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The White Shirt Gang: Pecos, Nizhoni Lucy, Belle Star, Crystal, Happy Girl and Randy Chapter 1 - Nizhoni Lucy and Belle Star, July 2000 Chapter 2 - Crystal, April 2001 Chapter 3 - Happy Girl, August 2001
Maybe if I hadn’t happened to observe her return to the shelter I could have gone away believing that this beautiful dog would surely be quickly adopted and live happily ever after. The reason given for her return was that she doesn’t bark. I looked at the friendly border collie and wondered how anyone who wanted a watchdog could possibly choose this one out of all the dogs in the shelter. I thought about the possibility that someone else would adopt her for the wrong reasons. Another failure, though no fault of her own, would likely mean her end. I took a closer look at her and saw that in addition to her looks I liked her personality. Friendly but not clinging, outgoing, energetic but not hyper. I named her Nizhoni Lucy. Nizhoni, in Navajo, means good or beautiful. And Lucy for “Lucy in sky with diamonds, the girl with kaleidoscope eyes”. For the first several months I regretted adopting her. She desperately wanted to play. Resident dogs, 15 year old Bro and 6 year old Pecos, wanted nothing to do with her and were generally upset by her presence. She had a constant need to chew. Although I kept her in her playpen when I couldn’t watch her, she could - under my eyes - switch from the appropriate chewy I had given her to the couch or carpet and do a lot of damage quickly. I understood that everytime she destroyed something it was my fault, not hers. She has no way of knowing what I want unless I take the time to teach her and meanwhile prevent her access to problems. I thought about what would have happened had she been adopted by someone who left her unattended in their house and then blamed her for the mess. Our fence wasn’t finished. Her need to run far exceeded what she could get on a leash with me. Her ability to slip through a partially open door earned her the nickname of Sneaky Snake. I (mis)interpreted these episodes as “running away”. Come when called? Not a chance. This was definitely the kind of dog who needs a fenced-in place to run. Although she’s friendly with everyone I felt she was no more “bonded” to us than anyone else who would come along. The people returning her did so as if returning a pair of shoes that didn’t fit. Neither they nor Nizhoni showed any sorrow in parting. In her first months here she wouldn’t have known that this time would be different. She was just a little over a year old then. Who knows how many places she had already been? Each time an adoption fails and a dog is returned they are a little more damaged, a little harder to adopt. By damaged I mean that they have had more negative experiences instead of the love and training they should be getting to develop into good dogs. Although I regretted having gotten Nizhoni there was no possibility I would return her. When I got her I made a commitment to do my best for her. Life improved dramatically when the fence was finished. Once she could go out and run she decided life in Corrales wasn’t going to be so bad after all. She loves the horses and the fence also meant she could spend time hanging out with them. Then, one day she stopped chewing. Maybe she outgrew it, but I like to think that it also was because she calmed down and was happier. Maybe if I hadn’t been there when someone brought in the puppy she found in a dumpster, maybe I would have thought this adorable puppy would go to Denver, as do most northern New Mexico puppies, where she would find a wonderful home and live happily ever after. I named her Belle Star, and so far have not experienced a moment of “puppy remorse”. When I brought her home the look on Nizhoni’s face was a treasure, “For me?!!!” Nizhoni’s life was complete. And although Bro and Pecos like Belle even less than Nizhoni, at least she serves the purpose of keeping Nizhoni occupied. Belle is adorable, but she chews, digs and does other things puppies do. She doesn’t do much harm with her little teeth, so I’ve got the chance to teach her “right from wrong” now. I see so many dogs brought into the shelters because they are “destructive”. Someone adopts a beautiful puppy, puts it in the yard and does nothing for a year. Then they realize they have an adult untrained dog who has nothing to do all day but dig holes or tear up things. So, off he goes to the shelter where he will have very little chance at a good home. Now he has to compete with the puppies for a place in a home. With Pecos I learned about crate training, what a good thing it is. Nizhoni accepted it, but Belle cried and howled. I felt that no puppy who has spent time in a dumpster needs to be locked up in anything. I puppy-proofed the bedroom by covering electric wires with boards, making sure shoes are in closet, etc. then allowed her to sleep under the bed, where she wanted to be. After a month it is clear that Belle Star is not suffering from insecurities and so another crate has been squeezed into our bedroom. This time she is taking to it very quickly, and we are all able to sleep better. One of the most useful tips I’ve learned came from Deb Hoffman. Have a cookie waiting in crates at bedtime. A simple trick that works miracles. As I watch Belle grow and change everyday I wonder what she’s going to be a year from now. How big will she be? Will she stay the same color? Most important, will she be a good dog? I know that part is up to me as much as to her. I see potential problems she might have and am working to solve them now. A friend taught me that time invested in a puppy will pay off throughout your lives together. Corrales, New Mexico July 30, 2000 ---------- Bro passed away in October . He was 15 1/2. We couldn't have asked for more. In November Crystal joined the family. She had been in the pound for 5 weeks. She was one of those who keeps on dancing at the gate, keeps on doing her best to attract someone. She had an injured foot, I don't know how it happened, and dancing on the concrete floor of her little cell must have been especially hard. But she continued, friendly and eager. I couldn't imagine why no one had wanted her. I knew it couldn't go on so I persuaded a friend to agree to foster her. I would bring her home and my friend would pick her up from me a few hours later. When Crystal walked in she immediately made herself at home. That was it. She was home. She got along with everyone and there just wasn't any reason not to let her stay. For weeks she would suddenly throw herself in my arms and look at me as if she was reassuring herself that it's really real - she is really out of jail and in a home of her own. She was probably less than a year old then and Belle Star was about 6 months old. They are the twin princesses. Nizhoni is about 2 now and is showing that one of her special abilities is training younger dogs. I observe her and hope to learn her methods. The 3 girls play endlessly and I delight in watching them. Pecos has accepted his new family and even begun to like them a little. Crystal has a chewing problem and a very annoying monotonous bark when she feels left out of anything. She also constantly nips my heels. These are very minor problems which I'm sure we'll work out. She has never needed a leash. Nizhoni, on the other hand, still requires one. They each have their special wonderful qualities and their problems. Corrales, New Mexico, April 5, 2001 ------------------------- Four dogs is a lot of dogs, but it's a nice number and everybody gets along. Still leaves room for an occasional foster. --- Like the border collie I brought home from the big Adoptathon in May. I was there at closing time, and so was she. She had already been at AHA for over 6 weeks. Turned in by a rancher who said she wants too much love. Then adopted and returned for not being housebroken. (She had probably never lived in a house before.) What could I do? Happy Girl is a serious workaholic smooth-coat prick-eared border collie about 3 years old. She spends most of her time with the horses, practicing her border-collie moves and staring constantly. Fortunately, she does not bother the horses. The only way I can get her to leave them is to feed the horses, which somehow tells her she can take a break. She runs to me then, wagging her whole body, "Did I do a good job?" Sits in front of me eager to be assured that she has done an outstanding job of taking care of her horses. (Perhaps this is what the rancher meant by "wanting too much love".) I took her to 2 herding dog clinics. She has excellent instincts but no training. I had hoped to place her with the right kind of rancher, someone who would enjoy her company and appreciate her skills. That did not happen and I found I wasn't making any effort to get her adopted - never even put her on this website. After awhile we just made it official and said, "She's staying, but that means I can't foster anymore". I picked up my newest foster yesterday afternoon and his friend-to-be will arrive tomorrow. It was an emergency. I had said I would take him in an emergency. The emergency happened and I took him. And so I figured, if I was taking one I might as well take the girl who's been in the pound 10 weeks! This is a great little puppy! Somebody is going to get a really good dog. I look out the window as I write this. Nizhoni is playing with the little guy and training him as well. Happy is making border-collie moves around them. I love watching the interactions of the different personalities. Watching him play out there, it's like I'm seeing the young Bro again. As I write this date I realize it is 4 years ago today that we lost Tracy. Corrales, New Mexico, August 10, 2001 The Story (this page)
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