On a day in September, 2003, I was lying on my back, sunning myself in the median of an Interstate Highway in North Carolina, with cars whizzing by on both sides. I cannot say why I was there or who I belonged to. All I know, I was alone. Suddenly a car stopped right beside me. It was driven by a very nice lady who seemed quite concerned for me. She wanted me to get into her car. As I didn’t have anything else to do, I jumped right into the car with her. I have since found out she thought I was injured and stopped to see if she could help me. You see, she is one of those special people who rescues lost and abandoned dogs. I guess I was abandoned, because I wasn’t wearing identification tags. I just know I was one lucky boy that day, when the nice lady, Lisa, stopped to help me! My appearance might have discouraged some folks from stopping. You see, I am a large pitbull mix. I will be forever grateful to Lisa for being my special angel on that September day.
She took me to her veterinarian to have me checked over and to try to find my owner. After my spending six weeks at the vet and many posters and lost and found ads, my owner did not come to claim me. I began to realize I was all alone, with no home, except at the vet’s office. To make matters worse, the vet called my friend Lisa and told her she must come get me. He could no longer keep me there. Lisa was very worried for me. She could not take me home with her because she had many rescued dogs at her house and could not take another one. She begged her father to take me and keep me at his business. It was fenced in and I could roam around and still be safe. Otherwise, I would have to go to the dog pound. Her father agreed to take me. So, I went to live at his business. I was given the name “Smiley” because I would smile when I was happy. People were there during the daytime with me, but at night I stayed alone in the business. Lisa made sure I had a nice bed and plenty of food and water and chew bones. But, I was afraid of what was happening to me. I had been in so many places and was confused and nervous. I growled at people sometimes and they felt uncomfortable around me. Since my Lisa’s father had a public business, she had to make the decision to find me another home.
During this time, I noticed a guy would come on Saturdays and Sundays to see me. He was very nice to me and I liked him a lot. I think he was thinking about taking me home to live with him.
But it was not to be. A customer of the business decided he wanted me and took me home with him. We lived in an apartment and I could not be outside. After 3 or 4 days, the family decided they could not handle me. I weighed 65 lbs at the time. They returned me to the business. As you can imagine, I was very confused. After a few days, I somehow got out of the fenced-in area and ran away. This time I was run over by a car on a main highway. My hip was badly injured. But fortunately for me, Lisa had made sure I had identification tags. The policeman who found me, called the owner of the business where I was staying and told him I was hurt.
Lisa and her father came for me and took me to the veterinary hospital. I was in a lot of pain because my hip was shattered. They were given three choices about my future. 1. Put an artificial hip in, which would have been very expensive. 2. Remove the hip joint and hope the muscles would provide the strength I would need to allow me to walk 3. Put me to sleep.
Lisa could not put me to sleep and they could not afford the artificial hip so they chose the option of removing the hip joint. The veterinarian told them this worked really well in a lot of dogs. The muscles would strengthen and provide stability for the hip movement. So, this surgery was done on my hip. I survived the surgery and after a few days, was sent back to my friend’s father’s business. Lisa started the process of trying to find a new owner for me again. “Smiley Boy” was so tired and worn out. I just rested and tried to feel better with a sore hip. I couldn’t walk without holding my leg off the ground.
In time, my hip slowly began to heal and I began to feel better. I will have to say, Miss Lisa made sure I was taken care of and was comfortable.
While I was recuperating, that same guy that I told you about before, kept coming to see me. He would come on Saturdays and Sundays. He was kind and talked nice to me. I liked him a lot. We became good friends.
In the days ahead, the sun began to shine on “Old Smiley Boy.” My new friend, took me home to live with him. I called him my “Dad.” He had a new fence installed and a dog door put in his house. I had a large area outside to roam about, which was all fenced in. I could come into the house through the dog door. At first, my new Dad would only let me come into the back room of the house during the daytime while he was at work. I guess, he was afraid I would tear his furniture apart inside the house. But eventually, my Grandma (my Dad’s Momma) worked it so that I could be in the entire house during the day, which made me a lot happier because I could snooze on the big king size bed. I have been very good, since allowed into the house, although I will have to admit, I have taken some important tax papers outside and chewed them up, which didn’t make my Dad happy with me. The office is still off limits for me when he’s not there.
My journey with my new Dad began in November 2004. At first, I was nervous and a bit scared of my surroundings. I had been out in limbo for so long, I just could not believe my good luck. I was totally contained in my nice fenced in lot and could not run away again. Although, I still had to carry my left leg when I walked, I was happy just to be with my guy. I was still a bit uncomfortable around visitors, because I didn’t know what they were up to. At first, I believe some of my Dad’s visitors were intimidated by me because they did not understand me. I needed them to say hello to me and pat me so I would know they would not harm me. I can tell if my Dad’s visitors love dogs, because they are not nervous around me. My Dad has been real good about training me around people. I am becoming more and more used to visitors now. He has trained me to be very obedient and not to step foot out of the fenced in area unless he gives me approval.
I love to ride in the Chevy truck with him. Sometimes, he takes me for a visit to the business in which I stayed at first. I’m not worried that he will leave me there, because we are “Best Buds” now and “Best Buds” have got to stick together. I have been with my Dad a long time now. I have mellowed out and have adjusted to his lifestyle. I believe I am about 5 or 6 years old. My disposition is so much calmer now and my Dad says I am a great companion to him. He is single, so it’s just my Dad and me. I know my Dad has to work to support us so I take care of our house while he is at work. My Dad tells me he isn’t worried about it because he knows I will take care of things.
I am happy at home alone. I can snooze on the blacktop drive inside my fence. I can watch children playing in the park in front of my fence and of course, I have squirrels, rabbits and chipmunks to keep me entertained while my Dad is at work. If I get tired of doing that, I can go into the house and chew on my nylabones or snooze on the king size bed. Sometimes I snooze on the couch in the living room. I always think my Dad won’t know about this, but he does every time. I wonder why? Of course, I always have plenty of nice fresh water and the best of food. My vet says I'm "One Healthy Boy." I stay indoors when it rains because I don’t like to get my feet wet. I groom myself a lot and try to help my Dad keep the house clean.
It took my hip a year to get all better. No one can tell I have ever had a problem now. I can even raise my leg to pee the normal way for a boy dog. Don’t that beat it?
Once a month, my Grandma comes to spend the day with me. She cleans our house. I love to be with her and follow her around behind the vacuum cleaner. She feeds me yogurt – yum yum. She is a painter and has painted a portrait of me, which hangs in the living room. You should see it. I'm a sight for sore eyes!
I just love Saturdays and Sundays. My Dad and I restore old cars. We have restored a 1937 Chevy. My job is to give him moral support and encouragement when things don’t go as expected.
I also have another job. I patrol around my fenced in area every night. I want to make sure all is well for my Dad and me before time to turn in.
The only thing that really bothers me now a days is a thunder storm. I shiver when it thunders. But, not to worry, I have found a great place to go when the storms come – my Dad’s closet. He has put a bed in there for me. I am enclosed and feel safe. I even go in there sometimes when it’s not thundering just because I like it.
My Dad tells me I have been a great addition to his life. He says I’m one of the best things that has ever happened to him. One thing I know, wherever he goes, I will go. We are partners for life.
Sincerely,
Smiley Boy
P.S. Shucks, I just got caught with my Dad’s instruction papers for his new treadmill. I planned to take them outside and do a munch-munch on them. After being caught, I went to my closet to sulk a while until my Dad came and gave me a hug. He said, “Come on, Smile, let’s go work on cars.” I told you we were “Best Buds.”
By j swann
Addendum: After living with his beloved Master for 6 1/2 wonderful years, Smiley went to the "Rainbow Bridge" on April 9, 2010. He has written "A Letter to His Dad" from the Bridge. If you would like to read it, click on the following link:
A Letter To My Dad
