Let me introduce myself...

[Brandy's mom]

and Brandy, my new furbaby! I moved to Savannah with my oldest furbaby, Honey, in November. My late husband and I found Honey foraging for food on the side of Highway 41 in Cartersville, GA., in October, 1992. According to the vet, Honey was about 6 months old, and a Chow baby. She was also dying of Parvo, had mange, worms, matted ... but the sweetest girl ever. I "heard " her say "I'll never be any trouble" as we drove past her, and my (then boyfriend) did a u-turn and pulled up along side her. She never ever did give us any trouble from that moment until the day I had her put to sleep, the morning of December 27, 2007, more than 15 years later.

The year after we found Honey, Ralph came into our yard with a group of other dogs - two German Shepards from next door, a small tan male dog, and an even smaller black female who was in heat. She kept cowering behind Ralph (my husband named him!), and he stood between her and the two Shepard and tan dog, all of whom wanted a piece of the action! He looked, and acted, like a white knight in fur - He and Honey became great buddies after we had HIM deloused, shaved down (his coat was too matted to save), dewormed, etc. The vet said he was about 1-1/2 years old, definitely chow, though possibly part Samoyed as well., and that he had probably been in a car accident at some point (he was missing teeth, and his jaw was a tad crooked)

Several years later, a friend of my husband's couldn't keep his dog, an 8 year old black standard poodle, named Ivanhoe, so Ivan joined the zoo. Ivan (who was not neutered), became Ralphie's best buddy, and Honey, the queen Alpha dog of the house, kept them all in line. I had to have Ivan put to sleep 7 months after my husband died, due to a ruptured spleen. Ralphie passed away on his own 5 days before Christmas, 2006, at the ripe old age of 14.5 years, and I had Honey put to sleep right after Christmas this year. She went down hill very quickly - stopped eating, stopped drinking, couldn't stand up, and when I took her to the vet the next morning he felt a massive tumor. She went very peacefully at 15.5 years of age.

I swore no more dogs as I lay with her the night before I took her to the vet, but Honey "spoke" to me again and said I had to help out another dog like I had helped her and Ralphie and Ivanhoe. So, I said, okay, but this time I'm getting a SMALL dog (I've got back problems and can't lift a heavy dog if I need to),a nd I'm waiting awhile! Yeah, yeah, yeah ... the next thing I knew, I was on petfinders.com, looking for chows again! I found Alisha (now Brandy) in Daytona Beach Shores in early January, and it seemed like a sign - I already had plans to go to Daytona Beach Shores to meet some old friends from Chicago on February 2. I couldn't/didn't want to get her before then because I had to be out of town for 10 days the week before that, and didn't want to leave a new dog with a pet sitter, and couldn't bring one with me.

I am told Brandy is a 4 year old PB whose owners dropped her off at the Broward County, FL. shelter. She only had days left when she was taken in by the rescue group. I THINK she is a shaded red (How can you tell for sure?? She has a black patent leather nose, creamy color tail, some creamy patches around her nose and eyes and chest that progressively darkens to a red/cinnamon color, but mixed in with that is either a very dark gray/black!) She weighs about 35 pounds and looks like a walking, talking (she whines a lot when she wants something: attention, to go out, water) and chuffs and huffs - doesn't bark a whole lot) teddy bear! She is just sooo adorable. Housebroken, doesn't get into anything in the apartment, and I've let her have the run of the place almost since day one (I closed off the bedrooms and bathrooms the first day) She loves people, especially kids - we just have to work on her manners - i.e., no jumping on people when she meets them! Her foster mom said she gets along great with other dogs, and she was fine the first day when she met my friend's old female malti-poo but she growled and snarled at my other friend's golden retrievers, and a female pitt-bull/husky mix in the complex we live in. In fact, she jumped on her (and she is a bigger dog than Brandy!) and put her front paws across her shoulders! On the other hand, she didn't have any issues with the male black lab that lives upstairs. I'm trying to figure out the best way to deal with this - I want her to be able to get along with other doggies, but I don't want to chance having her bite someone else's furbaby!

We're working on obedience, primarily "sit" She knows what it means now, and she's doing it automatically to have her leach put on and off; she seldom pulls on the leash, I'm teaching her heel, though she doesn't have the sit down yet when we're out walking and heeling, and she definitely doesn't have the sit down when there are distractions around...

That's our story, and we're sticking to it! (By the way, I think she was overwhelmed by meeting both goldens at once her first day with me, and the younger golden, another rescue, is scared of new dogs and started the barking and growling first - but she got over it, and that's when Brandy started! The pitt bull/husky mix and she were doing okay until that dog decided to come over to say hello to me, so I'm thinking Brandy MAY have been being a tad over-protective, but not sure!)

Cecelia

[midnightstars]

Welcome, sorry to hear about your Husband and fur kids. We all say the same thing about not wanting to go through with losing them but in the end there are so many that need us to give them a loving home. I'm sure Brandy is happy to have you as her new mom. They give us so much love and comfort I can't see myself never being without one. Can't wait to see pictures of Brandy.

[sit_by_the_beach]

I read your story. Very heart warming. I also didn't want another after my chow passed the bridge in 2006. 4 months later I found Mikki on kijiji.ca
Almost two weeks ago I adopted a rescue, a small mutt. I have back and knee problems and couldn't handle another heavy dog to lift, otherwise I would have adopted a chow. I'd like to see photos of your menagerie

[chowkidz]

welcome to the site. I am sure Honey is very proud of her mamma for taking on another chowbaby. Best of luck. Don't forget the pictures!

[puddinglove]

Welcome to the site! Your story is so heartwarming I had to go squish my Pudding, who is also a rescue. And yes, we'd all love pictures!

[coleywoley]

Oh congratultions on adopting Brandy. I'm glad Honey was able to help you come to the decision to get another dog and even happier that you went chow! They are so lovely. Welcome to the site, feel free to post many many pictures as we all love to see them.

[Laura]

Welcome to the site. I am sorry for all of your losses but very happy that you found Miss Brandy to be your companion.

[CoraP.]

It's nice to hear from you Cecelia!
Your story is a wonderful one (not the sad parts, but the happy ones!) I enjoyed reading about your dogs very much. Again -- welcome!!

[Auddymay]

What a heartwarming story. Welcome to our site. I look forward to hearing many wonderful stories of Brandy and your babies that have passed. You have a way with words that paints a descriptive picture for the reader.

[chow fancier]

Welcome! God bless you for saving the furkids. Condolences on all your losses and congratulations on being a new Mom again. Looking forward to some pictures of both the old group and your new baby!

[pfordeb]

Welcome. Yours is a sad but uplifting story. You'll find many friends and sympathetic ears here, and we will want pictures. What a great rescuer you are!

As to the behaviors meeting new dogs, hopefully they will go away, but you'll also find many answers on this site.

[janet]

welcome cecilia.you are definately one of heaven's angels on earth.i am sooo sorry for all of your loss. it is the hardest thing in this world to have to endure.ok enough of the mushy stuff.
congratulations on brandy's adoption!! all the best to you.
listen, imo, your chow is entitled to not get along with EVERY single dog she meets. it happens sometimes. it happens with my two. there are other dogs that they love, and ones that they dont. i dont stress it so much anymore. i try and avoid those situations.
some may disagree with me. but i look at it like this, there are people that i dont get along with so why should my dogs love every dog that they meet???
i too would love to see some pictures, old and new.

[mrstu]

Welcome to you and Brandy!

[Brandy's mom]

What a warm, wonderful welcome! I just adore(d) all my babies, but the chow babies are special, aren't they? Before I had Honey and Ralph and Ivanhoe, my ex-husband and I had Puff, a Samoyed rescue, who was joined a short time later by Bear, a PB Samoyed pup. Loved those babies too!

First, let me introduce Brandy: As she looked the first day I "met" her at her foster mom's in Florida, and on the way home (we stopped to visit my best friend in Jax Beach):




And now, Tommy, Honey, Ralph and Me! Honey is ... the honey colored one! Ralphie is the white one. Tommy is the guy - I'm the one with long white hair in the blue, and more recently with auburn hair:




So glad I found this site!

Cecelia

[Auddymay]

In your last (Christmas) photo you are wearing my favorite black sweater. I wore mine until it literally fell apart. It was perfect for all weather. All the furkids are beautiful. You were all lucky to have found one another.

[chow fancier]

Aw, love all the babies. Brandy is a beautiful girl, I look forward to more pictures and stories. As a redhead myself, I say stick with the auburn hair, it suits you.

My two are rescues too. They bring much more than they require from me. How anyone could give up such love is beyond me.

[chowkidz]

adorable furkidz!

[IliamnasQuest]

Wonderful family photo! And Brandy has such a sweet expression. I'm sorry for your losses but very happy that you haven't let your losses turn you away from another chow in need. Welcome!

Melanie and the gang in Alaska

[pfordeb]

Nice families, big and small. The pictures are beautiful. I'm a big red hair fan myself. (not sure how many colors it is now), but I lean toward chestnuts, though was much lighter when I got married. Anyway, how's Brandy doing with the neighbors now?

[Chow Chow Mama]

Brandy is sooo pretty!

[Brandy's mom]

Thank you all! I look at everyone's pictures and fall in love with them all! I can't imagine (in some ways) why anyone would want any other kind of dog! (Of course, I can - I fall in love with all kinds of doggies, but when it comes right down to it - chows own my heart!)

Haven't seen the neighbor dogs lately - seems like they have all been inside when we've been out, or way across the complex, so no "meetings", good or bad. I'm taking her in to meet her vet here on Saturday, so may have more of an idea then. Nothing wrong- I just want her to see him at a time when she's not sick or in pain or needing a shot!

Cecelia

[chowkidz]

That's a great idea, taking her to the vet for no reason. That is one thing that we screwed up royally with Nanook. When he was diagnose with the mange at 6 months we would have to go back every couple of weeks for a skin scrap and poking and prodding. Nook never went for just the "fun" of it and now he hates going. Dr. Moran is the only person he has actually nipped at. Good Luck!

[CoraP.]

Brandy is a beautiful girl! I liked all of your pictures, but Brandy looks like such a little cutie!!

[Brandy's mom]

Thank you - I think so! She's very affectionate, too! Just little kisses now and then on the hand, but she loves to come over and rub up against me, sit next to me, and gets up to see where I'm going whenever I get up to move around. I just love her! Doesn't hurt, I suppose, that I have her pictures plastered all over my bulletin board at work and thus, spend my day thinking about her, either! I think it definitely helped me feel a bond with her even before she got here, but now I think she's bonding with me, as well. She's started sitting automatically when it's time to put her leash on or take it off, without my having to tell her. She either knew, or learned the word sit very quickly, but took her sweet time about doing it. I'd just stand there and wait until she did. I kept telling myself - she's a chow. She has to feel there's a REASON for it and the reason I gave her was ... we're not moving until you do, lol! Apparently that worked after awhile, and now I feel like she's doing it without being told just to please me. works for me! NOW if I can get her to do that when we're OUTSIDE ... it'll just take time ... and patience ... and love!

Cecelia

[Victory]

Hi and welcome. Your new girl is gorgeous as are the other two. We like pictures and we like stories here...so post as often as you like.