notseemlikethesicklydogthatsheactuallywas
forquiteawhile.Shehad18teethextractedand
multiplebaths,treatmentforfleasandticksand
tworoundsoftreatmentsforearinfections.Gone
wastheextremeodorMichaelhadexperienced,as
wastheseverematting,asDaisynowsporteda
sleekshort-hairedlook.

“NodoubtitwashardforMichaeltoleaveher

withus,butweweresoexcitedtobringher
home,tomeetHenryandourvisitingadult-aged
son,andstartthehappytimestogether.We
hopedDaisywouldcometofeelthatshewasan
importantpartofhernewfamily.Uponarrival,
sheandHenrycheckedeachotheroutandboth
seemedcomfortable.Neighborsstoppedoverto
seeDaisyandshewasfriendlyandunafraid.
Despitealimitednumberofteeth,wecouldsee
Michael’sreportwasaccurate—shecouldeat,
andhadagoodappetiterightfromthestart.

“Wehavebeensoluckythatourtimetogether

hasgonesowell!Therewerelotsofinitialvet
visitstocontinuetoaddressthesevereearinfections,with
atleastoneconcernedcalltoMichaelaboutthebacteria
thatwasfoundrightatthebeginning,butthingshaveset-
tleddown.Daisy’searsnolongerneedmedication(keeping
fingerscrossed!),thoughwethinkthatherhearingacuity
hasbeenimpacted.Weneedtospeakinmuchloudertones
forhertohear,andalsohaveaddedgesturestoour‘conver-
sations.’Daisymusthavehadsomelovingcareandinstruc-
tionatsomepointinherlifeassheisaverywell-mannered,
gentlesoul.Sheisreservedwithheraffection,sowhenwe
receivealickonthefaceorhanditmeanssomuch!

“WealwaysenjoyedthatthedescriptionsofPBGVs,

includedthatthey“haveavoiceanduseitfreely.”However,
ittookalongtimebeforeweheardanythingfromDaisy.
Nowshebarksoccasionallyandvocalizesinvarioustonesto
communicateherthoughts.Shewillinglyjumpsuponour
couchtositnexttous,butnotonourlapsasthatseemsto
makehersomewhatuncomfortable.

“DaisyandHenryarecontentedcompanions,asolid

team.Theyeattogether,napatthesametimes(thoughnot
inthesameplaceasbothliketheirdifferentareas),andgo
onwalkstogether.SheandHenrysitbythefrontdoorin
themorningtocueusthat‘Hey,it’stimetogoforawalk!’
Asifwewouldforget!Daisylovestogoonherwalks,
wagginghertail,holdingherheadhigh,bodyalertand
energized,andsniffingeveryinterestingspot.Sheisfriendly
butcautiouswhenmeetingpeopleorotherdogs.Sheenjoys

stayinginthehouseotherwise,eventhoughwealways
encouragehertostayoutsidewhenweareinthebackyard
togetsomemorefreshair!Sheactuallybarkstobeletback
in!Perhapsshelikesthesecurityofbeinginherownhome.
BecauseitisHERownhome.Sheblendedseamlesslyinto
ourfamily.Wecelebrateherbirthdayonthedayweadopted
her,thebestdayinJunefortheHofferfamily,sowethink
sheisnow11.Sheactsmuchlivelierthanthatonherwalks,
sowehopeitisanoverestimate,thoughshedoessleepalot
oftheday.Regardlessofourtimetogether,wearesograteful
tohavehadachancetoloveourDaisy.”

FromMichael:“TheHofferstookDaisyknowingofthe

potentiallong-termhealthissuesthatshemighthave.Itis
amazinghowmanytimesIgetcorrespondencefrompeople
sayingthattheywanttoadoptarescuedPBGVaslongasit
isyoung,perfectlyhealthy,properlytrainedandwillcost
nothingtomaintain.Ittakesveryspecialpeopletoaccept
anailing,agingdogandgivethedogtheloveandpatience
needed.IknowthatDaisywillspendafewgoodyearswith
peoplewhotrulyloveherandIcan'tthankKimandDoug
enough.Theyrepresenteverythingthatisgoodabout
rescuingdogs.DaisyhitthejackpotwhentheHoffersmet
metodothetransferandnowsheissafeandhappy.”From
theHoffers:“Michaelwassofriendly,honestandaccessible,
readytolistenandprovidesupportatanytime.Wealways
felthisstronginterestinhowthingsweregoingandhis
sincereaffectionforDaisyandallofhisPBGVfamily.”

LuckyDaisy!Sheendedupintheperfect

home,surroundedbypeoplewholoveher.

ThankssomuchtoMichaelEdwardsand

especiallytoKimandDougHofferfortheir
contributionstothisarticle.

I

YouCanHelp.

Tomakeadifferenceina

PBGV’slife,visitthePBGVCA’srescuepage:
www.pbgv.org/BreedInfo/rescue.shtmlandconsider
makingadonationtotherescueeffort.Noamount
istoosmallandeverydonationisappreciated.

Ifyou’realuckyownerwhohasrescueda

PBGVandwouldliketoshareyourstoryinSaber
Tails,pleasecontactJoanMannatJMann17307
@aol.com.

SaberTails

IDecember2013

www.pbgv.org

27

HenryandDaisy