This is my story.....

My story begins in late December 1996, where I was a Partner in a Real Estate firm in Johannesburg. It was my partner’s birthday and the Agents decided to give him a Dachshund for his Birthday. He was a bachelor living alone in a home which was impeccable and a neat freak. The puppy was so cute, and my partner named him “Schnapps” it began wonderfully with my partner being elated with the puppy, but it was not long until my partners patience began to run thin with Schnapps. My partner had decided that it was too much for him to keep Schnapps and decided to move him to our Offices, which had a garden but being a work environment and business hours being 8 to 5 Monday to Friday, Schnapps was left alone at n night and over week ends. I was devastated as unfortunately I was then living in an apartment which did not allow animals and my hands were tied.
I would leave work every day with a heavy heart as I watched Schnapps cry at the gate as the last employee left for the day. It broke my heart. Over the next few years, understandably, Schnapps grew up to be an angry vicious dog, which no one was able to control. My partner then decided to get Schnapps a companion and he adopted “Sherry” She was a Scotty with a beautiful nature. When we introduced the two, it was love at first site and they soon became inseparable. This of course did not solve the problem as now there were 2 dogs which were left ALONE AFTER HOURS.
By 1999 I had decided to leave THE FIRM. I had just recently sold my Apartment and had bought a House, when I received a hysterical message from one of the Agents who worked at my previous firm. She was most upset at the dogs being practically abandoned. Well it took me exactly 5 mins to get into my car rush over to my previous office and bundled these two dogs into my car and took them home. By this stage “Schnapps was virtually uncontrollable. Vicious aggressive and completely unapproachable. “Sherry” on the other hand was very placid but her place was always at Schnapps’ side. It took me approximately 2 hard years of constant attention and affection to Schnapps before he finally gave in and began to trust me. But finally we became best of friends and he became my companion, protector and most importantly my Best friend. It was an incredible journey as Schnapps was just 4 years old when he came to live with me and Sherry was 2. I learned more from my companion over the years than I have from any human being. It was the most incredible relationship, which we had built up and there is no doubt that a dog which has been rescued, bonds with his new owner is such a way that cannot be described, unless experienced. It is amazing to see in his eyes the gratitude and love that he was needed, taken care of and most importantly loved. Schnapps only had full trust in me and would not respond to anyone else or even socialize with any other human. Just as if he had lost faith in humankind. Over the years we were inseparable and he became so faithful and so gentle with me it was an exceptional relationship. As the years passed, I noticed as he grew older so he became more protective over me as if he felt it was his turn to look after me. He would sit or lie by my side and just gaze into my eyes with this sense of love and more importantly a sense of for a better word thankfulness to me for caring for him.
As Schnapps turned 16 I watched as he became more and more frail, losing his eye sight and hearing but never losing the love for me.
I still remember that Sunday morning when I had to call upon my vet to please come to my home and allow Schnapps his dignity in passing on. It is sketched in my mind as in stone how Schnapps lay in my lap in the garden as he had done for so many years, and How I spoke to him and told him how much love happiness and joy had had brought into my life over the past 16 years and how blessed I was to have him share such a major part of my life. I just remember crying uncontrollable for 3 weeks for the loss of my friend. After Schnapps passed, Sherry and I Continued our bond together but I could see in her eyes just how much she missed her lifelong friend. Sadly Sherry past 3 years later at the age of 17 years. Looking back now I feel so blessed and special to have experienced the bond between a rescue and a New Dad.

Well, I tried not to cry reading that.

You have captured perfectly the overwhelming
feelings of love and affection between humans
and their pets.

My mate rescued our dog, on a Christmas Eve
about 15 years ago, scheduled to be put down the
next day.

She just followed him out the door, jumped in
the car and waited to be taken..home.

Best dog ever, though she wants to eat the cats :-)

Thank you for sharing this..have you been to the
shelter? Probably someone waiting for you there.

Shine on my friend, shine on

Beautiful~


Thank you for sharing...