(June 2005) ago just about 600 meters from the turnoff to our place. He looked scared and lost and I knew he
needed my help so I put my blinkers on and slowed down to a crawl all the while calling him to come come.
My boyfriend Sean was watching me from the house and thought I had a flat or something
and was quite surprised to see a dog follow me home.
(Bailey's half Rottweiler and half German Shepherd - a gorgeous mix. I love his pointy alert ears).
At first we thought he had mange because his hair was completely off in some places along his back
and on his chest. We found a tattoo in his ear so we called the vet clinic and they told us that he'd been
shot about a month prior and they'd had to shave him for the operation. We got his owners number and
kept calling him over the next day and a half, and he never returned our calls so we called the vet clinic
back and they gave us this guys' mom's phone number, so she ended up picking him up.
Over the course of the next six weeks, Bailey kept coming back to us, trotting along on the highway or
through the swamp. He was always starved and ate a lot and I gave him just a bit of attention at first because
I did not want to get attached to him and we had single cab trucks at the time - so we needed an extend-a-cab
to be able to fit us and the dogs in the truck. So I knew he couldn't stay with us because when we go somewhere
the dog(s) go with us. No one gets left behind. (Our other dog is Kipling and he is half Newfoundland and half
Black Lab). I also knew that he could not stay where he was, because his (then) owner who works in the oil
field, just thought he was a hassle and that he needed way too much attention. And his other two dogs used to
beat him up for food and just because they were bored, and I saw that the times I dropped him off there.
His owner was oblivious to this and didn't seem to care too much.
Finally, one day, Sean and I decided to keep Bailey and we knew we'd find him a good home.
So he came to us all malnourished with his little ribs sticking out, and sad little eyes. He was
always wanting to go into the house and then I started letting him come in and sleep on the floor.
Bailey was elated. I started hugging him and kissing him on the nose every day telling him I love you
and "You're a great dog, Bailey.' He followed me everywhere I went. He was my shadow, my friend,
my confidant. I'd have long conversations with him about anything and he always understood me.
During his time with us, his eyes became full of life and there was new hope in his chest and a new
spring in his step as he got to learn how to play with our dog Kipling - Bailey did not know how to
play with other dogs because all he knew was that that would turn into a fight. Also, he had never
received treats before because he didn't seem to understand what they were, so he would just take
them in his mouth and put them down on the ground, so we had to teach him that he received them
for being a good dog).
Yesterday, Bailey went to his new home with our good friend Yanik who is a wonderful French-Canadian guy.
Yanik is so warm and kind and loving that we knew that he and Bailey would be a perfect match for each other.
Yanik even resembles Bailey if you can believe that, lol!
Well, it took us about two months to make Yanik see how wonderful his life would be with Bailey in it.
And Yanik's visits out here became more frequent - we live two hours away from the city (Edmonton).
And I talked to Bailey lots over the last month telling him he'd be moving in with Yanik and that Yanik
would be his owner now and we'd be his part-time owners as well. That now Bailey has an extended family.
Bailey understood, and knew that he was needed elsewhere.
So at 2 pm on Saturday, Yanik took Bailey back with him to Edmonton. At 4 pm that same day, Yanik brought
him to a doggie spa, where Bailey was shampooed and had his nails clipped and his ears cleaned and had a leave in
dandruff exfoliating conditioner on his fur and even got his paws and body massaged! And Yanik told the girls in
the salon the story about how he came to be Bailey's owner. When he called and told me this story he was just
beaming with pride :)
He told me he'd bought special diet food for Bailey, because he'd gained a lot of weight living with us because I believe
that food is what you need for healing, food, and a lot of love and kisses. Yanik also got special breath drops for Bailey's
water for his breath. New eating bowls and he's put up a couch in the garage with a carpet where it's bright for Bailey and
he's got a huge backyard for him to play in. They went for a long walk last night and Bailey is very happy with Yanik.
I told Yanik that Bailey would be sleeping with him in his bed that night,,,well, Yanik said no way he'll be sleeping in the
garage. And then apparently that night Yanik wanted him in the house and then he said come come Bailey and Bailey was
in his bed. They slept back to back through the night and Yanik loved it. He said that Bailey's great to cuddle with, lol!
I miss Bailey terribly and it feels as though my own child left home for college, and here I am standing by the door
holding his food bowl. Can you imagine, lol. But I know that the place he went to is perfect for him. And guess what,
in the last month we acquired an extend-a-cab truck where we can comfortably fit both dogs and us, and even Yanik!
Life's funny sometimes. I look forward to their weekend visits and having Bailey for Christmas when Yanik goes back
to Quebec for a visit. I've owned a few dogs in my life, yet I never connected with a dog like I have with Bailey.
Bailey was brought to us for a reason, and he's really touched my heart.
On this Canadian ThanksGiving Day, I give Thanks for Bailey.
My Bailey - My Starseed
*Ulrika*
