Congratulations on the great new site Victoria Adoptables! We look forward to all the great blogs!

We thought this would be a great place to pay tribute to some rescue cases that we find inspiring. 

Our opening file is  from the early days of my own rescue, Dixie.

Dixie came to Canada as a refugee. Her persecution would have been the death penealty, but Mosaic Rescue saw hope in this little dog and we are so delighted they did!

Her file was as long as the ascent to Mt. Everest.  Two incarcerations in Little Rock Arkansas, both before the age of 6 months. Several foster homes and a couple of Forever Homes that “didn’t work out”.

I was introduced to Dixie with pictures from a friend. She knew of a dog that needed a good home. One with perhaps a trainer in it. Resistance was futile...“You want me, I am the cutest thing. Nobody but you will really be able to understand me." 

Dixie is the kind of Terrier Cross that looks like she could make a grown man cry and laugh in the same moment - and her looks didn’t lie. In her day, she could shred a hard cover copy of Harr Potter in the time it would take a trainer to refill a beverage. It didn't take long for our household to be smitten! Sure there were issues to work on, but  overtime Dixie started to reciprocate the smitten factor. I think it was the way we worked that helped her trust us. 

Unfortunately one day while we were in Vancouver she got scared and ran off from the person caring for her. It was more than 3 miles by the way the crow flies from our home. She had never been in this land. Deep Oak Bay. It was near Christmas time and we dropped everything and raced for the 9pm Ferry. We finally made it to the "scene of the crime". We saw racoons, crazy drivers, and drunken Christmas Carolers but no Dixie. Eventually we returned home but were determined to go back in a few hours (pre dawn) and look again. Lying in bed unable to sleep, the most amazing sound erupted from the driveway. A Dixie bark! When we came out of the house she was extatic but exhausted. She had to cross so many busy streets and travel miles of unfamiliar terrain to make it back to her familiar street! After water and food she was too tired to jump on the bed so we lifted her up she fell into a deep sleep. Rescue dogs know a good home when they have found it. 

Smart Dog Training would like to thank all the amazing Victoria homes that rescue dogs through Victoria Adoptables. We offer a 10% discount of a class or a private training session.

Check out our website for class descriptions and times.  

http://www.smartdogtraining.ca/services-htm