Fate, and the wonderful folks at the West Quebec SPCA, brought Shasta into our lives in early April 2009.  At the time, we had no plans to add a new canine member to our family.  However, when we read an Ottawa Citizen article about the SPCA overcrowding, we decided to do our small bit to help.  On our first visit the next day, we intended to introduce our 12.5 year-old lab, Moisie, and our two young daughters to a couple of senior dogs waiting for families, knowing that seniors tend to be more difficult to place.  After meeting the others dogs, Jennifer suggested that we may also want to meet Shasta, even though she was only 3.  When Shasta came out, she stole my heart in one fell swoop.  Her sad but gorgeous big brown eyes could melt a glacier. 

When Shasta arrived home, for the first few days, she cowered with her tail crazy glued between her legs, she refused all eye contact, she had no clue what to do with a rawhide or dentabone and just dropped it on the ground despondently, she ate very little.  She seemed to exist, but not to live.  It was heartbreaking.         

Shasta is one very pampered and adored girl.  Essentially, we are trying to make up for her horrendous first 3 years.  She loves her orthopaedic memory foam bed - big step up from an outdoor wire cage.  She’s keen on the new diet, especially the extras like barbeque salmon, ground beef, cheese, lactose-free milk, molasses cookies … She absolutely loves ear massages.  With 3 weeks of high quality food and salmon oil supplements, her white coat transformed from thin, dull and brittle to thick and silky.  She is very slowly putting on much needed weight.  She found a “crate” or safe place under our dining room table, where she spends much of the day lounging on her dog bed, close by but out of the fray.  

Because of Shasta’s limp, we had an orthopaedic surgeon examine her.  We learned that, a long while ago, Shasta tore her anterior cruciate ligament and, because it was never treated, it caused arthritis.  Three weeks ago she had TPLO knee surgery to repair the ligament.  This set back her physical and emotional healing and her trust of us.  But, we know that while it may take a bit longer, she will come around in time.  I am not sure who is more anxious to resume our walks along the river- me or Shasta!  Because she will start back with short walks of 5 minutes, increasing by 5 minutes each week if all goes well, I have calculated the time it takes to reach her favourite spots along our walk so I know where I can take her when. 

Shasta and Moisie have very similar personalities - calm, quiet, gentle and a bit aloof.  They are incredibly well suited to one another and became instant best friends.  Shasta adores her Moisie and she will follow her anywhere, sometimes choosing to cuddle with Moisie rather that nap in her own bed.  Perhaps it was auspicious that one is named after a river and the other after a mountain.  In our first weeks together, Shasta did not trust us.  But, she trusted Moisie and looked to her for guidance.  Somehow Moisie knew she had to step up to the plate and be a role model for her new sister and she did just that- climbing stairs with agility for the first time in awhile much to our surprise, showing Shasta the art of being a pampered and adored dog, how to “expect” the daily dentabone dessert and a fair share of anything on the barbeque. 

It took a few weeks before Shasta made any sound.  She started with occasional whining.  After about 5 weeks with us, we heard her first bark … which is really almost a roar.  She is not at all aggressive, but her deep and powerful guardian bark is quite something!  I can see why Akbash dogs are used to fend off wolves and bears.  

Shasta is 100% a mommy’s girl.  She sleeps at my bedside at night and gets as much affection as she can handle.  She is more skittish around Mark, normal I guess that she is more fearful of men because of her previous life.  I think she appreciates Mark’s attempts at a prepubescent high-pitched voice.  She is still a bit nervous around our girls, but is slowly warming up to our 6-year old who is working patiently to gain her trust.  She did not like the kids’ elephant and rhino bath towels, nor the unicorn costume (a fear of horns?), so we have banished them in favour of less scary butterflies and cats. 

Shasta also gets along well with our cat.  In fact, just the other day, when a visiting dog went towards the cat, Shasta’s livestock guardian instincts emerged and she immediately and protectively got between the cat and the dog. 

Adopting a rescued breeding dog is not for the faint of heart.  It requires huge amounts of patience, determination, faith, compassion and most importantly, unconditional love.  It’s certainly challenging.  Shasta startles easily.  She is nervous, especially around men.  She dislikes the car (especially after the trip to the animal hospital for surgery that left her temporarily unable to walk).  She has busted through three screened doors, bolting in fear from loud noises.  Yet, the immense rewards in adopting and healing a rescued dog are undeniably greater than the challenges … seeing Shasta wag her tail for the first time, hearing her first bark, watching her sleep so soundly that she doesn’t wake when people come in the room, stopping just to enjoy the wind in her face during our walks along the river, witnessing her beautiful big brown eyes tentatively begin to trust.  With stability and routine, Shasta is gradually starting to relax, trust and feel safe. 

Shasta is such a beautiful dog, on the inside and out.  She has a fantastic disposition.  We absolutely adore her!  Thanks SO much for taking good care of her while she was at the SPCA, for matching us and for doing what you do!

Update August ‘09 ...

Shasta's progress has been slow but steady.  She has healed from her ACL surgery and no longer limps.  She had surgery to remove a few fractured teeth in June.  She continues to put on weight and is finally at a very slim but healthy weight.  She now has a beautiful thick, shiny white coat and is now the gorgeous girl she was supposed to be.  She is in great physical health.  Shasta is becoming increasingly comfortable around other people, although still shy especially with men.  She no longer panics at the sound of a blender, coffee grinder or lawn mover but still hates the vacuum (we sweep a lot).  She is really starting to relax and be happy.  We get the occasional smile and her long flowing tail spends much more time in the air and wagging and much less time between her legs.  She has fully embraced high end eating and dismisses food unaccompanied by fish, ground beef or grated cheese (clearly forgot her previous diet).

We took Shasta on her first lake camping excursion this summer.  Because she is still a flight risk, logistically, this was a bit like taking a maximum security inmate on a 2 week wilderness trip in Algonquin Park (we had a sleeping cabin).  But, it worked well.  She will never be a fan of water and the outdoors, but she came to tolerate summer camping.  She found refuge in the forts our girls built and enjoyed lounging on the dock.
 

Now that Shasta is more comfortable, I am starting obedience training.  This will be a gradual process; she is headstrong and she still occasionally panics.

Most importantly, we just adore Shasta and take so much joy in watching her thrive and become happy and healthy.  She really is an exceptional dog!

Debbie

Sadly, Shasta has passed away and is now remembered on our Rainbow Bridge page.  Our thoughts and prayers are with Shasta's family.

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