Monday, January 31, 2011

Murphy's a hit

A year ago, my family grew in number by one, but in seemingly every other way, by so much more.

Despite not living in the Midwest, I'd set my heart on getting a Boston. My parents and my girlfriend, Haeli, said it would be my Christmas present and so we looked to MWBTR. The chance to cap a trip back home to Kansas City by adding a new member to my family was too good to pass up and at first, it looked like it was too goo to be true, but fortunately, everything came together quickly at the last moment. I spent an hour on the phone with my coordinator, Erica, on New Year's Eve setting up home visits on the 3rd.

Our first stop, my girlfriend and I met an energetic little Boston, but decided to meet the others. The second stop was a nice older Boston, and we were told he wasn't a cat fan, so we just didn't match-up perfectly. Our third and final stop, I met Romeo. He was perfect - aside from the name.

After calling him Southie for a day and a half and get stuck in a blizzard just shy of the Pennsylvania border, we finally made it home to Cooperstown, N.Y. with Murphy - named after the Boston-based band the Dropkick Murphy's.

Life with Murphy has been great. He goes everywhere with me. Each trip I've taken to Boston to see Haeli at school or even just to grab milk at the store. There are so many amazing stories I have to tell, but I'd need to write a whole Web site to tell them all.

He's a total hit. He's the perfect dog, content to cuddle and watch KU basketball or Royals baseball with me anytime I'm sitting on the couch or excited to play in my landlord's backyard and chase a laser pointer up and down the hallway. Everything about this dog is cute, hilarious or sweet. He's so much ingrained in the family I've created with my girlfriend and our cat, that we couldn't imagine life without him. He's so expressive, it's like having a little kid running around.

Friday, January 28, 2011

My Maggie 'N Me

We all think our own dog is the most beautiful. I know that mine is. It's all in the definition of the word beautiful. The most thoughtful description of beautiful that I've read was from Margery Williams, The Velveteen Rabbit. The Rabbit asked the Skin Horse, "What is REAL? Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick out handle?" to which the old Skin Horse answered, "REAL isn't how you are made, it's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become REAL. It doesn't happen all at once. You become. It takes a long time. Generally, by the time you are REAL, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are REAL you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand." REAL and beautiful are one and the same.

My Maggie is REALLY Beautiful. She becomes more so each day that passes, with each new gray hair on her lovely face, with the slight sag in her spine and the limp that has shown up. It's the dignity with which, each morning, she quietly waits on the edge of the bed for me to lift her down; because first thing in the morning it's a long way down. It's the patience she shows the younger dog in the household and the tolerance for the fosters. It's the joy she finds in sleeping on my pillow, breakfast sausage, baby cones at the Dairy Freeze, rides in the car and her toys. It's the delighted 'Maggie spin' when she gets 'to go' anywhere, as long as it's somewhere. It's the thoughtful lick across my cheek for no apparent reason. It's the peace that seeps into my soul when I lay my hand on her while she's in that deep, senior sleep where she is young again in her mind. It's the void she filled in my heart four years ago when I lost two dogs in as many months. It's my amazement that I almost didn't meet an eight year old dog named Maggie four years ago because I couldn't see past my own grief.

Maggie is the most beautiful dog in the world and she is mine and I am hers. There is nothing that will dull her continual metamorphous into more beautiful. She will always burst with her beauty. I hope that your dog is beautiful too, in all the ways that matter

(Thank you, Gwen and MWBTR, for Maggie. She is gone now at 17, but my heart is full. 2010)

-Patty Hascall

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Buster Boy

Buster AKA Popeye was a story that was meant to be. Several months before adopting him we lost our vibrant young Boston, also named Buster, to a tragic and freak anesthesia complication during routine dental care.

Needless to say he meant the world to us and we were completely and absolutely devastated; he traveled across the country with us and we experienced so much in our short time together; he was only 2 years old, he was our life. When we lost him we didn't know what to do; there was no replacing him or the hole in our hearts. We don't have children so the house was very empty and solemn.

After some time had passed, we realized how grateful and fulfilled we were to have him in our lives. It was at that very moment we decided to adopt a rescue BT. Perusing the MWBT site we came across the most handsome boy named, you guessed it, Buster.

At first we felt "Is this for real?" "Could we or should we adopt a dog with the same name as our deceased?" Family and friends gave mixed signals regarding the name but we ultimately decided: WE MUST HAVE HIM and one week later he was in our home. We are now beginning our foster family life and are ready to have a playmate around for our boy.

Our Buster is the most precious, loving, snuggly, sporty, smart, silly, handsome creature who we believe was put on this planet to be with us and us with him. It was all meant to be..
.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Three's Company

When my husband and I decided to get our first dog in 1993, it was love at first sight. A 5 month old Boston Terrier we excitedly named Comiskey.

We learned a lot from him over the next few years. Like how Bostons chew on anything within reach, burrow under any available blanket and seem to be more human than dog. After the kids came along, he became our furry vacuum, destroyer of Lego's and resident face cleaner.

As he entered his senior years and began to slow down, we thought that maybe a younger addition would inspire him to get some spring in his step. That was when we found out about MWBTR and welcomed our first addition, Maggie.

After Comiskey died, we found another lost soul who needed us in 2005, Spanky. I saw Sam on the website in 2007 (just looking, honey) and convinced my husband that he needed us too. Sadly in 2010, our Maggie died after surgery to remove a large tumor and our heartbroken family was left with two knuckle heads.

We decided to take a little breather afterwards, which lasted about 3 weeks. Our latest addition is definitely our smallest with Betty, but she's not about to be pushed around by the boys. As you can see in the picture, she's confident and full of spunk. Sammy is now 13 and nearly blind, but can find a warm lap at the drop of a hat. Our Spanky, who we always joked had a glandular problem, is currently on thyroid supplements after being tested and vindicated. He's still big boned. My kids joke that I'm going to replace them with Bostons when they go away to school. Probably so, but what's wrong with that?

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Zelda Zhu


Ms. Zelda Zhu came to me in January of 2009. She was 14 years young, had some scars on her back, and was deaf.

She is such a good old girl that enjoys her couch, bed, and crawling under the covers to keep her old bones warm.

But...don't let her old age fool you, Zelda is determined. She will hop right on top of the table to get your attention and has figured out the fine art of opening the closet door.

Zelda's claim to fame was in March of 2009 when she made it into the local newspaper as the Queen of the kissing booth that Midwest Bosten Terrier Rescue had at the Pet Expo in Chicago.

Zelda is a sweet old girl that deserved that forever home, and I am so glad she is part of my dog family.

Monday, January 3, 2011

Sami - Adopted 2007

In May of 2006, my husband and I purchased our first home in northwest Indiana. We were getting settled in but realized after a year that we were a little lonely and decided to look into adopting a dog. After much research and debate, we chose to go with a Boston. A member of the rescue "team" works at the school system where I teach and guided me to the Midwest BT Rescue information. The following summer we adopted Samantha Jane, a red Boston, who was about a year old.

We have had Sami now for three and a half years. We will admit that she could be a handful at first, and we're not sure if that was because she was our first dog and we were clueless or if she had very little structure at her previous home. But, despite the challenges and our adjusting to her high energy level, she has been such a blessing to our family.

Sami has so many endearing qualities and is always a great conversation starter because of her coloring. She would win any snuggling competition out there, as well as loud snoring competition ;) She is affectionate, friendly, energetic, and most of all loves us unconditionally. We love going on our daily walks and she gets so excited to play fetch in the back yard. She has had some health scares (seizures) and throughout those times we really realized how much we have come to love her and need her in our lives.

If you are looking for a dog to call your own, I would wholeheartedly recommend using this organization. Sami has brought us, and our entire families, so much joy and laughter, and is the best companion you could ask for. Of course no one has "favorites" in the extended family, but whenever there is a family function, we get into some trouble if we don't bring Sami! Enjoy your Boston :) You won't regret it!

**The attached pictures are of Sami at Christmas time, Sami posing pretty for a close up, and Sami with my husband and I at a family lake cottage (and yes she has a life jacket, we had taken it off for the photo!)