I need a new home!!

[screwball]

That's the best dog/family story I've read!

Congrats Woods family!!!

[GP4Play]

Here's the back story. My kids have wanted a dog for as long as I can remember, but we really did not have time to care for one. About 4 years ago I bought a stuffed toy dog that Megan named "Tango" and it has become part of our family, and goes everywhere with us:



My wife has been resolute about not having a dog to care for, as her plate is pretty full. But all our friends bring dogs on trips, and our extended family all have dogs, and growing up, my wife and I both had dogs. Saying no has been harder and harder. This past weekend 8 year old Megan was playing with Tango and had made up a leash and collar using some odds and ends and seeing her do this literally melted my wife's heart and brought her to tears. Then we see this beautiful little collie needing a family, and all I can say is that the timing is perfect. Especially now that the kids are a bit older (8 and 12) and can take an active roll in taking care of a animal.

We have the perfect backyard and the lower floor of the house is all laminate and tile and ready for a dog.

The only real challenge is going to be figuring out how to bring 5 of us in the Jeep on trips now. This has actually been more and more of a challenge over the past few months. When we were forced to sell the Land Rover, we really gave up capacity and the capability for longer range overnight trips.

So now with a dog added to the mix, I think I'm going to have to buy a new ride....I think I'm going to sell the Volvo daily driver and buy an older Land Cruiser. With minimal build out, we can take the family out to off road camping trips with plenty of room for gear and the new addition to our family!

We are going to pick her up from Dennis and Tammy in Calico this Saturday. My wife is super excited and can't hold it in as a secret, so we are going to break the news tonight. She is going to drive to the pet depo and tell the kids to pick out collars and bowls and so forth, and shock them with the news why!

So, receiving this dog is really going to change our lives!

Nathan,we're so glade that she's going to a good home.She's only about 14" tall and 18" long,so she won't take up to much room in the TJ.

[nwoods]

Shhh! I'm trying to play this a bit and get myself a Land Cruiser instead of a Volvo :-)

Well, the kids went to the store and picked out collars, bowls, brushes and whatnot.

They also have come up with a name: Roxy
Perfect!

What kind of food are you providing now, and does she take to it? What kind of housekeeping manners does she have?

[lakev2]

its time for you to add a bench seat and have the pup ride up front

[GP4Play]

Uh,ok tape was wrong,looks like 44" high and 48" long,my bad .
She needs some manners but we're working on that.Don't think anyone spent any time on her but she has a great personality around new people and animals she's easy to work with.Right now shes eating Kibbles and Bit's like it was steak.Roxy is the perfect name for her,we'll start using it.

[Schmo]

This is great to hear . . . Congrats to the Woods family for their new addition and for saving a life (Dennis and Tammy too). Having a dog is a really big deal for a kid . . . I know it was for me . . . good job Dad!!!

[gp4plyqn]

Nathan,
Thank you so much for wanting her. I am sure she will be a great dog. Roxy loves kids. The only suggestion I can make is invest in some raw hide bones and dog toys. Roxy hasn't chewed anything up that wasn't already a dog toy. I bought bones today for all the dogs, Roxy definitly knows what they are I couldn't get out of the package fast enough for her. She does have some manners but could use a little polishing on them.

[JeepGal]

I cant wait to meet her, and watch her bond with her new family

[Roger]

I've been around Chris & Tammy's dogs enough to know what a great breed of dogs the Border Collies are for Jeepin'. This is coming form someone who is a cat person. (We will have our beloved cat at Calico!)

Since your kids have wanted a dog fo so long, they will probably be eager to do all the stuff it takes to have a dog. Like taking her for a walk, feeding her on schedule, bathing it. etc.

Most kids you have to force them to do their dog chores...

[nwoods]

Transfer went great. Huge thanks to Tammy and her family for rescuing Roxy, cleaning and feeding her!
First weekend with Roxy was a total success. She traveled great in the car all the way back the house (2 hour drive). We took her to PetSmart to have her help find a sleeping mat and a few other odds and ends. She was the store favorite, garnering MUCH attention from everyone.

She took to our home immediately, and her favorite spot is either on one of our laps or on the cool floor tile under the dining room table. She is extremely well behaved. She loves to go on walks, and to play in the backyard with the kids. She has two modes: Completely alert and playful, or asleep on the floor :-)

I spent the weekend tuning up our fences and gates creating a secure perimeter. Our neighbors have yappy dogs, and Roxy spent about 15 minutes barking with them, then that was it. She is otherwise a very quiet dog. What a blessing! We worked with her on name recognition and the Recall command. She is very obedient to Mom & Dad, but the kids haven't quite mastered the command tone yet. Roxy is patient at night, but an early riser, with a fiercely wagging tail she will cheerfully lick our kids faces until they are out of bed. Today is the true test. She will be all alone in the backyard until the kids get home from school.

My wife made a quick little video on her Mac of our first weekend with Roxy:
http://nwoods.smugmug.com/Family/Events/roxy/

[Mitch]

Good job Nathan. Looks like your family will have years of fun and happy times with Roxy.

Mitch

[JeepGal]

Very cool!

It sounds like shes a great fit

Tam

[SoCalinIt]

Awesome post. Loved reading this! Congrats....

[GP4Play]

Nathan,sorry I missed meeting you all.Very glad she got such a great Family and home.Thanks again Woods family.
Dennis

[nwoods]

I have very sad news. Roxy passed away this evening. My God do I wish this was an April Fool's joke. It's not. It's hell.

Yesterday we left Roxy home alone for the first time when we all went to work/school. She was outside the backyard, by herself. She did not get into any mischief and per our neighbor's report, only cried a little bit. She was VERY excited to see the kids come home, but then throughout the evening became more and more despondent. This morning she was the most sad looking little animal I have ever seen. And she still had not eaten. Nor did she have any accidents in the house last night. Concerned, I decided to take her to the local Feed Store early this morning. In the car she just sat on the seat, and did not even look out the window, not even once. A lady crossed the street in front of me walking a dog, and Roxy did not even look her way. Unfortunately, the feed store wasn't open yet, so I took her back home. I had to carry her into the house, she just didn't seem to have the energy to walk up the sidewalk.

My wife took her for a long walk this morning a little while later. She reports that Roxy was pretty alert during the walk, but towards the end she got more despondent and slower and slower. When she got home, she just layout out on the floor tile, and did not even drink any water.

Our entire family was very concerned, this just didn't seem right. My wife was able to take her to the vet in the early afternoon, and they immediately put her on oxygen and an IV of fluids, with the prognosis that her breathing was difficult and irregular heartbeat. They ran blood tests and then X-rays. The X-ray revealed what appeared to be a tear in the diaphragm separating her lungs from her inner organs. We approved surgery, based on the fact that she is barely 1 years old and likely to survive if it was only the tear.

Unfortunately, it was discovered that she had lots of long term internal bleeding, and her heart failed on the operating table.

The diaphragm tear and interior bleeding is typically due to a major trauma, like being kicked hard, or perhaps being tossed out the car window as was suspected by Tammy. Some bastard killed the best behaved and cutest dog I have ever known.

Its been a tough night for the Woods family.

Goodbye Roxy. We loved you.