A Christmas Miracle, Part 2

We received a request for help in autumn 2021 from a family looking to find a home for two of their German Shepherds.  Dolley was an 8-year-old small, petite German Shepherd, and her son was Sparky, a 7-year-old shy shepherd with ear infections.  The family was moving out of the country and could not take the dogs with them.  Although the family cared for and loved the dogs, they were not "inside" dogs.  The family had converted a portion of their garage to include heat, dog beds, and makeshift dog houses.  When we first met the two, Dolley just gave a quick little bark and took off back into her home, while Sparky, at first shy, meandered over to us with a laid-back attitude. 

Sparky and Dolley's owner's main concern was ensuring the two went to a good and reputable rescue.  They absolutely were not going to place them in a shelter, and the family was holding off moving out of the country until they knew Sparky and Dolley were safe.   We felt confident we could find a home for Sparky easier than Dolley.   There would be a two-week gap between when we first brought Sparky into our program and followed up with bringing in Dolley. 

Before they entered our program, we did not know how strong the connection between the two dogs was.  It became apparent during the two weeks that Sparky was without Dolley how much he missed her.  Sparky was lethargic and depressed and would only sparingly engage with people.  The day Dolley came to our program, Sparky's eyes lit up, and he had a whole new level of energy.   Once we could spend significant time with the pair, the level of medical attention and care both would need was clear.

Like many shepherds that previously entered our program, Sparky had chronic ear infections, which would prove difficult to control.  Dolley's back legs and hips were weak, and she often walked with a wobble.  We took Dolley in for a complete evaluation of her hips in the hope that whatever issue she had might be solved by surgery.  However, Dolley was diagnosed with a severe case of Degenerative Myelopathy (DM).  Based on the progression of the disease, which is similar to ALS in humans, except DM only affects the rear legs, Dolley would soon lose all function of her back legs.

However, as we soon learned, nothing would stop Dolley.  When she was out in the play area, she would use all her strength to keep up with Sparky and actively engage with our volunteers.  Dolley was nothing like the initial shy dog we first met at her house.  She was either constantly checking in on Sparky, or coming back to volunteers seeking attention, be it kisses, pets, or treats.  Even when her back legs were barely working, she would sooner drag herself around than keep still.  We took her to a dog rehabilitation specialist to see if water therapy might help with maintaining muscle mass. Having dealt with a number of dogs with DM over the last twenty years, we knew the likelihood was low based on the speed that the DM had progressed. Unfortunately, we were correct.

We were walking Dolley with a harness.  Despite her petite size and barely functioning back legs, it was hard to keep up with Dolley's quick pace on a walk.  Also, neither Sparky nor Dolley was ever thrilled about walking separately, so we needed to up our game for Dolley.  As an organization that focuses on senior dogs, we had a few carts donated to us over the years, and we modified one for Dolley.  She took to it right away.  The size was not perfect, but it served its purpose until we got a custom-made cart from Eddie's Wheels.  Now to keep up with Dolley, we practically had to jog.  She loved her cart and with it made even more friends on her journeys. 

Meanwhile, Sparky's ears continued to be problematic and partially resistant to the medication we were using.  Our biggest concern was that we might need to operate on his ear canal(s), leaving him either partially or completely deaf.  The treatment for the ears was agonizingly slow, but some progress was made.  We would flush and clean Sparky's ears and bring him to the vet about every 4 to 6 weeks to get a good cleaning.   

We have adopted dogs with medical issues in the past.  Everybody who met Sparky and Dolley were instantly in love, but despite a few inquiries, we had no interested adopters.  On their own, we could find a home for them separately.  However, it would take a special home and family to consider taking on two medically challenged dogs, no matter how loving and friendly they were.  Still, there was no way we would separate Sparky and Dolley.  Since our founding in 2014, Sedona Shepherd has always been able to place a bonded pair of dogs together.  In fact, we have adopted 12 bonded pairs over the years.  We were determined and knew that a special family was out there for Sparky and Dolley.

By July 2022, the only potential adopter had a dog that did not get along with Sparky.  We knew the odds were against us in finding that perfect match, but we were not giving up hope.  We employed a social media blitz with an enduring video of the two. In the meantime, all the volunteers continued to stay in shape, jogging alongside Dolley.   We all enjoyed our time playing and just hanging out with them.  A month later, an incredible applicant applied to Sedona.

A month later, an incredible applicant applied to Sedona.

A month later, an incredible applicant applied to Sedona. She and her mother were looking to help a special need dog and read about Sparky and Dolley's story.  Not only were they interested in the two, but they had German Shepherd experience, a fenced-in yard, relatives living nearby, and the potential adopter worked from home.  On paper, it all seemed too good to be true.  In person, it was even better.  When we brought Sparky and Dolley with us for a home visit, they acted as if they had lived in the house all their lives.  Dolley immediately began "running" around in the backyard in her cart, and Sparky just followed along.

We explained that Sparky still had infections in both ears that were not yet fixed.  That was not a deterrent for their new adopter.  We agreed to place Sparky and Dolley into a foster-to-adopt program.  Over the next two months, Sparky's adopter was vigilant in keeping his ears flushed and clean daily.  Being in a new home was the final piece of the puzzle for Sparky.  By late October, almost 1 year after coming into our program, Sparky and Dolley's dream came true.  A wonderful, loving home with new adventures and new friends.  An early Christmas miracle in 2022.