Once a week, I'll be featuring the stories of dogs rescued by friends and family. This is the first installment written by Ginny.
Duncan:
It all started with my best friend asking me what I wanted for my birthday. I lost my choc. lab 2 years before and had been thinking it was time for a new dog in my life. My friend had not expected that response, to say the least. I searched through Pet Finder and found a place with two sets of lab puppies in Bronson , FL. My friend, her 4 kids and I took a trip. I requested her 4 kids come along cause what better way to check out dogs than with kids. I looked over the lab puppies but no specific dog grabbed my heart. I thought for sure I was going home without a new friend. My last look was at Levy County Humane Society at some beagle mixes. I really liked the way they looked with the long ears but they were all female and I wanted a male. The males were recovering in the doctor area as they all had just been neutered. Those poor boys looked pitiful all groggy. There was a small little guy who was 4 months old way in the back with big floppy ears that was so shy. His coloring was beautiful. It was love at first sight. I did go home empty handed but with the knowledge he would be coming along in 3 weeks. Since the kennel was in Bronson and my friend and her 4 kids lived in Trenton FL they picked up newly named Duncan and brought him to me in Tampa . He arrived curled up in a wicker laundry basket smelling pretty bad. He was sick most of the way. But the kids did a great job at taking care of him for the 2 ½ hour ride. Duncan had arrived. Duncan has grown up to be a 70 lb beagle mixed with black and tan coon hound and Doberman. At 8 months old Duncan and I were really having a difficult time. He was rebelling and I was frustrated. I didn’t understand what this dog needed. His personality is so different than my lab, playing fetch doesn’t work with him. After much research into beagles I finally read where beagles are pack animals and really don’t like to be in an only dog household. Another beagle?!?!?!
Fergus
A dog for Duncan , was I nuts? I work from home so that would be a plus. The extra expense was a minus. I knew a beagle would be the best fit. I searched around and found Tampa Bay Beagle Rescue on line. I completed their application and was approved. Now it just came down to Duncan picking a buddy. I kept searching their available dogs and saw a red and white who looked pretty cute. My friend and more importantly her 4 kids weren’t going to be in town the weekend of the adoption event so no help here. I went to the dog meet and greet at Al Lopez with Duncan . Talked to some great people about which dog would be a good fit with Duncan . They called Duncan the beagle on steroids as he stood head and shoulders above the other beagles. The red and white beagle mix was there but Duncan didn’t seem to really notice him. I noticed that the red & white was very playful. After an hour of watching Duncan and changing my mind every 10 mins I went with my gut, the red & white beagle became Fergus and had a home. It took 3 months before Duncan fully accepted Fergus as part of the family. Fergus certainly came with issues too. He had not been treated nicely in a past life and it took many months of patient working before he would allow me to pick him up without trying to bite me. He also wanted to sleep next to me but kept attacking the bedcovers whenever they moved. Now both dogs are almost three years old and they are inseparable. They take turns sleeping on the bed with me or sleeping with each other. Both dogs are very social which has allowed me to be able to invite friends & their puppers over for yappy hour and bring home two strays I found. The latest stray, a beagle named Gus, stayed almost 3 weeks and was very sick. Tampa Bay Beagle Rescue gave Gus a new foster family and paid for the costly medical treatment. Duncan and Fergus are incredibly generous dogs who love to meet new friends both 4 legged and 2.
It all started with my best friend asking me what I wanted for my birthday. I lost my choc. lab 2 years before and had been thinking it was time for a new dog in my life. My friend had not expected that response, to say the least. I searched through Pet Finder and found a place with two sets of lab puppies in Bronson , FL. My friend, her 4 kids and I took a trip. I requested her 4 kids come along cause what better way to check out dogs than with kids. I looked over the lab puppies but no specific dog grabbed my heart. I thought for sure I was going home without a new friend. My last look was at Levy County Humane Society at some beagle mixes. I really liked the way they looked with the long ears but they were all female and I wanted a male. The males were recovering in the doctor area as they all had just been neutered. Those poor boys looked pitiful all groggy. There was a small little guy who was 4 months old way in the back with big floppy ears that was so shy. His coloring was beautiful. It was love at first sight. I did go home empty handed but with the knowledge he would be coming along in 3 weeks. Since the kennel was in Bronson and my friend and her 4 kids lived in Trenton FL they picked up newly named Duncan and brought him to me in Tampa . He arrived curled up in a wicker laundry basket smelling pretty bad. He was sick most of the way. But the kids did a great job at taking care of him for the 2 ½ hour ride. Duncan had arrived. Duncan has grown up to be a 70 lb beagle mixed with black and tan coon hound and Doberman. At 8 months old Duncan and I were really having a difficult time. He was rebelling and I was frustrated. I didn’t understand what this dog needed. His personality is so different than my lab, playing fetch doesn’t work with him. After much research into beagles I finally read where beagles are pack animals and really don’t like to be in an only dog household. Another beagle?!?!?!
Fergus
A dog for Duncan , was I nuts? I work from home so that would be a plus. The extra expense was a minus. I knew a beagle would be the best fit. I searched around and found Tampa Bay Beagle Rescue on line. I completed their application and was approved. Now it just came down to Duncan picking a buddy. I kept searching their available dogs and saw a red and white who looked pretty cute. My friend and more importantly her 4 kids weren’t going to be in town the weekend of the adoption event so no help here. I went to the dog meet and greet at Al Lopez with Duncan . Talked to some great people about which dog would be a good fit with Duncan . They called Duncan the beagle on steroids as he stood head and shoulders above the other beagles. The red and white beagle mix was there but Duncan didn’t seem to really notice him. I noticed that the red & white was very playful. After an hour of watching Duncan and changing my mind every 10 mins I went with my gut, the red & white beagle became Fergus and had a home. It took 3 months before Duncan fully accepted Fergus as part of the family. Fergus certainly came with issues too. He had not been treated nicely in a past life and it took many months of patient working before he would allow me to pick him up without trying to bite me. He also wanted to sleep next to me but kept attacking the bedcovers whenever they moved. Now both dogs are almost three years old and they are inseparable. They take turns sleeping on the bed with me or sleeping with each other. Both dogs are very social which has allowed me to be able to invite friends & their puppers over for yappy hour and bring home two strays I found. The latest stray, a beagle named Gus, stayed almost 3 weeks and was very sick. Tampa Bay Beagle Rescue gave Gus a new foster family and paid for the costly medical treatment. Duncan and Fergus are incredibly generous dogs who love to meet new friends both 4 legged and 2.
