Rough Times for the Entire Family
Less than a month later, my husband Gene was near death. He had developed a large blood clot between his lungs following a complex surgery.
Although knowing that God had blessed us by allowing Gene to survive, the difficult recovery took its toll on both of us. We were emotionally spent.
Our new pastor, Rev. Mike Howard, called every day to pray with us. Friends and neighbors called, texted, or dropped by for a short visit until Gene was stronger. Of course, our family was a constant source of loving support and comfort.
There is a scripture from the Bible that states in our weakness, we are made stronger through God’s love. We firmly believe that.
A Glimmer of Hope
Weeding my flowers de-stressed me and, even though the southern summer temperature had already risen, I found myself working in the yard daily while Gene slept or rested.
While gardening 0ne day, I spotted what appeared to be an old, yellow dog walking down the highway. This concerned me because we live on a state highway in Georgia with heavy traffic that included farm, chicken, and dump trucks.
I called the dog but she only looked at me briefly before wandering on. She appeared old, tired, and run down. Our neighbors and we began leaving out food for her.
I started by leaving a plate by our mailbox, gradually moving it closer to the house. We watched her eating the food from a distance.
After about 7-10 days, she spotted me sitting in the yard and started wagging her tail. Then, she walked right up to me. On closer examination, she was a young dog.
She appeared to be no more than 3 years old. Most importantly, she was obviously pregnant. Pregnant and homeless.
Because she had no ‘road smarts’ at all, we kept her inside our home. We only let her out to use the bathroom and for daily exercise. She was always happy to come back inside.
Within a few weeks, we spotted her picking out a cool spot under a shed to have her pups. Before long, she had seven healthy pups who now have loving homes of their own.
Mama and hungry pups
It only took a day or two for her to fall in love with Gene and he with her. Nevertheless, we had already posted a picture of her on social media in an effort to find her family. Thankfully, no one contacted us to claim her.
As Time Went On We Found Out Who Was The One Rescued
A year later, she was an essential part of our family. My husband named this ‘old yellow dog’ Queenie. The bond between them was strong and has continued to grow stronger.
About 8 weeks before my husband’s blood clot, he informed me that he wanted ‘his own dog’. Our family had included several dogs over the years.
He pointed out that every pet during our 49 years of marriage had been connected to me or one of our children specifically. He wanted that experience for himself.
Most importantly, not only did Gene choose Queenie, but she also chose Gene. There has never been a doubt about which member of our family she prefers.
Queenie lifted Gene’s spirit and put a smile back on his face. She has kept that smile there ever since she first arrived. I think we answered our question as to who was the one rescued.
So, Who Was The One Rescued?
We’ve looked back over last summer and quickly realized that we did not rescue Queenie. She rescued us, and more specifically so, Gene. We were able to forget about ourselves and focused instead on a precious gift in the form of a very pregnant yellow lab. When we count our blessings each day, Queenie is among them.
They say God works in mysterious ways. Who am I to doubt Him? He sure knew what He was doing when he sent a hungry, pregnant dog to our home. When we count our blessings each day, Queenie is among them.
Story shared by Sara Wilson, a faithful reader of HappyMutt.org
Why do dogs pick one person over another?
Have you ever wondered why a dog picks one family member over another? Is it their looks? Is it the way the smell? Most likely, it is because of an association with something pleasant.
This is especially true of mature dogs. If they were attached to a man as a 10-week old puppy and had a good relationship with him, they are more likely to prefer men later on in life.
If one member of the family is the one who feeds and waters the dog, guess who gets the brownie points! Who spends quality time with her? Takes leisurely walks or plays with her? Who gives the best tummy rubs?
Do you want to know how to tell if your dog loves you? Read this article and find out now. https://excellentdogsclub.com/how-can-you-tell-your-dog-loves-you/?fbclid=IwAR3e0bQLKva4nuJGD6j3Sl89F4s0vQApKq9udR3Q2XAimNofdNvMdpg_l4k
You get the picture. Just like with people, dogs can be won over by genuine, caring attention. However, sometimes, there does not appear to be any rhyme or reason as to why a dog prefers one human over another.
Maybe, like true love, it is a mystery of the universe. Maybe, like with Queenie, it is a gift from heaven. In the long run, it does not really matter. Regardless of who was the one rescued or who did the rescuing, they now have each other.
If you enjoyed this story you may appreciate this one as well. There is no doubt as to who saved who in this story. https://excellentdogsclub.com/heroic-act-dog-saves-owner-from-freezing-to-death/
