Introducing Pearl

On March 3rd, we added a new member to our family.  Meet Pearl!

Pearl is approximately 9 years old, and was rescued from a high-kill shelter on the day she was due to be killed.  Sorry, but to me euthanasia is a thing done out of mercy, out of love.  She was due to be killed most likely because some asshole was using her to breed litters of puppies, and then when she became too old, she and two other 'old lady beagles' were abandoned in a vacant lot. 

I was told she has the classic demeanor of a dog who has spent her life in something along the lines of a rabbit hutch, churning out litter after litter of puppies.  She had been with her foster family through a local humane society for about a year now.  I had seen her picture over the past few weeks whenever I went looking on Petfinder.  I knew the next time I adopted a dog, I wanted it to be an older and/or special needs dog.  Older animals don't get a fair chance when it comes to being adopted.  Let's face it---puppies are adorable.  And if you take an older animal, you usually have to say goodbye sooner.  But I'm not concerned about any of that.  I just wanted to give an old dog a home.  A place to have no worries.  The chance to just be a dog, to lay in the sun, to snuggle up with her human when she needs some reassurance. 

Pearl is a sweetheart.  She is pretty much potty trained.  We have puppy pads down because her foster mom said sometimes she can't hold it all night.  She has used them twice--once during the night and once when it was pouring down rain. 

She is doing a great job of fitting in after just 1 1/2 weeks with us.  We have a set of dog steps that we bought for Max when he was hurting.  Neither Max nor Macy ever learned how to use them, but Pearl picked right up on it, and has been using them to sleep at the foot of the bed.  Her biggest issue right now is walking on a leash.  She refuses to do it.  So we are working on that slowly.  Today she started wearing the vest harness I picked up for her for a few hours.  Hopefully in a few days I can get her to take a few steps on the leash.  lol 

I took this video right after her bath, when she had been with us for 2 days.  Up until this time we hadn't heard that beautiful beagle bark of hers.  We've heard it a couple of times since then, as she's become more comfortable at her new home. 

I'm looking forward to several happy years with Miss Pearl as part of our family!!