This is Lilly. The inspiration behind MCK9 Design. This is the picture that captured our hearts and this is the story of how she went from a scared rescue to a fabulously courageous Multi-Cultural K9. Just look at that face, those eyes.
The picture that stole our hearts
Lilly came from a rescue in Florida. She had been part of a large group of dogs rescued at the end of October 2014 from a private home in Alabama. About the same time Lilly was rescued, our Bichon “Poochini” crossed the rainbow bridge. We were heartbroken and our home was so empty.
The Saturday just before Thanksgiving that year the house felt especially empty. While meditating, Shonda told the universe it was time for a new companion. She knew “Poochini” would send us the dog we needed and who needed us when the time was right. Once she was done with her meditation, Shonda logged into social media and right there was that face, those eyes.
I was at work. Right about noon, I got a text “Coming home soon?” That was out of character for Shonda, so I texted “What’s up?” The response I got was the picture with that face, those eyes. This lovely lady would be at an adoption event at our local pet store at 1:00. “On my way!”
Bringing Lilly Home
Once we got there we saw most of the dogs at the adoption event were rescued along with Lilly. But we didn’t see Lilly. Our hearts sank thinking someone else had adopted her before the event.
When we asked about her, a woman suddenly came out of nowhere, shoved Lilly into my arms, said “Here she is” and then walked away! That face, those eyes said it all Lilly was terrified and confused. She wrapped her long legs around my neck and would not let go. That sealed the deal!
The “Gotcha” pic
That first night, Lilly snuggled next to us on the couch, then took her rightful place, according to her, on the bed. She seemed to be settling in just fine, even though she “seemed” relaxed, she wasn’t. It was 36 hours before she finally relaxed enough to eat and relieve herself.
At that first vet visit the Doc said that wasn’t unusual for a rescue. Especially one as high-strung as Lilly appeared to be. We also talked about her breed(s) and age.
Our Beautiful MCK9
Lilly’s paperwork said she was a 3-year-old chihuahua/terrier mix. He agreed with her age and that she probably had Chihuahua, but “there is no terrier in her”. More likely she was a Chihuahua/hound mix.
Doc figured she had some Beagle in there. She has a longish body so there might be Dachshund. Her long legs could mean there’s Italian greyhound or possibly Whippet. He didn’t know what other breeds, but “she’s something else, that’s for sure”.
High-strung and on constant high alert only began to describe Lilly’s behavior. She had anxiety that sometimes manifested itself through aggression. Nothing dangerous. She’d sneer and give a quiet growl whenever she felt threatened.
She didn’t like to go out of the yard. When we’d try to take her, Lilly would stand up on those long hind legs and grab the leash with her lanky front legs and pull the leash out of our hands, especially if we tried to take her someplace new.
She liked (and still does) quiet. Loud noises and voices scared her. Heck, it was almost a month before she barked for the first time. That led us to believe she might be part Basenji. I can tell you she’s not a Basenji.
The Sad Truth
We soon found out why she was so anxious and on guard. That large rescue I mentioned at the beginning? It turned out to be a hoarding situation. For the first three years of her life, Lilly lived with 65 other dogs. She was in a crate for 23 hours a day. The dogs were kept quiet and were let outside for one hour at night.
Once she was rescued, Lilly, because of her “behavioral issues”, was in three foster homes in as many weeks. After learning her back story, we knew why the woman at the adoption event handed her off the way she did. No wonder she was frightened and confused. Lilly wasn’t a bad dog. She simply did not know how to be a dog.
With a Little Help From Her Friends
The first year was rough. There were tearful conversations about returning Lilly to the rescue. One look at that face, those eyes, we couldn’t just give up on her. We got a trainer to help us with her. He helped with the aggression and leash grabbing.
We also enlisted the help of the other dogs in the neighborhood. The corgis, Lola and Rico, taught her treats were good. Marty the Schnauzer mix taught Lilly it was fun to explore all the smells at the park. Sammy the Shih Tzu showed Lilly which restaurant had the best bacon.
Rico, Lola, Jack and Lilly impatiently posing before treats!
Then there was Jack the Russell. He lived across the street. He took Lilly under his paw and became her mentor and soulmate. Jack’s the one who really taught her how to be a dog. We joked that he was her husband.
Jack’s parents are our best friends, so he and Lilly spent a lot of time together. Jack shared his squeaky toys with her so Lilly learned squeakies rock. Jack taught Lilly how to walk on a leash like royalty. How important it is to stop and smell all the flowers. Barking at skateboards and cats is fun and how to pee. To this day, Lilly still pees on every blade of grass like a boy dog.
Jack doing what Jack loved to do.
The Turning Point
After nearly a year, Lilly had just about figured out how to be a dog except for one thing. Walking on the noisy streets still scared her and she had to be pretty much forced to take a walk.
One morning just before Lilly’s one-year “gotcha” day, we were attempting to go on a walk. She was scared and refused to walk on the street. Lilly insisted we go behind the house to the alley, where there were no people, cars, or noise.
The thought of going behind the house terrified me. It was Florida and there were snakes behind our house. Both of us stood there kind of paralyzed. That’s when I decided if behind the house was where she wanted to go, I’d try to take her. Shonda and I looked at that face, those eyes and we promised her the three of us would face our fears together, always.
Something changed that morning. As she and I very timidly walked around the house, Lilly, for the first time, truly relaxed. When we got to the alley instead of heading toward the quiet, Lilly turned to the street toward the noises. We took our first big walk that morning. Tears streaming down our faces, Shonda and I knew Lilly finally trusted us.
We’ve been facing our fears and having grand adventures for over nine years now. Lilly is now a confident and (mostly) calm dog. She loves to take hikes and go on road trips to explore new places. Oh! And boy did she find her voice!! Lilly is our “brave, brave girl.”
Lilly hiking at Hunn Nature Park Dover, DE
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