Discovering Dixie

Sometimes it is not in an overcrowded shelter where a needy pup is discovered…sometimes there is a much different story that leads to the rescuing of a deserving dog.

In July of 2000, I was visiting a fellow equestrian friend to watch her teenage daughter barrel ride one of their horses. This friend also owned 3 black German Shepherds that were happy canine residents on the farm. During the few hours I was there that afternoon, I saw, more than once, a very fuzzy, tiny black creature pop out from a hole that was dug underneath one of the huge existing wooden dog houses. I finally could not contain my curiosity any longer and asked my friend what animal was hiding in that hole dug into the dirt.

I was told that on a Monday morning, one week before I went to visit, my friend had taken all 3 of her dogs to the vet for their annual check-ups. She was the first client of the morning, and when she entered the vet’s office, all of the employees were visibly upset. One of the assistants was crying, and another was obviously angered. When my friend asked about the emotional displays in the office that morning, she was told the following story:

A breeder of registered working Border Collies had successfully bred her dog and the pups were due any day. She was a client of the same veterinarian’s office as my friend. When the puppies were born, to the breeder’s dismay, no white blazes, spotted noses or snowy white chests were to be seen. Every single newborn pup (there were at least 5, maybe more) was a solid black ball of long, fluffy fur. Instantly the breeder knew that the father of the puppies was her neighbor’s black Chow-Chow, instead of the champion Border Collie stud she had selected for her dog. According to her breeder’s beliefs, this was now a “spoiled” litter. Not only would she have to return the deposits to the waiting future dog owners who had contracted with her to receive Border Collie puppies, but now this woman had to figure out what to do with baby dogs that would not be of any use to her. She decided to tell her customers that the puppies were all still-born, and that another litter would be available later that year.

I suppose one could say that this breeder at least had a tiny semblance of a conscience (although that statement could be challenged) and she reluctantly let her dog nurse the puppies for almost 4 weeks. Then she became concerned that someone would discover her “secret” and find out that her pure-bred had been spoiled with a mixed litter of “mutts”. So, on a Monday morning, just 15 minutes before the office was scheduled to open, the breeder brought a cardboard box filled with jet-black puppies to the vet’s office and left the box on the sidewalk near the front door. Not only were these puppies abruptly taken away from their mother without any gradual weaning, but they were also disoriented and panicked, and they quickly managed to tip the shallow box over. When the employees arrived to open the office that morning, they found two 8-pound black furballs cowering on their bellies in the parking lot, visibly frightened. Horrifically, they also discovered three more pups – already deceased, as they had been hit by cars either in the parking lot or on the busy street that faced the office, humming with morning rush-hour traffic. The employees were intently caring for the two surviving puppies when my friend arrived for her appointment. My friend immediately volunteered to foster one of the dogs for as long as it took to find it a permanent home.

By the time my friend came to this point in the story, I was shocked, angered and felt desolate, all at once. She then turned to the tiny black furball that was peeking out from underneath the dog house, dirt on its face, with only bright brown eyes visible in its jet-black face. I knew this was the puppy she volunteered to foster.

The black furball baby (after a bath!):

The dog stayed with the vet for 1 week, and then my friend started to take care of her and had already had the pup for 7 days. She said the little baby was still riddled with tapeworms, which they were treating with medication, and since the puppy had not been gradually weaned, her gastrointestinal tract was still not handling much food very well. Thus the baby had chronic diarrhea…and was also slightly anemic. On top of that, they were also fighting a case of fleas, since the puppy was still too young for any flea baths or flea shampoos. During the day the puppy would just stay in the dirt underneath one of the dog houses, and at night she would sleep underneath one of the beds inside the house.

I approached the puppy and pulled her out from her dirt tunnel. She was a little weak but still shook with fright as I picked her up. She was SO dirty – but her fur was extremely soft! I only had to hold her for a few moments to know I could not leave that farm that hot July afternoon without taking this puppy with me. I had plenty of space at my home and although I already owned an outdoor working farm dog, this little girl was going to be a house dog that would be a constant companion for me and my young daughters. I took the pup with a promise to my friend to get the puppy healthy, give her plenty of love, and to have her spayed as soon as she was old enough.

The stinky, dirty, flea-infested ball of fur curled up in a towel on my lap as my truck drove out of my friend’s driveway. I looked up and read the street sign on the approaching corner: “Dixie Lane”. Thus, I became the momma to “Dixie”, a 6-week-old, solid-black, Border Collie/Chow-Chow mix.

This is Dixie at about 6 months of age - she was less fuzzy and more gawky at this age,
with one of her folded ears suddenly deciding to stand up, and her long collie legs starting to grow:

Dixie will be 9-years-old this June. She has been the smartest, most confident and definitely the best dog our family has ever had. She is an alpha-dog, and her 55-pound-frame, covered in the full black Chow-Chow coat, with her long legs and her beautiful Border Collie head, is an intimidating picture for people who do not know our girl. (Some of her friends affectionately call her the "black wolf"). She is protective of all of us and of her house, but once she decides she likes a new visitor, she will love on that person as long as they will let her.

Our gorgeous girl today:

Dixie can do more than 20 tricks, she completely listens to all of her commands, and she constantly follows me all around the house (it must help her fulfill her need to round-up critters, I suppose). She and my husband like to have "howling matches" even though that drives me crazy! The one ailment Dixie has always suffered from is skin problems caused by food allergies. Any food with corn or wheat products can really stress her digestive system and her skin – some say that this may be from her early experiences with a non-gradual weaning. I have worked to give her a high-protein, grain-free diet, and that has helped a lot. Also, unfortunately, one thing Dixie has never been able to do is feel comfortable with a car. She trembles and pants uncontrollably whenever she has to go for a ride in our van. I am certain her morning in that parking lot over 8 years ago instilled a never-ending fear in her, so I never scold this behavior… I can’t even imagine what Dixie must feel or remember whenever she approaches a huge, rumbling vehicle.

Dixie is a faithful big sister to Tillie, our Aussie-mix who joined us almost 3 years ago.
Here they are "stalking" the tree frogs that are hiding under the hurricane shutters on our bathroom window:

Lately we have noticed that Dixie has begun to trot a little slower on her walks, and it has become apparent that her legs are a bit stiff when she lies down or gets up. Recently her eyesight has begun to fade a little, and last year we had to start giving her “hormones” to keep her bladder a little more elastic and thus keep it from leaking during Dixie’s naptimes. She can still catch lizards on the sidewalk every once in a while, but Dixie does sleep for longer periods during throughout the day now.

Dixie "hunting" and leaping for lizards:

I no longer feel anger towards that breeder for her ignorant actions. But I did feel a tiny bit of satisfaction when I found out that the breeder was questioned by the veterinarian about the status of her pregnant dog, and her dastardly deed was discovered. Finally the woman admitted her actions, and eventually she was no longer permitted to breed or sell registered Border Collie puppies. And imagine - if it weren’t for that determined Chow-Chow that lived next door to the Border Collie with the “pure” bloodlines, I would have never had the gift of living with our brilliant Dixie!

We know that larger dogs have a shorter lifespan, but it is still unimaginable to me that there will someday be a day when my beautiful Dixie will not be walking immediately in front of me or behind me (as she always does) when I am at home. Without a doubt, I will never regret pulling that little black furball out of the dirty hole she had dug underneath my friend’s dog house. Discovering Dixie changed my life, and the life of my daughters and my husband, forever.

~ I will continue to share true stories with you in the hopes that they may inspire you to take some sort of action -
1) whether to move you to make a small donation to your local shelter,
2) to possibly donate a few hours of your time volunteering at a Humane Society or Rescue near you,
3) to become a foster-home for animals awaiting adoption,
4) or to even become a "furever" home for a needy soul, like we did for Dixie. ~ Thank you!!