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Pupforum presents your training questions answered by professional dog trainers.
Fran grew up teaching everything from chickens and goats to dogs and horses. These days, Fran works with DOG GONE IT rottweiler rescue, is registered with AKC as a Canine Good Citizen Evaluator and continues to train dogs in Las Vegas, Nevada. She also writes a canine question & answer column for a local news paper, The Hilltop & High Desert Shopper News.
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Fran Williams
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[Edit]
6/30/2005
As a puppy, Tucker was brought into a loving home where he felt wanted and loved. Then after 5 years he was cast out to the back yard - the reason? His loving parents were about to have a Blessed Event, a baby. While Tucker waited outside alone, day after day, wondering what was going on, time passed. The baby came and Tucker could hear strange sounds coming from within the house, but just what they were coming from, he had no idea. Finally, his people decided he no longer mattered so he was turned over to the Tehachapi Humane Society (at least he would not be killed).
I became his foster mom. He was very skinny, dull coated and on the brink of death when he came to us. It took almost a month to figure out what kind of a diet plan was needed to save his life so he could flurish. It was discovered a diet of rice & chicken worked and he grew in body and mind - all was well with the world.
He was put up for adoption with a healthy body & shining coat. A lady, looking for a dog who would be a companion to her deaf female dog, saw Tucker and the adoption took place. After almost 10 months of happiness, fate once again took a turn because his new owner made plans to leave the country. Once again, Tucker’s world was torn from him. Once again, through no fault of his own, he was turned back over to the Humane Society. At this time, his original owners were contacted with the hope that maybe their lives had settled enough that they would welcome Tucker back into their home & hearts. He was turned over to them and thrilled to be back with his mom & dad, however, there was a stranger in their midst, a stranger he had only heard and smelled through the door. Now, as he was being held in his momm
y’s arms, the baby now 2 approached, Tucker growled at this intrusion of this stranger. For this crime he was again banished, and put back up for adoption.
When he was returned to foster care my kennels were full, so he went to a strange foster home. And again, his world now a scary blur, he would give no more chances to a stranger and he left in one of the worst storms Tehachapi has known in years. He was alone, cold and left to try and understand what had he done wrong. Why didn’t they love him enough to try? Why was he alone, hungry and cold? For almost two months those of us that cared searched for him, our eyes filled with tears, our hearts filled with fear for what might happen to this kind loving soul, lost, alone and wandering. After two months, through the grace of GOD, he found the only home where he had ever felt safe. He found his people once again with the hope in his heart, maybe this time they would open that door and see the love - the loyalty – the longing in his heart for a chance to make things work. He was brought back to the Humane Society the next day.
It’s 5:00 AM and I spent the night tossing and turning waiting for daylight. Because tomorrow I pick him up and return him to my kennels to heal his body and once again put him up for adoption. I have cried through most of the night and my eyes are swollen, making it hard to write. We have 3 male dogs of our own so there is no room once again for Tucker. But somewhere, somehow, we will find the people he deserves, the home he can spend his life in, the dog that he can play with, the people who will not turn their back on him. I ask you, “What price must he pay for his loyalty?”
By Fran Williams Foster mom
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