Betty came to us from a hoarding puppy mill in California. Her rescuer who told us she had never been to worse conditions in the 20 years of her rescuing dogs. Our little Betty is an 8 year old Maltese and is the light of my life. Her rescuer - a beautiful woman name Sandra explained it took 4 months to bring Betty to the point where she was adoptable. When she rescued Betty she was extremely malnourished and sickly. Her wonderful team cleaned her, fed her, operated on her and brought back from the brink. I believe these people have a special place in heaven reserved just for them!
Our little Betty arrived in our home not knowing how to climb up stairs, go potty on a pee pad. She had never been to a park, on a leash, in a car, she didn't understand simple commands because I believe she had been treated as a "thing" her whole life. She still doesn't know how to play, if I throw a toy at her she watches it go by and totally ignores it. Luckily I can bring Betty with me to work so she is with me constantly. She doesn't do well when she isn't near me. I am working on her confidence to be without me but as my vet explained, I am the first safe loving person she has had in her life (beside Sandra of course)
We have an alpha female Westie named Callie and a rescue cat named Oliver. From the moment Betty entered our home both animals treated her with kindness. Callie lets Betty push her out of the way for food - and never barks or nips at her. Oliver never hissed or hid from her. We always say it's like they could tell she needed be treated gently by them. When we take Betty to the dog park (which isn't often because the dogs are so big). The dogs come up, sniff her and walk away. The too seem to sense she needs to be treated gently. Amazing.
She absolutely loves going for walks. It's the highlight of her day but it wasn't always that way. We started by carrying her on our walks because when I put her down she was so nervous she didn't know where to walk. After a few weeks we put her on a leash and walked her as far as she was comfortable. At first it was a half a block, then the whole block and then finally in the park. She just loves it. She runs and sniffs and finally started to go potty outside (only when we're on our walks) but I believe it's a good sign. She's figuring out she doesn't have to go potty where she lives.
I don't care that she makes mistakes and doesn't always go on her pee pads. I have never given her trouble for her mistakes because she is so gentle, I just point to her pee pad and repeat - go pee pee on your pee pad and I lift it up for her to see. Commands to actions are very new to Betty. She has never learned a "language" so it's a bit slow going, but she's catching on. I expect it will take a least a year before our house is not covered with pee pads. My goal is to have one spot she goes to for her pee pads. The reality is that I see the big picture of where she came from, how far she has come in such a short time. I know we have the rest of her lift to teach her. Really - what's a little mess here and there? It cleans up.
Betty was very very easy to fall in love with. Every day I tell her how much I love her and am so grateful she is in my life. I tell Betty's story to anyone who will listen in hopes that some other kind family will hear her story and adopt a beautiful rescue dog of their own.
Thank you again for giving us the opportunity to love Betty for the rest of her life.
Kim + Jay
