Duke and Daisy: July 2011

One time I left for a weekend trip with my sisters and when I came home twin sisters had moved into our home, (upping the number of teenagers in our house from five to seven!) Last week I was on a weekend trip with my sisters once again and this time two yellow labs moved into our home.

My husband had seen the unique tale of Duke and Daisy on KARE-11. John’s big ol’ heart melted and he fell head over heels for the pair of lovable labs in need of a good home. He texted an urgent message to me, “We have to get these dogs! Trust me," he said, "when you see the story you'll see why!"

Having no clue about their circumstances I caved in to his passionate plea. “If you feel that strongly about it, go ahead and throw our names in.” By the time I got home I found out that all the local networks had aired Duke and Daisy’s story. The idea of a pup serving as a seeing-eye dog for his blind mom captivated so many people that the news clips had been picked up by affiliates all across the country, including CNN. Given the exposure I doubted we’d even get a call?

Right?

My own heart was torn…we’d lost our Golden Retriever a year ago and we’d been talking about whether or not it was time to get another dog. Should we get another retriever? Or should we get a yellow lab? Should we adopt a dog from a shelter? Or get a puppy? I wanted us to make the decision based on what was right and not pure emotion. So when the phone call from Secondhand Hounds came and the adoption process unfolded in a matter of a few days, I had the distinct sense that divine orchestration was at work.

Our first night with Duke and Daisy was far from idyllic; both dogs were over excited and anxious…and who can blame them after so many changes. The next day came a broken lamp, rope burns on my ankles, nervous, panting dogs following my every step. Above all, Duke would never leave Daisy's side, leaving no question that his job was to protect her. Day and night I had two four-legged furry shadows underfoot at all times. If I so much as moved six inches it became an “event”, both dogs up, all excited and panting, tails wagging, like don’t leave me…

The next morning, overtired from lack of sleep, I asked God whether or not this adoption was the right thing to do. I made a pot of coffee (Lunds & Byerly’s Mississippi River Chocolate Caramel—a must have for every morning!) and sat down on the couch, not sure what to do next. With both dogs pressed up against my legs, I turned on the TV. The very first segment on The Today Show featured Matt Lauer and the NBC crew outside on the plaza introducing a lineup of dogs…all in need of adoption. There was my answer.

By the end of Day Four I was in need of a little “space”. When John went to bed, I retreated to our screen porch to read. Duke immediately followed me out to the porch while Daisy stayed in the bedroom—the first time Duke left Daisy’s side. The trust was beginning to build.

Yes, we have some work to do…both dogs need basic obedience training. We need to figure out the best way to get Daisy up and down stairs and reconfigure fence lines in our back yard. Those issues will all fall into place one by one. How do I know? Well, God sent His reassurance in a way that I was sure to grasp it.

Over the summer while John and I had been thinking about getting a dog again, I’d been longing to see “Old Yeller” again. On Day Two with Duke and Daisy, John was out of town on a business trip and wouldn’t be home until late. After a full day in my studio with the dogs, I took them upstairs, ready to sit down and hopefully relax. I flipped on the TV and to my surprise “Old Yeller” was just starting on the Hallmark channel. I hurried up and popped some popcorn and plopped down on the couch. Daisy curled up on one side, Duke on the other. For two hours both dogs were calm and quiet as I watched the classic Disney story about the love of a faithful lab.

I suppose the moral of the story is a) don’t leave my husband home alone anymore, or b) be willing to open house and heart to those who are in need of a place to call home.