Three Legged Dog Club
Cassie's Club Members
 
Koda

Hi,
My name is Madison and my best friend in the whole world is my three legged German Shepherd, Koda.
Two years ago I got a call from a friend saying that someone had posted an ad on the Internet that there was a German Shepherd breeder in Detroit who had a litter with a deformed puppy in it. Because of her deformity, he could not sell her and therefore wanted her gone. His wife had posted if someone didn't come get this puppy, he was going to dispose of her.

Being a complete animal lover, I was horrified someone would kill a puppy just because they didn't want to deal with it. I called the breeder and he said that if I wanted her, I needed to get her by the next day. The only problem was, I already had a dog and I lived at my parents' house. I was going to school to be a vet tech and working full time at the vet. I didn't have time for a puppy, and especially not a puppy with special needs.

My thinking was I would go get her and just keep her until I found someone who could care for her like she needed. I went to get the puppy in a horrible part of Detroit with a friend and when I walked in the house, I was appalled. The house was a mess, and here was this poor little puppy in the corner who was covered in feces and very skinny. When they handed her to me, I knew it was going to be a challenge.

She had 3 normal legs and her right front leg was bent into almost a chicken wing. It could not be straightened and it had one claw on the end of it. It was actually really gross. When I got her to the vet, she had every kind of parasite; she was under weight, and had a HUGE surgery in her future. My vet said he wanted her healthy before he operated.

For the following three months we got her to a normal weight, got rid of her parasites and I heard "Don't get too attached, you're not keeping her" from my Dad, every day. I named my temporary puppy Koda (meaning best friend). Because of her chicken wing, she could not walk. Potty training was a nightmare... She would pee all over herself because she couldn't go anywhere.

My parents' patience was wearing because she was ruining carpet and they would have to watch her when I was at work. When she was finally able to have her surgery, I dropped her off, and when I came to get her the next day, I had a completely different dog. I had a three legged puppy who was supposed to stay still, but because her little leg was gone, she could actually walk, now. She hasn't stopped running, since. Recovery was a LONG process... She didn't want to sit around and take it easy. She was crazy. And BAD. Since she hadn't been able to go outside the 1st three months, she wouldn't now. She would eat everything and then puke it up. She HATED her crate and being a Shepherd, loved to talk...

I went down to three days at work so I could be home with this little terror. Because of the increased time with her, she got better and better. I became attached to my new puppy really quick. I started dating someone and we took her EVERYWHERE. Because my Dad still didn't want another dog, I was told to get rid of her. I was going to give her to my boyfriend, Matt, but when I actually went to leave her there, it was awful... It's like I was leaving my child. That night, Matt called me, saying Koda was sick and I needed to come get her right away. So I went up to his house and took my sick puppy home. When we went to the vet the next day, they took an X-ray and she had eaten a sponge... We waited a week for it to pass. We then realized that the reason she was eating strange things was because she had become so attached to me that when I left, she would have terrible separation anxiety and freak out. That's when I realized she was mine for good.

I've had Koda for almost 2 yrs and she is now the perfect dog. She is in service training. She LOVES the dog park, and will run with the other dogs like nothing is wrong. Everyone is so impressed when they meet my Koda. She is super protective over me, unless Matt is with us. She loves to go hiking and loves to swim with her life jacket. She and Matt share a secret language, and it's so fun to watch them together.

Four weeks ago, I got asked to foster a German Shepherd Wolf hybrid (I had been fostering the past year) and they loved each other. I had plans to keep him, until one morning I went to put him outside and my friend's dog was over and he just lunged at the little dog. He started tearing her apart and I couldn't just let it happen. I jumped in and grabbed the little dog from this huge Shepherd. That's when he grabbed my leg and wouldn't let go. He chomped me and wouldn't let go, but Koda wasn't gonna just sit by. She jumped on him and bit him until he let go of me. Long story short, Koda turned into my own Lassie dog. I was bleeding all over, and when I finally got stitched up and the other dog gone, Koda wouldn't leave my side. Throughout my whole recovery time (two weeks), she wouldn't leave me. We stayed at Matt's and she never once let me out of her sight.

My Dad now loves Koda, to say the least. She is my best friend and she saved me from the big bad wolf. She is THE BEST dog I've ever had and we love and spoil her like she's our kid. Matthew and I are now looking for another three legged dog who needs a home.

Madison Lelacheur
Sunday June 2, 2013

 
Moe

Hello,
My dog's name is Moe.
He was a street dog in Santiago, Chile and as a baby he was hit by a car. The vet was unable to save his leg, as he didn't receive immediate attention.

I brought him home to Canada and he is a truly wonderful dog.
He chases squirrels and swims; there really isn't anything he can't do.
I am so grateful to have found him and enjoy every day I spend with him.
Moe has a habit of removing the same leg that he is missing from his toys.

He has done this on a bunch of different occasions, and I wonder if it is a coincidence.

Joan Bell
Wednesday June 5, 2013

 
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