Meet Cash and Rudy

So I've accidentally adopted two 8 year old lab mixes.

Due to a long series of events that I won't go into (boring and irrelevent) I'm now renting a room with a family of 4 with 2 small children (aged 4 and 1). This family has been very gracious and kind to me, even allowing me to bring my two cats into the home with me and live freely in the house. (Incidentally, their children adore my youngest cat Ninja and are decidedly becoming cat lovers, much to the fathers dismay)

This family has 2 large dogs who live outdoors. Cash and Rudy are 8 year old litter brothers. Dad was a full Lab and Mom was a Lab X GSD. The mating was accidental, and they kept these 2 of the ten resulting puppies. (all dogs were then spayed/neutered, this was 8 years ago). All 4 dogs lived in the house until they moved 5 years ago into a brand new home with nice wood floors. Apparently the dogs nails were scratching up the floors so they were put outside to live, permanently. Time passed and the human family began having babies and the dogs were no longer walked, interacted with, or much thought of really.

About a year ago, the mom of the family who is a friend of mine from church asked me to come out and look at Allie the mum of these two boys I've come to own. She was skin and bones, fully blind with cataracts and drank a whole bowl of water right in front of me while i was standing there talking to her owner. I knew pretty much immediately this dog had severe diabetes and needed a vet pronto. I begged, and I mean BEGGED them to take her to a vet. I offered to bring her in my own vehicle to my vet I was working for. I called around and price checked other vets. I came out to the house again and tested her blood sugar to prove to her owner she was diabetic and needed help. But excuse after excuse (everything from cost of care to not wanting to put her into her nice car to not being able to bring herself to put her to sleep if it came to it) and poor Allie died about 6 months ago all alone in the back yard.

The father to these boys passed away several years ago and I don't know the story behind that. So that leaves Cash and Rudy. I've been living here since the beginning of September and at first I just had to turn my head and look away. The dogs were in such a state of neglect, I wanted to cry, but I am beholden to this family for a place to live at present, and I can't afford to make them angry.

But then they went out of town and I was left to look after the dogs. That was the end of that. I fell in love with them both the first night. They both got baths and brushings to remove the loads of unshed coat and matts from around their necks and rear legs. I had to cut the chain choke collars off their necks that had been on so long the dogs had grown too large for them. I spent hours cleaning up the feces, mending and winterizing the dog house, trimming overgrown claws and loving on these boys. We started going on nightly walks. By the time the family came back, I had decided something had to change.

We had a talk about how I understood that life circumstances change and priorities change, but what hadn't changed was the fact that the dogs were dependent on them for care and protection and that the life they were living now was no where near what they deserved or needed. They decided I could take custody of the dogs. The line in the sand was, they can't come inside.

So now I'm trying to make their outside lives as enriching as possible. They've been to the vets for full blood work and parasite checks. (They are both loaded with intestinal worms and Cash has the far more serious heartworm infection, but we are working on getting rid of those). We walk every day, a bit farther each day. Trying out new places each weekend to walk. Its amazing watching their brains wake up from this sleep they've been in. Things are beginning to click. They are learning to play fetch. They are learning manners like sit and wait and how to walk nicely on a leash. Tonight I was outside playing with them and I put the dogs toys in the childs toybox on my way into the house. I watched through the window as Rudy went over to the box and worked and worked the latch until he got it open, got his toys back out and started playing with them again himself. I came back out to join him and his play included gleeful free running around the yard (This dog weighs 127 pounds, and I'm certain he hasn't RUN in years).

Last night we had a big storm blow through, dogs out in it of course an I knew their dogs house wasn't keeping them dry. I went out to get them (both soaked through of course) and we all three slept the night in the garage on the cement. Rudy and Cash loved it, my bones are complaining this morning however! The things we do for our dogs!

The change in these dogs has been impressive in just a few weeks. I can't wait to see how they continue to grow and blossom. This pic was taken a few weeks ago after I bathed them the first time.



Rudy (the obese black one) is already looking trimmer and Cash has put on some muscle. Their coats are sleeker and shinier. They smile bigger.

Funny how its taking 2 huge dogs to fill the void one little Moxie has left in my heart. Sadly, I don't think any number of dogs of any size will ever completely fill that hole, but Cash and Rudy are sure trying. Dogs are so wonderful in their capacity to love and forgive. As I was telling someone the other day, a well loved cat never knows how good they have it, but a well loved dog will never let you forget how grateful they are.

Stay tuned for progress reports.

WOW there are no words!!

Good luck to all 3 of you as you begin your journey together these boys are so lucky to have found you, and you them!!

Seems like you were meant to be there for these two boys.
Wishing you all the best and I hope they ease the pain of losing Moxie eventually.

What a wonderful story! Lucky dogs to have found you.

Wonderful story, well done you. The bit about Rudy and his toys had me smile so so wonderful that you can help restore these boys and their lives to one worth living

Good luck with them, they are lucky you found them.

rune

What a lovely story thanks for sharing, looking forward to the updates

I wish you and the boys all the best for your future. xx

I am so glad Cash and Rudy have found you! What beautiful boys.

wow! well done you! those boys clearly needed you