A few weeks ago we welcomed a new Misfit. Her name is Paulie. She is a 10-12 year old Chiweenie. Paulie found herself in a rural Kentucky shelter in a pretty banged up state. We are not sure what happened to her but a fair guess is that she was side swiped by either a car or tractor. Her left side has obvious injuries…a crushed eye and she could not walk on her back left leg. Her skin was in line with what we typically see with most of our Misfits when they arrive…dried out and raw with a lot of missing hair.
Paulie’s skin is bouncing back nicely and her coat is slowing growing back in. I make my own dog shampoo and tailor what I put in to it for each dog. Paulie’s shampoo was heavy on the fresh aloe vera which helped heal up her most tender spots very quickly. I also add Probiotics and Salmon Oil to meals to help restore skin and coat health.
The best news is that her eye, despite being crushed, does not seem to bother her at all. She is deaf as well but that is not big deal around here (half of the Misfits are deaf). Her back leg, after several weeks of laser therapy, functions pretty normally now. She is unfortunately a very arthritic girl…her elbows and hips bow out pretty badly but she gets around just fine. With regular arthritis meds she seems pretty comfortable.
Paulie is sweet as can be and is a great addition to our family. I always marvel out how well (and quickly) new Misfits gel in to our family. Paulie is truly a perfect pet. She figured out right away where to potty. She is incredibly quiet…no barking at all really. She is really attached already and cries a bit if I walk away from her. I wonder…like I do with all of my Misfits…how did such a sweet little creature end up in such dire straits?
Paulie is the first dog since Rosie to make friends with Solstice. Solstice has zero interest in any of the other Misfits…except to slap them if they get in her personal space. Paulie hangs out where ever I am in the house…just like Rosie did…very relaxed and peaceful…Solstice seems to like the peaceful company.
Paulie loves our daily trip to the park. She doesn’t walk for too long…mostly rides in the stroller…but she acts like she was made for stroller rides. Some of the Misfits need to be harnessed in when I first take them out in the stroller because it is unfamiliar…not Paulie…she is cool as a cucumber and loves having a daily adventure that doesn’t require taxing her arthritic legs.
I am not sure how I get so lucky. The dogs that end up here are always such a good fit. It is not lost on me that we are very fortunate that all the Misfits get along so well. Whenever I bring a new Misfit home the others seem to rally around them…almost like they remember being the new kid on the block and being scared and uncertain…they go out of their way to make the newbie feel safe.
The weather here has been amazing…we always feel so blessed to be able to spend so much time outside this time of year. Park time, play yard time and evening bonfires make this one of the best times of the year. Memories of Minnesota and the long cold winters never fade and make life here seem so much sweeter.
I will leave you with this funny picture of Madison…she pulled her pony out while napping today… woke up with a hysterical case of bed head! She continues to do well…albeit she is one of the quirkiest and most nervous dogs I have ever met. We work hard to show her every day that she is safe and loved…I think she gets it a little more each day…some scars never heal though and she definitely carries the scars of a very rough life. I am so grateful each day that she is here with us.
Rescue on!
Nancy & The Misfits
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