Adopting a Puppymill Kid - Redford's Story

This week is a very important one for us. In 2008 we discovered this wonderful group and adopted our first dog, Redford. When CP rescued him from a puppymill 6 months prior, Kim Crowe was his guardian angel foster mom. We had never adopted a dog that was a "puppymill survivor". That's what I call them because puppymills are no different than the death camps during the holocaust.

Redford couldn't have been more scared. All he wanted was to be left alone huddled in a corner. The first week with us for him was just trying to be invisible, hiding, running away. So we left him alone so that he could at least be comfortable. The second week he found a spot on the other side of the couch where I sit. We put his blankie there that an auntie had made for him and that is where Redford found a home.

He watched us all doing our daily things, interacting with the other dogs. If we ever looked over his way and made any kind of eye contact he would either lower his head or turn away. My heart hurt so badly for him, knowing that I would have to wait for those horrible memories he kept inside to leave. Redford would never go through a door with me. He would only use the doggy door. There wasn't much interaction with Redford the first 6 months he came to live here. But I knew he wanted so much to be loved. He became my shadow at first, following me from room to room always staying a safe distance.

Redford will be 7 years old on October 6 and his first Gottcha Day is October 9. We will be having a big party for Redford this coming weekend because he is so much a part of our family. Redford now walks through a door with me, comes to me for love, waits at the door for me when he knows I am coming home, jumps all over me because he is so happy to see me. He talks to me when he is hungry and I am not moving fast enough for him, plays with toys, and is part of the pack.

He is still afraid of everyone but me, but will let them sit by him and pet him. He tolerates Blaine (DH) but at least now he doesn't run from him. We love him so much and we hope for the day when all the bad memories finally leave his mind.

Happy Birthday & Happy Gottcha Day Redford. You are my very special little man.....and I love you very much.

Linda

Port St. Lucie, FL