Monday, March 29, 2010

WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE RECYCLED

Hi everybody. This is Dutch. I know this is Puglet's blog but he said it'd be OK if I borrowed it for a day.

I really liked reading all of your stories. I know Puglet told you a little bit of mine, but he doesn't know my whole story. My human said maybe I should share more of it in case anyone's wondering what it's like to be recycled....

I used to live with a lady and a bunch of other Dalmatians. The Lady imported me from my homeland (The Netherlands) when I was a puppy. She wanted a show dog and she wanted a winner. My parents were winners, so The Lady thought I would be a winner too.

I never wanted to be a show dog, but I didn't have any choice. Luckily there's a height limit for my breed, and by the time I was a year old, I was half an inch too tall for the show ring. Dalmatians in The Netherlands are bigger than American Dalmatians. I guess The Lady didn't know this.

That extra half inch made me an official loser. The Lady lost interest in me and I spent the next few years in the kennel. She let me make babies a few times and that was fun, but that was about it.

Until one day, a visitor came to se
e me. It was very exciting because I didn't get many visitors. I tried to be on my best behavior for the visitor, but it was hard to contain my happiness. The Lady yelled at me to be good, but the visitor didn't yell. She just tried to hold me still so she could pet me.

I didn't know who the visitor was, but I loved h
er instantly.

After a few hours, the visitor put me in a crate with a blue fuzzy blanket. I had no idea she was my new human (I found out later that Dalmatian Rescue helped her find me) and didn't know what was happening or where we were going. It was very scary. We rode in the car for a very long time.

We got to San Francisco in the middle of the night. It was nothing like the kennel and I was so overwhelmed I couldn't pee. When we got to our house, there were more stairs than I'd ever seen in my whole entire life. This is a little embarrassing, but I was 3 years old and didn't know how to walk up a flight of stairs. It took a long time, but eventually I made it to my new home on the second floor.

My first day in my new home.

Stairs were the first of many many MANY things I knew nothing about and found completely terrifying. Like mailboxes. And traffic cones. And garbage cans. And those things newspapers live in. And bikes. And buses. And skateboards. And people - lots and lots of people. People who wanted to pet me. People who looked me right in the eyes. People in hats and glasses. People with scary shopping carts full of cans. Way too many people. And dogs. I was never allowed to play with other dogs so I didn't know how. The vet said I was too skinny to have my boy parts removed and other dogs didn't seem to like them very much.

My human could tell I was overwhelmed by all the new stuff so we spent our fist day together hiking with the cows. It was my first time off-leash and I ran around like crazy. I didn't get much exercise in the kennel and my legs didn't enjoy running as much as I did. By the time we got home, my back legs wouldn't bend.

New yoga pose: Rigid Dog?

I didn't want to be any trouble on my very first day, so I tried to sle
ep without bending. At first my human thought my yoga pose was kinda funny, but we ended up at the emergency vet. They had to give me a shot to make my legs bend again.

I want to say everything got easier after that, but it took me a little while to understand the real world. My human said I was like a puppy in a dog body. So we took it slow. And I grew up. And the world got less scary every day.

Today, the world isn't scary at all (except for cameras). And if you met me on the street, you'd never guess I used to be afraid of mailboxes.

* * *

FLATTIE NEWS!
Today the flat me heads back to the Sunshine State on a very important mission (on top of his usual mission). He enjoys the sunniness, spends time with Central Florida Pug Rescue, meets two little puggies and learns that gators need love too!

You can read about it here on flatpuglet.com.


17 comments:

Sequoia & Petunia & Emma said...

Oh Dutch we had no ideas. We are glad you have a great human now and a pesky pug brother too! Don't worry I am still totally afraid of motocycles in my complex parking lot...if they don't move they scare me. Kinda like the mailbox huh.

Sequoia

Stubby said...

Hi Dutch! Wow! What a great story. I had no idea you had such a background. I really think you need your own blog because you have so much to say.

I'm not recycled but I'm a little freaked out about some things. I don't like all the garbage cans hanging out by the curb on garbage day. I also don't like the sound of loud motorcycles. I've never had any issues with mailboxes, but I do leave lots of pee-mail on each one I encounter.

Stubby xoxo

Wilma said...

Oh Dutch,

Your story made water come from my eyeballs. I am so happy you landed in a place that makes up for all you missed early in life and then some. I guess I didn't realise how lucky I was to be fawned over right from the get go. This whole blogging thing seems to be knocking me down a few pegs. That is not how I planned it.

Anonymous said...

Oh Dutch, Thank you for sharing. You are so lucky your human tried many ways to take things slow and help you try to get used to everyday life. If it makes you feel better, I am TERRIFIED of the sound of skateboarders. Eeeek! Pug Hugs, Las Vegas Lola

Crabbie Chris said...

I love when you take over Dutch, although I still love me some Puglet. Your story has brought water to my orbs. I had no idea how awful it was for you. I am so so so happy your wonderful mom came to get you, you will forever have a loving home. I mean now you've got an awesome brother, and some lab friends to play with...and you're like a pug-lite. If we ever get out together, I will destroy all mailboxes for you.

Anonymous said...

Dutch - you made my eyes leak :( I'm glad you are happy now and have a great little brother and a wonderful human mom to take care of you!!

Ann (& Frodo)

Those Elgin Pugs said...

Hello Dutch!

Your story sounds similar to mine. I am sooo glad you found a good home. Thanks for sharing. You are living the life you deserve!!!

Anakin

Rosie the Party Pug said...

Dutch, my BFF Buddy is recycled. They found him roaming the streets of some city called Los Banos. We could tell from the scars he had that he didn't have a very good life there. Now Buddy has a warm couch, lots of walks and good food to eat...and of course Rosie Rosie to chase around as much as he wants.

THE PUGLET said...

Hi everybody!

This is still Dutch. Thanks for letting me tell my story. It's been 3 years since I was recycled and I don't think about my old life much, but hearing all your stories made me remember mine.

I'm really glad Puglet has such great friends.

3pugs2luv said...

Dutch, you have always been a winner. That 1st human just wasn't smart enough to know it. We don't understand humans who have dogs & don't seem to really like them. We are so glad your forever human found you & introduced you to the world...otherwise we would have never met such a sweet & fun pug like you! WHAT, our human says your not a pug, well you must be pug at heart; you love to play & are full of love.
Tell Puglet thanks for sharing his blog with you, it was nice to hear your story.
Luv, Zoey & Phoebe

Ollie said...

Dutch,
I've never been able to figure out why humans have these stupid rules about what size & length your dog parts have to be in order to be a 'winner'. Don't they know we're all perfect just the way we are?
I think you're a winner because you get to live in a beautiful place near cows, with a cool human and an uber cool pug brother.
Hanging out in the park with your pack on a sunny day, clutching your rubber chicken between your paws, is definitely way more fun than standing around a show ring trying to get a ribbon.

THE PUGLET said...

I do feel I was very lucky to have grown that extra half inch. Being declared a loser was the best thing that ever happened to me!

THE PUGLET said...

That was me, Dutch, saying that.

(Pug is a shrimp and he hates being short)

SpencerBartholomew said...

Dutch! SB here. Any dog that can face and overcome his fears is never a loser. In fact, you have motivated me to confront the horrible vacuum cleaner. You are a brave one, Brother Dutch and one all of us Pugs can admire. I sure am glad you came to live with your human...you and Puglet & Human make quite a team! A winning team, in fact!

Those Elgin Pugs said...

Dutch -

You said that you are glad Puglet has such great friends... Silly little spot dot boy...yous ours friend too!!! Tell that little Puglet man to let you talk from time to time!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Josie, Izzy, and Anakin

Natalie Bayless said...

Hi there, Friend Dutch -- You are being w-a-y too modest about your struggles! To me, you are a true hero.

You and your human both worked so hard at learning new things; I've never known a team that worked harder. In my book, that makes both of you first place winners!

Natalie B.

THE PUGLET said...

Hi Natalie!

I guess I HAVE come a long way since I was in your puppy class (even though I was 3 years old and not a puppy).

If you still have any of those liver brownie things, I'm not afraid to take food from strangers anymore. Would love to try one!

~ Dutch