A Dog's Perspective in a Shelter

Jersey Spent a Month with on My First Overland Adventure

Life in the small concrete enclosure with the sounds of barking all night sure beat the years of carrying puppies in my belly and being the dog in the yard to get chewed on daily. I lost count at ten litters.

Jersey the rescue dog

I was so thankful for the day I was rescued from the repeated abuse from the other vicious horrible dogs in the yard and taken to that small concrete enclosure. I felt safe in that concrete box, but I knew there had to be more. 

Jersey in the passenger seat

I wasn't meant for that kind of life, deep down in my gut my nose needed more, and my soul needed more.  I was sad and horribly afraid of the dogs in the shelter and skeptical of the shelter workers.  

Then that fateful day at the shelter happened. I overheard the shelter workers talking of a grumpy old man coming to adopt one of the dogs. I wasn't sure what grumpy meant, but it couldn't be bad if this man was going to adopt one of the mean dogs. That grumpy old man happened to be the one who adopted me. He didn't even yell at me or tug me around on the rope tied to my neck. 

 At first, I thought he was giving me nasty stuff to eat like the others, but he gave me a yummy treat.  Then the door opened and I felt the sunshine on my back and the smells, oh so many smells I was overwhelmed. He took me for a ride in this thing he called a Jeep. It was the most amazing feeling in the world. We shared so many warm days out in his Jeep, now it's our Jeep, on the trails of Colorado. I liked Colorado there were so many cool smells and the places I could pee were immense. 

A pit stop for Jersey

Every day was amazing well except for the day I had to have my belly cut open and things taken out. I remember the lady in the white coat say cancer and I needed surgery. I wasn't sure what that was but new it was bad because my grumpy old man looked sad.

 
I healed quickly, but I felt like an astronaut with my "Cone of Shame" as my grumpy old man called it. He kept telling me he had a big adventure for us so I had to hurry and heal. I wasn't sure what adventure meant, but he was sure excited.

Every day kept getting better and better. The smells were overwhelming as I didn't have enough time to smell them all. Then one day we took a long, a really long Jeep ride. 

Jeep Momma and Jersey

We were going on our adventure and we were meeting a Jeep mom. I didn't know what a Jeep mom was and I was scared. She came in our room one night, and I didn't feel afraid at all. She was really, really nice and let me smell her hand. She didn't even hit me. 

That's when I found out what adventure was. She made a special soft safe bed for me in the back of her really cool Jeep. I even think it was cooler then my Grumpy Old Man's Jeep but don't tell him that. 

Jersey sleeping in the tent

We drove in that Jeep all day long with lots and lots of stops, so I could go smell the new smells. I couldn't believe they were taking me to all these cool places so I could smell the smells. 

Jersey checking out the Scenery

We drove in that Jeep all day long with lots and lots of stops, so I could go smell the new smells. I couldn't believe they were taking me to all these cool places so I could smell the smells. 

No one had ever done that for me. I didn't know there were so many trees and bushes and rocks in the world. 

Jersey checking out the scenes

There just wasn't enough time to smell them all. I didn't realize how big the world really was. It is now my favorite thing to do is to explore and smell. 

Selfie with Jersey

They even rolled down my special window and I got to put my head out and feel the sun on my face and the wind in my ears. And the smells and sounds. The best part of the trip. At night we would all get together in the tent to sleep. My favorite part was the special blankets Jeep Mom covered me up in. They smelled so good. Then I got to snuggle up to them and they kept me safe from all the other animals. 

Selfie with sleeping Jersey

I had the most amazing adventure with Grumpy Old Man and Jeep Mom. They say we will do again soon because I really really miss Jeep Mom.

I am a lot like her because I hear her telling people her Jeep saved her life. Well I think the Jeep saved my soul.