In 2008 I was on a mission to own my first dog. By first dog I mean the first dog I bought with my own money, and raised with my own money (mostly my moms - but that's not the point). I worked throughout the summer of 08' at a movie theater to make my dreams come true. Miniuminm wage sucked, and working long hours with people who hated you was worse - BUT I prevailed!
It came down to the breed I was going to get. My mom has a few objections to some of the dogs I wanted to get. I wasn't allowed to get a Great Dane or a Mastiff. My mom crossed though dogs out immediately. I was really suppose to get a small, non shedding dog. Ha. Thinking back to that makes me laugh. Because if you know me and my baby, Lucy Lou, you know she's nothing like those two requirements. Actually, she's far from those two.
Anyways. I had been looking up dogs for a month or two. Narrowing down the breeds I wanted. I finally came across the "German Shepherd" breed page, and I've always loved shepherds. I loved them because their the police dogs, and who doesn't love a police dog? No one.. unless the police dog is biting down on you cause you're a big ole' mean criminal, but that's besides the point...
I started searching for breeders in Georgia that had German Shepherds available (which wasn't a lot). I finally reached out to an Alabama couple who would be glad to meet me half way to decide on one of the two puppies they had. Well after I talked to them I found this Georgian breeder who lived in the middle of no where and had one pup left. She was sixteen weeks old at the time and was the runt of the litter. Since she lived in Georgia, my mom said we should go up and see her - so we did.
I remember it took about an hour to find this farm. Literally in the middle of no where in Georgia. However, we finally found it and met the man who was selling the puppy. He was an avid Bulldog breeder and it just happened that his Shepherds produced puppies. Lucy's parents where tied up far away in the field, so we didn't get a really good look at their size, but when the man first picked up Lucy and placed her out in the open to meet us - my heart melted. She came straight to me and sat at my foot. It's like she knew she was going to mine, and I knew she was too.
My mom had a look of serious denial on her face when she saw Lucy. I mean at sixteen weeks Lucy's ears were sticking straight up and she had some pretty good size paws. I mean like MONSTER paws. Anyways, I paid the man for the puppy, picked her up, and placed her in a cardboard box that we brought so we could transfer her back to the city safely. I remember being in the car as we were leaving talking up about names and how cute she was. At this point in time my siblings didn't know I had bought a dog, and wouldn't believe it until they met her in person.
I remember stopping at our local PetSmart and picking up the essential puppy supplies. We also signed her up for puppy classes, and took her over to my brothers apartment. Well my brother and older sister finally met the newest edition to the family was great awe (awe as in WHY WOULD YOU LET HER BUY A DOG). Since then Lucy has been with me, by my side, nonstop and I couldn't imagine my life without her.
We've had the really great memories and then the terrible memories and then the awkward, yet slightly funny memories to go along with them. Lucy's been dressed up, painted, recorded, won a dog contest, saved people's lives (literally saving my family members lives), has sent family members to the hospital, ate things, stolen platters of food, and through it all you can't help but love her.
The year now is 2013 and Lucy is hitting the scales at 120. She's five. She's also very sick and I'm heading into a very deep and dark depression. Lucy has contracted Aspergillus Pseudomembranous Tracheobronchitis. It is extremely fatal in dogs and right now Lucy is fighting for her life.
This is my baby. Please send your prayers.
Until the very end.
Until the very end.
