Violet the Weimaraner came to us in the fall of 2010. She was 3 years old. Like my family, she too was from Abilene, KS. We didn’t know a whole lot about her background, other than her previous owners had given her up because she was a “major barker”. MHWR had told us that she had been left outside for an extended period of time, as her sun-burnt nose would indicate. She was about 5 lbs underweight, which seemed significant to me for a 60 lb dog. She had been without a foster family for several weeks, which was getting costly for the MHWR. Prior to her arrival, I was a little nervous – she being the first dog that we’d ever owned as a couple. We began to prepare (or over-prepare). A crate, blankets, collar, leash, poop-bags, dog bowls and grain-free food were all part of our pet-store laundry list. Then we added toys, dog toothbrush and toothpaste, flea/tick medicine, worm medicine, nail clippers and sunscreen for starters. I realized quickly that owning a dog was not going to be cheap. I read the entire 50 page Weimaraner manual, paying particular attention to the “easing the transition for your new Weimaraner” section. We were ready. Or so we thought.

Violet carried baggage that burdens many rescue dogs. Upon arrival, she was extremely well-behaved. She would not enter rooms without permission, even the kitchen. She would not get on the furniture, and even food in front of her was off limits unless you told her otherwise. I had never met a dog so well-behaved. I later surmised that she didn’t feel at home. She was staying in a guest home. It took her awhile to let her guard down and get close to us. Once that happened, she developed a strong case of separation anxiety. She would howl when we left, and wet the crate. She didn’t trust other people or animals. We tried lots of remedies; some worked while others failed. She had some physical problems, too – which were a challenge. We worked with several veterinarians before we found a specialist with a medicinal solution. Nikki at MHWR was wonderful, helping us through the behavioral issues. There were times when we wondered if we made the right choice, but we couldn’t stand the thought of giving her back. She had the best personality of any dog I’d ever met. She was smart, loving and yet not too overpowering. She was obedient and willful. And yet she possessed so many human qualities that sometimes I wondered. I really took time to put myself in her position. Especially after getting to know her and understand her personality. She trusts her humans. She looks to them for guidance, love and discipline. And once she forms her bond, then it runs deeper than many human relationships. And she had that all torn away from her, whether intentional or not. Her foundation of human trust was crumbled. The day that she set foot on our doorstep, she was starting over. Rebuilding, at 3 years old. No way were we going to put her through that again. I don’t think she could have taken it. And neither could we, to tell the truth.

We love Violet. She’s our family now. We take long trips together, go hiking and boating in the summers, watch movies together in the evenings and cuddle up on the couch when the temperature drops. She even goes inside The Home Depot during house projects. She’s happy. And so are we. My favorite bumper sticker reads, “Who Rescued Who?” because now we really know what it means.

The Petersons