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Afterschool Program & Community Dogwalk
(creative name in progress)
by Beth Detjens

Continued from page one....

Every day for the next month was pure heaven. I woke up in the morning to the sounds and smells of a tasty breakfast. My room was cozy too - not like the concrete and metal I had at Animal Control. The floor was concrete to keep it clean, but half of it had carpet to lie on and my own bed (with a mattress and pillow and everything!). The best part was the boy that brought me breakfast. He didn't just leave me alone and bored. He came back as soon as I finished eating and petted me. I got the best back scratches ever! And if I acted like I wanted to play, he'd pick up one of my many toys and play all I wanted. Sure I had most of the mornings to myself, but from the time school got out until bedtime I was very busy having fun with the kids.

Miss Beth paired me up with a little girl named Chelsea because I guess she had mean parents too. She's okay now, because someone else is taking care of her, but I know how she feels. I guess that's why we're such good friends. We both have a hard time trusting people after all they put us through. I heard Miss Beth tell a volunteer last week that we were helping each other without even realizing it. We're teaching each other to trust again, by trusting each other. I hope I never have to leave Chelsea. She really understands me. When I look sad, I think she knows it's because I had a bad memory, and when she looks sad, I know why and just curl up in her lap for a nap. She cries, but I think it's because I'm helping her forget.

My favorite part of the day is when Chelsea comes at 2:55 p.m. She runs to my room and hugs me tight. We cuddle and play for a few minutes and then it's time to start class. I'm in the graduating class now, so I'm learning the really cool games and tricks. I started out in basic obedience (sit, stay, come, and all that easy stuff), with Chelsea as my partner. We were both pretty shy at first, but it didn't take long at all for us to become best friends. She cried when her mom picked her up that first afternoon. Don't tell the other dogs, but I cried too.

After obedience training, we started agility training. I'm not very athletic since I was weak for so long from the starvation, but Chelsea was a great partner and could always tell when I needed a little rest. Miss Beth told Chelsea's mom (her adopted mom - not the bad one) that by doing the agility course together and succeeding at it, Chelsea and I would learn to trust each other and would gain confidence from our success. I don't know what all that means, but I know it felt really great to get to the end and see how happy I'd made Chelsea. I couldn't have done it without her and she couldn't have done it without me.

Something's wrong with Chelsea though, I think. Yesterday when she came to see me she cried. It wasn't the same kind of sadness she usually feels, though. She's not sad about the past, but about the future. That's what her mom told one of the volunteers.

I've been so excited about this Saturday. Ever since I came here, I heard about the Community Dogwalk. And every Saturday, I watched the "graduating class" get groomed especially nice and load up in the big, cushy van. We weren't sad to see them go, though, because this wasn't the "short walk". This was the LONG walk.

All the graduating class and their student partners go to a big park every Saturday, and walk around meeting new people. The goal is to find permanent homes for each one of the dogs to make room for more dogs to come in from the shelters. People look forward to adopting us because we're obedience trained, socialized and know lots of tricks and games.

Chelsea and I graduate this Saturday. Today when her mom came to pick her up, I finally got to meet her. Chelsea said her mom was scared to meet me because she knew she'd have to keep me then. I think keeping me would be a good thing - not a bad thing. I knew it was Chelsea's mom as soon as I saw her. She looked so nice and kind, I knew we had her. She took one look at Chelsea holding me in her arms (and my extra special puppy dog eyes) and started crying. It was so pretty. The softest, roundest tears rolled down her cheeks and I was glad she didn't wipe them away. Somehow her tears looked happy and hopeful. Then the most amazing thing happened! She came in my room too - and took Chelsea and me in her arms and hugged so tight I couldn't even bark for joy. I looked at Chelsea and saw she was crying too. Then she stroked my cheeks and I saw my own tears on her tiny fingers. I guess I was happier than I thought. Like I said, we had her.

I was a little sad about missing the community dogwalk, but I got a big surprise Saturday morning. Chelsea, her brother, and our mom loaded up (they had a cool van too) and went to the park! I saw the graduating class strutting their stuff and going home with happy, hopeful families and swelled with pride. I guess I graduated early. As long as I get to stay with Chelsea forever, I won't need anything else. It's nice when someone understands you as you are and loves you even more for it.

THE END

Tribute's Story by Beth Detjens
© Beth Detjens 2000
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