“NUBS”…SOUNDS LIKE A FUNNY NAME, DOESN’T IT?? I HEARD ABOUT THIS DOG THIS MORNING (2/22/08) ON A MPLS. NEWS STATION…YOU ALL WILL BE AWESTRUCK WHEN YOU HEAR ABOUT HIM…..
APPARENTLY ONE OF OUR SOLDIERS IN IRAQ DISCOVERED A DOG, WHICH LOOKED TO BE AN OFF WHITE / TAN GERMAN SHEPHERD, IN SOME CITY OUR TROOPS WERE OCCUPYING. (THE STORY DID NOT MENTION IF HE WAS ONE OF OUR MILITARY DOGS.)THE DOG HAD BEEN TORTURED AND LEFT TO SUFFER AND DIE. HE HAD BEEN STABBED IN HIS STOMACH WITH A SCREWDRIVER, AND BOTH OF HIS EARS HAD BEEN CUT OFF, DOWN TO ABOUT ONE INCH LONG…TO WHERE THE CARTLIDGE BEGINS.
THE SOLDIER TOOK THE POOR DOG, NURSED HIM BACK TO HEALTH, AND BECAUSE OF HIS LITTLE EARS, HE LOVINGLY NAMED HIM “NUBS” .

WHEN THE TROOPS HAD TO MOVE ON TO ANOTHER AREA IN IRAQ, THE SOLDIER WAS FORCED TO LEAVE “NUBS” BEHIND. (THE NEWS STORY DIDN’T MENTION WHO “NUBS” WAS LEFT WITH.) THE TROOPS WERE SENT MORE THAN 70 MILES AWAY, BUT “NUBS” TOOK OFF , THROUGH WAR-TORN AREAS AND DESERT LANDS, AND TRACKED DOWN HIS LIFE-SAVING NEW MASTER !!
IT’S TRUE!!! “NUBS” TRACKED HIM DOWN, MORE THAN 70 MILES, AND SHOWED UP TO WHERE THE TROOPS HAD BEEN RELOCATED !!!
(I HAD TO USE THREE TISSUES WHEN I HEARD THIS!!)

THE SOLDIER WAS ABLE TO ARRANGE TO HAVE “NUBS” FLOWN BACK TO THE UNITED STATES, AND YESTERDAY HE ARRIVED AT THE MPLS/ST. PAUL AIRPORT IN A HUGE WIRE CAGE!! A FRIEND OF THE SOLDIER WILL CARE FOR HIM UNTIL HIS NEW MASTER COMES HOME NEXT MONTH, IN MARCH! THE NEWS CREW WAS AT THE AIRPORT, AND REALLY GOT SOME GREAT LIVE FOOTAGE OF THIS INCREDIBLE DOG, AND THE CLOSEUPS OF HIS FACE AND BIG BROWN EYES WERE HEART-WRENCHING. HE WAS CALM, BUT SEEMED A BIT CONFUSED.

PLEASE PRAY WITH ALL YOUR HEARTS AND SOULS THAT THIS SOLDIER ARRIVES SAFELY HOME NEXT MONTH SO THAT THEY CAN BE REUNITED AND LIVE TOGETHER THE REST OF THEIR LIVES!!

BY THE WAY, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIND THE STORY AT THE TV STATION’S WEB SITE. I DO NOT HAVE IT, HOWEVER THE STATION IS “KMSP FOX CHANNEL 9 “, SO GIVE IT A TRY IF YOU CAN….YOU SHOULD SEE A PICTURE OF “NUBS”.

Christine from MN

My dog, Blackjack, cracks me up. He’s a rescue Dalmatian, about 7 years old. He was covered in chemical burns when he was taken from a shelter by the rescue group, and he was in the rescue for about a year before I adopted him. He is tremendously entertaining when he dreams. I used to let him sleep on the floor in my bedroom, but he runs full-tilt and sometimes even barks in his sleep, which isn’t helpful when you’re already a raging insomniac. When he stretches while lying on his side, his legs stick out straight in the air and don’t settle back to the ground for a good two minutes. They’re just out there, floating in the air, ramrod straight.

Blackjack is a big fan of flies. He likes to sit next to the French door, and when a fly finally gets stuck in that lowest window, the sound of his jaw repeatedly snapping shut reverberates throughout the room. Luckily, he also disposes of said flies.

The other day I asked him if he wanted to help me get the groceries out of the trunk. He trotted merrily to the car, and when I patted the bumper to show him where the groceries were, he gamely jumped into the trunk and stayed there, a spotted sentry, until all the groceries were unloaded. Not really helpful, but definitely funny. Read the rest of this entry »

One spring day a few years ago, I was on my way to the home of some friends and took a country road and sure enough, a terrier was running down the side of the road. I picked him up and went from house to house, trying to find the owner to no avail. I took him to the vet and the dog had not been neutered and needed another operation. The vet said he had been dumped. This Yorkie mix, “Hoosier,” and I are buddies and the relationship is unreal. I grew up with pets but never had such a relationship with an animal. In time, I decided Hoosier needed a canine pal in the house so I got “Emma Mae” from a breeder. The two are now like brother and sister but at first, I thought I had betrayed Hoosier. In time, the decision was right. I had no clue the human, canine bond could be this tight. What I absolutely can not fathom is the notion of euthanizing a dog for any reason. Perhaps I have a lot to learn, but it won’t happen here, no matter what. “Rescuing Sprite” is an incredible story but can anyone enlighten me as to how putting a dog to sleep is the right thing to do?

Father William from IN

We, too, adopted a dog and then ended up footing the bill for a lot of medical expenses. She had heartworm (not divulged by the previous owners) and $600.00 later and two weeks of IV’s she was better. She also had many surgeries for mamary tumors and ear infections. She was an adorable black Lab/Cocker Spaniel mix named “Samantha.” Would I do it again? Of course. She died at the age of ten and a half but we had eight good years with her and my kids, now in their twenties, still talk about her often. Enjoyed your book immensely and am sorry for your loss.

Ora from NV

I have just had to make one of the toughest decisions of my life. I had to have my little dog
“Cheebie” put to sleep. Cheebie is a mix of maltese and poodle. We were given Cheebie in April of 1991. She had lived with us for almost 18 years. During this time she became another child to my wife and I. Both of our children haved moved out and the only child we had left at home was our special little dog. She had been in failing health for about the last 8 months. Every morning and every night we would have to give her medicine for her heart. Even though she was sick she would always wag her tail when she saw us. I have to let you know the decision to have her put to sleep was so hard we did not want to accept it. We had consulted with our Vet and he told us that we had done everything we could. This still did not ease the pain. When we made the decision our Vet Dr. Garrett
was very kind and came to my house and picked Cheebie up and took her back to his office. During the time he was at our house he comforted us and let us know that Cheebie would go peacefully. I thought this was going above and beyond the call of duty. Cheebie was the sweetest and most loving dog I have every known and she will be terribly missed.

Jeff from AL

I have worked in animal medicine for almost 8 years now, and I have been lucky enough to share my love with many abandoned and unhealthy pets. I wanted to share with you all a quote that has helped me through years of pain that is caused by every creature who has passed on to the Rainbow Bridge, so that it may also bring you some comfort. Thank you all who make room in your heart for our furry friends!!

“We who chose to surround ourselves with lives even more temporary than our own, live in a fragile circle, easily and often breached. Unable to accept its awful gaps, we still would live no other way.”

–IRVING TOWNSEND,

author “SEPARATE LIFETIMES”