 35 between the cats in the barn, and the 7 dogs, 6 cats and 2 goldfish in the house. It can be chaotic, especially if they think someone is at the door. It's the little ones who start it. But every one of them knows they are loved. All but one are rescues.

This year I had to take my turn doing a book discussion at the library. I of course chose my favorite author. For the publicity shot, Danny and I sat together. He is very photogenic, but it was difficult to get him to stop running long enough to take it. When it was in the paper, I emailed the link for the online article to Carolyn. She thought Danny was so cute she is putting him in her next book! Bone Appétit will be out in 2010. Danny plays the love interest for Sweetie Pie.

So now New Leash On Life has a famous dog, I have a famous dog, and Carolyn Haines and I are friends. Danny celebrated by eating my favorite, most comfortable, expensive, Franco Sarto heels.