My Halloween Hound
Halloween! A favorite for a few reasons. One of the reasons I love this day, is because 11 years ago today, I was rescued. I saw a Jack Russell puppy up for adoption about three hours away from Gastonia. I drove to the no-kill shelter facility, and saw the puppy. I already had a full blooded Jack Russell, and Gypsy was, and still is, a bit of a diva. I was scared that she might attack a puppy. As I was there, the volunteer at the shelter mentioned that they just got a Jack Russell in. They said that they had only had this dog for about an hour, and all that they knew was that he wasn’t aggressive. I was sitting on the floor of the shelter lobby, and the volunteer walked this dog out. The dog’s markings were almost identical to the markings of my Jack Russell Gypsy! They looked like they could be brother and sister! It was crazy. The dog then proceeded to walk over to me, smell me, and then put his head on my shoulder. DONE! I asked the shelter volunteer how much I needed to write a check for! I was taken. The shelter was calling the dog “Chief” but I wasn’t a fan of the name. I decided to name the dog Maxwell.
Maxwell was around two when I adopted him. He was not treated well in those first two years. He was malnourished, and had been abused. I’d later discover that he had heartworms as well. When I got Maxwell into my car, he put his head in my lap, and didn’t move as we drove the three hour trip home. I was immediately in love.
Over the next six months, I did everything I needed to do to get Maxwell healthy. He went through two rounds of heartworm treatments, and he gained about 20 pounds. I WILL admit, I over fed him for a bit. LOL! But, the longer I had Maxwell, the more I realized that he loved snacks. He soon became known as “Maxwell/Snackwell”. Maxwell is beginning to slow down a bit now, since he’s turning 13, but my boy still loves snacks.
Maxwell is a dog that has transformed my soul. Soon after adopting him, I went through a VERY bad divorce. Without Maxwell, and the diva Gypsy, I’m not sure I would have made it. Maxwell, although crafty, and can end up causing some shenanigans, is THE sweetest dog I have ever had. He’s a mama’s boy, a snuggler, loves his blanket, walks, and food. I’d be lost without him. So cheers to my “Halloween Hound”…………thank you for rescuing ME!
