Rescue Repaid In Full

   

My two Rescue Dogs in all their goofy glory

      So several years ago, my wife and I adopted two wonderful dogs from a friend who worked with a local Animal Rescue group.  She had told my wife that the dogs had been horribly abused as puppies so they were constantly terrified of everything around them.  Because of this fear, people didn't want to adopt them because people wanted dogs that played with them and interacted with them, not cringe in their kennels in terror.  I love dogs and have a huge fenced in back yard, so I told my wife that there was no way I'd let an animal be put down just because it was justifiably terrified.  So a few days later we adopted a big, beautiful Black Labrador Mix named Trellis.  A short time later, we adopted Trina because my wife felt like Trellis needed a playmate.
     What followed was easily some of the most frustrating times in my life.  These two large, beautiful dogs were so terrified of everything that they wouldn't let me or anyone near them.  For a long time, they wouldn't even come out of the old dog run except to snatch bites to eat.  If they were sick or needed shots, we had to literally run them down and corner them, then drag them to the car to go the vets.  I had these two amazing animals and I couldn't interact with them.  There were several times when I just wanted to give up.
     Finally, after several long years, they started to accept me.  They'd come out of their dog run and wag their tails at me when I was in the yard and even follow me around at a distance when I was doing yard work.  Within the last year or so, Trina (The one with the dead stuffed animal in her mouth) has actually started coming up to me on a regular basis and let pet her.  Trellis is still a little skittish, but she occasionally sneaks up and let me pet her for a few seconds before running off again.
     So like I said, it has been a long uphill battle and at times I wondered if it was worth it.  Until tonight.  About 3AM we were awakened by the sound of the dogs barking.  This is not unusual since they often chat with the other dogs in the area.  This time, their barking was different.  We had never heard them sound like that before.  It was fast and strident sounding like a cross between Afraid and Angry.  I figured it was just them barking at a cat or a possum on the roof, but my wife said, "There must be someone back there." (Backyard)  So I got up to take a look to reassure her and immediately heard male voices in our backyard where NO ONE should be this time of night.  I saw two figures cross in front of the back porch light carrying something.
     So I immediately called the police and a very nice Officer Sharp was dispatched.  When we checked out the back yard we found the gate had been opened and the shed had been opened.  Someone had gone through my tool boxes and left the light on.  The Officer made sure that whomever it was had gone and said that she'd drive through the neighborhood a few times.
     If Trellis and Trina hadn't barked and made so much noise, my wife and I would have continued sleeping.  God only knows what the two invaders might have done.  We live in a fairly large house and they could have easily broken into the back or the mudroom area and been in the house before we could do anything.
    So in one night, T&T have repaid all of the frustration and hard work I spent on them and the kindness I gave years ago when I let them into my life.  I am definitely buying them special treats in the morning.

Brew long and prosper