Ugliest Dog Stories

Jack
I have always passionately loved Chihuahuas and have
always wanted to adopt a shelter dog. I saw Jack in the
newspaper featured at our local shelter on Mother’s Day
1999. When I called and asked them to put him aside for me,
the staff told me that I could adopt him only if I didn't have any
children, which was fine. I knew from the first time I saw him
sitting on the counter that it was all over. He was emaciated
and had been in a harness for so long he had permanent
marks on his fur. Another family had brought him back
because he was aggressive towards their kids. Jack, who at
the time was going by Bubba, did well when I took him
outside and kept it together until the staff went to give him to
me and went after her because she took his blanket. They
told me not to take him. It was far too late.

As I drove home from work the first week or so I had him, I
was afraid I would find Jack overcome by a heart attack or
stroke. He raged. He hoarded. He stayed under the bed.
When I took him to the vet, I discovered without any surprise
Jack had been abused. He was missing and had loose teeth
that had to be pulled. He was underweight and most likely
was sore from long-term internal injuries. As I left the shelter,
I had said I would get him meds if I had to, and I did. And they
did not work. As I am a social worker and recognize that
medication rarely works without therapy, I took Jack to the
local Dog Whisperer. Suffice to say, it did not work either.

I really don’t know how to describe what evolved over time.
Jack still had his rage attacks and isolated. However, I would
sometimes find that he got in bed with me overnight and he
began to “cuddle” on a limited basis. I joked that he got his fill
and was off on his own for the rest of the day. I think he
trusted me more. We pretended to be a normal owner and
dog duo, going to the park and for rides, which he loved. I
learned that Jack couldn't emotionally handle toys and
territory issues to rival those of Napoleon. He developed his
“happy places” under the bed and in a closet. I got another
dog as emotionally available as Jack sometimes is not. They
built a love/hate arrangement for themselves. Pretty much, I
think we willed it to work and the whole process assumed an
enormous amount of meaning.

Everyone loves him, as he has developed a more complex
personality in the last seven years. In addition, I have told
there is something inherently admirable about a fourteen
pound Chihuahua without fear. I work with children in the
foster care system and Jack has accompanied me on some
appointments. He had a pretty tough life as well, but in the
end people still love and value him for who he is, not who he
should be. People who drop by always know to wear old
shoes and prepare for anything.

Submitted by Allison Price
Jack's Owner