That Doggie in the Window.

A Story of Love.

When I was almost a year old, the story goes that I asked my mom for this plush dog with a music box inside that sang "How much is that doggie in the window." My first birthday was approaching and mom decided to get this toy for me, and it ended up being my favorite of all the toys I ever received as a child. You see, God must have written a love for dogs in my heart long before I was even born.

At twenty-three I moved to my current location for a teaching job in a city district--away from family and friends for the first time ever. I bought a Papillon pup from a local breeder and named him Mr. Darcy after my favorite romantic male hero. After almost two years with Darcy it was time to give him a companion, aaannndd truth be told I was getting into the dog movement. I was emotionally torn apart by dogs that I'd seen at the SPCA functions my colleagues participated in, and the commercials on TV. Even more startling was the discovery of the dogsindanger.com website, which brought me to hyperventilating tears. What could I do? I wanted to rescue all 4 million that get put to sleep each year, but of course, one person can't save them all. I opted to rescue one. A (what they think) Pekingese, Chihuahua, Jack Russell Terrier mix. It was love at first sight. He was 3 teeny-tiny pounds, and licked me the five hour car ride home from where we rescued him.

When we rescued him he wreaked of God only knows what. He smelled so bad we had to stop at a convenient mart so that I could purchase baby wipes and attempt to clean him a little. It was obvious that he was not living in the best of conditions. It felt so good to be the one to give him his forever home, a place of his own. We named him Chino Sanchez, but mostly we call him Chino or Chez.

When we brought him home Darcy was a little nervous at first and unsure about him. However, soon they were brothers and friends--snuggling in the same bed. The one that Chino would later shred, and mommy would have to replace!

There's nothing like rescuing a dog, no feeling like it in the world. You are saving a life--a precious gift to the world from God. You are making one creature's life easier because you exist, because you care, because you love. Rescuing a dog is the best decision I've ever made, and a gift that I can appreciate each minute of the day...even when he's being naughty.

You see... God knew when he made me that I would love dogs. That I would find this overwhelming passion for helping the helpless creatures. That my dream in life would be to start up my own rescue, a safe haven for the unwanted...the ones with no home... the ones who wag their tail waiting for someone to please pick them. God wrote LOVE DOGS on my heart...forever.