The Changing of the Guard Read online



  The Changing of the Guard

  A Tribute to Dachshund Fosters

  By

  New Mexico Dachshund Rescue

  Copyright © 2016 New Mexico Dachshund Rescue

  Table of Contents

  Foreword

  Chapter 1 – The First Rescue

  Chapter 2 – Puppy Messes

  Chapter 3 – Down with Bullies

  Chapter 4 – Recovering

  Chapter 5 – More Pain

  Chapter 6 – An Unexpected Twist

  Chapter 7 – Another Dachshund in the Mix

  Chapter 8 – Another Home

  Chapter 9 – Country Living

  Chapter 10 – The Last Laugh

  Foreword

  Most people involved in the Dachshund rescue process are volunteers who love the Dachshund breed. Executive board members oversee the rescuing operations, make decisions about which dogs they are able to rescue, about who will foster them and about who will adopt them. Administrators oversee administration and bookkeeping responsibilities. Transport volunteers help get the dogs from the shelters to fosters and from fosters to their adoptive families. There are foster volunteers, of course; without the fosters there would be no rescue operations. The dogs would remain in shelters at high risk for diseases and ultimately euthanasia as there simply is not enough room for all of them. The team efforts help to save and rescue as many Dachshunds as possible.

  When the team focuses only on the Dachshund, tremendous experience is gained through the years on how to find the best match between dogs up for adoption and potential adopters. Just like people, each dog in our care has its own unique personality. Placing the dogs in foster homes gives the team valuable insight into each dog’s personality. This is very helpful when it comes time to place a dog or help an adoptee select a dog. Since the team strives to make each adoption home a forever home, very few come back to them.

  Rescuing is not for the weak or faint-hearted. Although there is much satisfaction in being a rescue volunteer, there is often times much heartache. Through all of their best efforts, things happen. Bad things do happen to good fosters. And when they do, it is heartbreaking. When mistakes are made, the team learns from them and policies are set up to prevent the same mistakes from happening again. The flip side of all of this is…it is all worth it. Every time a rescued dog jumps with joy for getting out of the kennel, every time a rescued dog heaves a sigh because they are no longer hungry, scared or in pain, every time a rescued dog is carefully nurtured to prepare them for their adoptive family and every time the story has its own fairytale happy ending when the dogs get to their forever homes, the hearts of everyone involved overflow with joy.

  I would like to thank my team for their assistance with my books: Al Rosario, Illustrator; Jan Lawrence, editing; Lucinda Campbell, formatting, Heather Piedmont, marketing and Drew Simenson, reviewing.

  Proceeds from the sale of this book will benefit New Mexico Dachshund Rescue and Dachshund rescue in New Mexico.

  I dedicate this book to those who have committed to fostering Dachshunds.

  --Stella Dillenbeck on behalf of New Mexico Dachshund Rescue

  (Featuring the Dachshund Rescue Series by Stella Dillenbeck)

  Chapter 1 – The First Rescue

  Henry and Jaylee marveled at their good fortune to be able to rescue a 10-month old purebred Dachshund male from an abusive home. They had heard about him through the grapevine. Their 14 year-old dog had died a few months before. They were now ready for another one.

  It was a no-brainer for the parents in the home to find another home for the puppy. Pre-school children and small puppies generally do not mix; it certainly was not working well in their home. He was a black and tan miniature Dachshund and went right to Henry and Jaylee when they went to pick him up. They fell in love with him immediately as he hopped up into the car and into Mom’s lap. This was where he belonged, not with little kids hitting and kicking him and throwing things at him.

  Henry and Jaylee decided to call him Samson because he was so muscular. But the real reason for the name change was because they were determined to give him a fresh start. He could put his past behind him and have a new life with them. A new name was a good beginning.

  Samson was neutered and up to date on all of his shots; Henry and Jaylee were sure glad about that. They were relieved he was so young and that he had not endured many years of abuse from the kids. He was young enough to forget. He was trainable. Well, at least they thought he was until they tried to housebreak him. They would keep working with him. There was plenty of time. They would just have to be patient.

  Samson loved Henry and Jaylee so much. He felt rescued and his heart was full of gratefulness to his new Mom and Dad. He wanted so much to please them. But he was confused because he had spent so much time in the garage at his previous home. How could he know the parents were doing it for his benefit to keep him away from the kids? Their efforts to stop the kids from hitting and kicking him and throwing things at him did not work, so it was necessary to keep them separate. Here in his new home it was all different. He was family and he belonged in the house with them. They continued their patient attempts at housebreaking. He must learn that going in the house was not right; outside he must go. They would keep working with him no matter how long it took.

  But even as Henry said it, they began to wonder if Samson would ever be trained. It was partially a result of his prior abuse. But it was also his breeding; it was in his genes. It was partially stubbornness, so common to the breed. It was imperative they be both patient and consistent.

  Chapter 2 – Puppy Messes

  Samson was a typical Dachshund puppy. He was energetic and playful. When he was not eating or sleeping or playing he was chewing on anything and everything. He ate a heel out of one of Jaylee’s favorite shoes. He ate a toe out of one of Henry’s slippers. The house had to be puppy-proofed. All shoes had to go up on a rack out of reach of the puppy. They would find shredded Kleenex, paper towels and toilet paper everywhere. Those, too, had to be put out of reach of the puppy, as well as both bathroom doors needed to be shut at all times. He kept jumping up on the garbage can in the kitchen to knock it over. He would gnaw on anything and everything he could find in the garbage, edible or not. Jaylee sighed as she moved the garbage can to the garage. It was right off of the kitchen. But it would not be in a convenient, easy-to-reach place any more.

  In the yard Samson chewed on rocks, sticks, plants and garden hoses. When he was not sinking his teeth into anything he could get into, he was digging. He would dig in the grass. He would dig in the bark dust. He would dig in the garden. He would dig around the trees and the fence. His Dachshund breeding kicked in over and over again. Add in his puppy ways to this mix and it meant mess after mess to clean up. All of this tried their patience to a whole new level. But he would turn around and do something cute to make Henry and Jaylee laugh. He was a pro at this when he sensed they were not happy with him.

  He was also a messy eater. Henry and Jaylee kept his food dish in the kitchen where there was easy clean up on the tile floor. But cleaning up the messes every time he was fed was getting quite old. Jaylee arranged his food dishes in layers, so to speak; then the food would spill over into the next dish. Underneath she put a mat to catch the rest. That worked.

  Henry and Jaylee were not sure if it was outstanding parental skills on their part or if Samson was just growing up. But little by little he did grow up. Little by little the training kicked in. He would chew on the sticks and bones and toys he was given. He left Henry’s and Jaylee’s things alone. Most of all, by the time he was 2, they were able to declare him officially housebroken. With a sigh of relief they were able to relax about
the house being puppy-proofed.

  Chapter 3 – Down with Bullies

  Samson became a very happy, well adjusted young boy. He did not appear to have any adverse affect from his prior abuse as far as they could tell. That is until kids started walking through Henry’s and Jaylee’s yard. They had a corner lot and it was not fenced. Poor Samson would go nuts when he heard their voices out there. Adults could walk by with nary a response from Samson. Adults walking dogs could walk by. Cars could drive by. But if kids would walk by either on the sidewalk or cutting across their yard it would set him off. No, it was not okay for kids to walk by, so they had the yard fenced by a local contractor.

  Some of the neighborhood kids were downright scared of Samson and would take alternate routes to avoid him. But others actually got a charge of getting him all riled up. They would deliberately walk by when they saw him out in the yard. They would throw rocks at him over the fence. They would poke sticks at him through the fence. They would laugh at him and taunt him. Henry and Jaylee had to start going out with him at all times, not only for his protection, but for the kids’ protection. They were afraid one of them was going to get bit.

  Henry and Jaylee were deeply disturbed. Keeping the dog in the house took care of the dog, but it did not take care of the kids or their bullying tactics. They would taunt him by shouting loud enough for him to hear them and laugh when he barked. It was a little game for them to see who could make him bark the most. He would cry and claw at the front door to get out. This egged the kids on even more. Henry and Jaylee would go outside and ask them to go away. Because they did not know where the children lived Henry and Jaylee were tempted to follow them home. But, there were too many and they undoubtedly did not all live in the same house. Besides, there were lingering doubts it would help even if they were able to talk to any of the parents.

  One day things came to a head between Samson and the kids. Henry and Jaylee were not able to go out with him. The kids took bullying to a whole new level and threw tainted meat at him. It contained rat poison. Jaylee knew immediately something was up because he got quiet pretty suddenly. She dropped everything to take him to the vet. Samson was a very tough dog and put up a very brave fight, but the vet was not able to save him. Henry and Jaylee were devastated; they were inconsolable.

  Chapter 4 – Recovering

  Henry realized his wife was not going to be up to having another dog soon. Grief aside, they still lived in the same house, so there was a possibility any new dog they got would suffer the same fate. The dog-hating bullies still lived in the neighborhood somewhere. No, they could not take a chance on it happening again.

  The tears rolled down Henry’s and Jaylee’s faces. Not only were they dealing with Samson’s loss, but also with the reality they were not going to be able to rescue another Dachshund any time soon. Samson was their first rescue, but he would not be their last. They just had to wait patiently for the right timing.

  Jaylee keenly felt the void. She only worked part-time and was at home more often – at home where all of their memories of their beloved Samson were. The memories haunted her and the void was like one huge black hole in her heart. Would anything or anyone ever be able to take his place in her heart? Would time fill in the black hole?

  One evening there was a knock at the front door. It was their neighbor Kendall; she lived around the corner from them. They had rescued a 2 year-old female red Dachshund named Paige. They both worked full-time and wondered if Jaylee would consider checking on Paige each day when she got home from work. They were even willing to pay her. Of course she would do it.

  After work each day Jaylle would get Paige and take her for a walk. When they returned she would alternately play with the dog and hold her. Belly rubs were the order of the day. Paige just could not get enough of them. She could see that that little something in her that had died was coming to life again.

  Jaylee loved Paige so much. It was obvious the dog loved her, too. If only Paige could be hers. But she knew that was not going to happen. Paige belonged to them. She would continue her care for Paige. She would settle for being grateful the dog could be a part of her life part of the time. And she would patiently wait until the time was right for them to get another dog. Although the pain from Samson’s death was lessening thanks to Paige, the longing was still there. She would wait for “some day.”

  Jaylee saved the money she was getting for taking care of Paige. When the time did come for them to get another rescue dog, the money for the adoption fee would be there. The longer she cared for Paige, the more the pain from losing Samson subsided. Hopefully “some day” would be soon.

  Chapter 5 – More Pain

  There was a deepening bond between Paige and Jaylee. Each day Paige waited for her to get off work each day so they could be together; that way the dog could get out of the yard and have some human attention and interaction. Kendall and her husband were her neighbors and had become her friends, too. But she silently wondered about the decision to adopt her when they both worked full time and were not there for her. It just did not make sense. She shrugged it off. They probably justified it because she was there for the dog. Furthermore, she was glad they could afford to adopt Paige and care for her needs.

  One afternoon Jaylee was delayed due to an accident on the main highway from her office to the house. She was mortified when she pulled up in the driveway just in time to see Paige running down the street right straight for the main thoroughfare packed with traffic of commuters on their way home from work. Her calls and shouts fell on deaf ears. She ran as fast as she could to try to get the dog before she got out in the street, but the dog was faster. She was horrified as she watched a car hit the dog; Paige was killed instantly. The car did not even stop. She called Animal Control then proceeded to direct traffic around Paige. When there was a lull in traffic she bent over to pick up the dog, blood and all.

  Fortunately Jaylee was in shock. She numbly held the dog and petted her while she waited for Animal Control. Soon he was there taking her beloved Paige away forever. Now she had the added pain of telling the neighbors. The dog had dug a hole under their backyard fence and crawled out. The neighbors told her it was not her fault and she should not feel guilty, but she did. Man, this hurt. Everything about the whole ordeal hurt.

  The tears would not stop rolling. Jaylee had grief on top of guilt. She had guilt on top of grief. Regret was coupled with remorse. If only she had not been delayed because of the accident and gotten home at her normal time. If only she could have made her way to an alternate route to get home sooner. The pain was unbearable. She was consumed. The grief from Samson was still fresh and now Paige was gone also. She would have to tell her husband. That was not going to be easy either. The tears were going to roll for a very long time.

  Chapter 6 – An Unexpected Twist

  Death is not something you get over; it is something you get through. Together – somehow together – they would get through this. A reprieve from Dachshund rescuing was forced on them with the recent chain of events. But they were certain they would rescue again.

  Jaylee and Henry still had each other, the Lord’s comfort and their jobs to keep them busy. The grief was heavy on their hearts, though. But they looked forward to moving beyond the stages of grief. At the moment there was no more talk of “some day.”

  A trip to the local pet store turned out to be just what the doctor ordered. There was a Maine coon cat there in one of the cages. He meowed at Henry and Jaylee as they walked by, then he looked at them with this “take me home” look. He was neutered, up to date on all of his shots, was only 2 years old and was up for adoption. That really got their attention. The clerk rang up the adoption fee, the cat bed, the cat food, the cat toys, the litter box and the litter. Before they knew it they were on their way home with a cat and everything a cat could want or need.

  The next day Jalyee and Henry had to pinch themselves. They were not cat people; they were dog people. What had they done? Then they laughed a
nd set about coming up with a name. They settled on Willard which was shortened to Willie later. Willie was theirs. And, as everyone who has a cat knows, they were his – sort of.

  Willie was not very happy with them at first. But as he adjusted, he became a loving, affectionate cat who brightened their lives. Henry and Jaylee needed him. He purred very loudly when he was held and petted. He still had enough kitten in him to play with his toys. They were frequently entertained by his playful antics. They had done the right thing getting Willie.

  Willie was neutered, but still liked being outside. He liked to hunt, especially at the canal below; there were many mice and other small creatures nesting there. He would proudly hunt, catch his prey and drop them off at the front door. Jaylee came home from work many times to find Willie’s gifts at the front door. There were many rats and mice, many birds of various kinds, other small rodents and once there was even a bat. But almost every day there was some kind of display at the door. He had captured his prey and he wanted to make sure Mom and Dad knew it. What a show off! They would shake their heads and smile. He had taken mousing to a whole new level.

  Chapter 7 – Another Dachshund in the Mix

  Henry and Jaylee had not planned to change the guard so soon; it was thrust upon them. They only had Willie two months when the Dachshund Rescue Team called about fostering. They had a 2 year-old black and tan female. She was spayed, up to date on shots and a vet said she was healthy. Her name was Emma. She was a sweet little gal who was owner-surrendered. They were short on fosters. Could they please take her?