A canine’s gift of unconditional love

TORRENS TALK

About 16 years and one month ago we chose to take home an abused 8-month old German shepherd mix puppy from the Kitsap Humane Society (KHS). Sadly, this past week we had to put her to sleep.

When we saw Chandi at KHS, we saw a quiet, shy and scared dog. While there, we took her out back to one of the outdoor kennels to see how she would respond to me and Dave. We asked why such a sweet dog was at the shelter. It seems the previous owner(s) abused Chandi. The staff had no specifics other than she was hit.

However, the minute Dave came near her, she peed. KHS said she was doing submissive peeing. We were assured once she got used to us, it would go away. And KHS was right. It took about a week of being around Dave before she stopped. But, the effects of her being beaten would last her lifetime.

It took her several months to stop barking and backing away from every man who came to the house. Clearly, whoever had physically abused her was a male. It took years to get her to stop reacting to men unknown to her. At that point she, along with her sister Kimba, would expect attention.

It wasn’t until we were packing up our belongings in preparation for our remodel that we had a glimmer as to what type of abuse she had taken. I was packing away my Louisville Slugger baseball bat when Chandi saw it. She just freaked out. Even after hiding the bat from sight, it took her quite awhile to calm down and let me pet her. We made sure she never saw the bat again (it is tucked away).

While Chandi enjoyed being petted, she detested being held. Any attempt to hold her or pick her up was met with much wriggling and struggling. This also meant she wasn’t amenable to hugging and cuddling. While we called her the greased watermelon dog, we surmised the dislike related back to her initial treatment. The squirming lasted until just recently. When there was no fighting back despite being carried, we knew our dog’s time was coming.

After about one year of being with us, we adopted Kimba who died in June 2007. The two of them got along from the beginning. Having a canine companion made life easier for Chandi. She had someone to play with and keep her company while Dave and I were at work.

Chandi also was a very intelligent dog. It took very little time to train her in the basic commands. Of course, Dave always maintained that she took them as suggestions, not required behaviors. She knew the difference between her ball and her chew toy and would get whichever one we asked for — she would hunt throughout the house, if necessary.

And, she was a very active dog. Chandi had a whole collection of toys to keep her — and us — amused. She loved to play “keep away” and took great delight when it was her turn to keep her toy away from us. Kimba got her jollies from watching Chandi run amok.

She was a very loyal and loving dog. Even though she didn’t enjoy cuddling, she always wanted to be in the same room with us and as close as she could be. Even her last day was quiet for her only when I was within petting distance. It took her just moments to know if I left the room and then she would howl until I returned.

This dog, despite her horrible introduction to human beings, still managed to give unconditional love. It was a gift that deserved to be reciprocated. For a dog of her size and background, Chandi had lived well past the normal life expectancy, but her time had come.

We are very grateful we have a vet and staff at Poulsbo Marina Veterinary Clinic who appreciate the relationships animals and their owners have. We thank Dr. Mark Daigle and them for giving us the time to be with her before letting her go.

Chandi, your father said it best when he said your spirit was willing but your flesh was weak. You fought to be who you were to the end but age and infirmity won out. We take comfort in knowing you will always be in our hearts and memories. Give a nuzzle to Kimba when you see her – now you can keep each other company always.

Val Torrens covers local issues for the CK Reporter and North Kitsap Herald.

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