HAVE YOU ENTERED THE GIVEAWAY?
I’m pretty much resigned to blogging about the Australian Shepherd at least once a year. It is my favorite breed, after all. One of the most brilliant, most stubborn dogs, designed to herd and protect – what’s not to love? Say hi to Jessie, the Australian Shepherd I met this weekend:
Jessie is a protector, I think. When I pulled into the driveway, the family was still away, picking up kids from school. Jessie was keeping watch at the property’s border.
I talked to Jessie’s mom while giving the dog treats, beginning with a couple of Beef Liver Taffy treats to warm things up.
We moved on the the Bully Bone while Jessie’s mom explained why they chose her. When the family saw the litter of Australian Shepherd puppies, Jessie was the only one with curly hair. The entire family has curly hair, so Jessie fit in.
Y’all know that my own Aussie mixes are rescue dogs. But I have nothing against bred dogs being purchased from a reputable breeder, like Jessie was. A little story, though, about this family? They do have a rescue in the house. She’s the cutest thing you’ll ever lay eyes on. She’s from Ethiopia and also has curly hair.
Rescuing dogs is a big deal, and wholly wonderful. Rescuing kids is also a big deal, something I wholeheartedly believe in. So while Jessie is from a breeder, this family took an even bigger step and flew across the ocean to rescue a human child from the clutches of poverty and disease. That’s pretty remarkable.
I’m not going to get religious on you, but I will tell you that this family is actually NOT remarkable in my church. Like the dog community, with rescue becoming more and more common, my church family (it’s large – thousands of people) rescues small humans on a regular basis. So while I’m advocating dog rescue and adoption, many of my friends are rescuing and adopting small humans from many of the same things we rail against when it comes to animals. I love that.
Sometimes I get caught up in the dog community’s fervor about adoption. It’s right and good. And sometimes I forget about the tiny humans who need homes, need love, need protecting. I’m glad I have all kinds of friends, people who remind me about what’s important in their lives, in their world. Priorities are different for different people.
So yes, I fell in love with Jessie. She’s a beautiful Aussie. Yes, our next dog will definitely be rescued, adopted. But I want to go on record as promoting the beauty and necessity of human rescue and adoption, too.
After all, February is the month of love, the month for Valentines. Maybe you’ll find yourself falling in love with a tiny human that needs a home? Just a thought.
Don’t forget to enter our giveaway! The deadline is tomorrow night!
Until I write again …
Flea
