Greta's New Home!
Rusty Gates Greta
Getting a rehomed Entlebucher wasn't something that I had ever thought about, or planned on doing.
I was in Oregon in December of 1999 visiting my Grandpuppies, (Elder and Bliss's litter) when Gina Thomas, NEMDA Rescue Chair, got a call from Connie Gates, a breeder in Pennsylvania letting her know that one of her puppies needed to be rehomed.Gina knew I had been looking for another Entle and asked me if I was interested? I told her no, that I was getting a puppy from Rebecca Hahn's next litter, and I only wanted two Entles.Then I started thinking about how very sad a little unwanted Entle, sitting in a crate in Maryland, would feel… Barry is even more soft and squishy than I am, and so Greta left Maryland, and came to live with us.
Greta was so fearful and shy when we got her. She had spent most of the five months with her previous family locked in a crate. She was afraid of Barry, me, the car, our other Entle Elder, going outside, and staying in the house. The only place she felt safe was in her crate, and would hide in it and growl if one of us wanted her to come out. Her other behavior was uncontrollable activity. When we went for a walk either she was hiding behind me, or I felt like I had a kite on the end of a leash. Both were very disappointing.The first thing we did was hide her crate, and then we insisted on loving her!
Greta was sweet and gentle. She got used to us handling her, but she wasn't happy, and didn't have the Entle wiggle we were so used to with Elder. I would pick her up and put her on the bed by me. I would pull her over on her side and pet, and talk to her. She never resisted, but the minute I quit, she would jump off the bed and go looking for her crate, or a safe corner. She had been with us for about 6 months. I had almost given up on her really loving us - when the most wonderful miracle happened.I had fed her dinner and petted her while she ate. I did that almost every night, because like every Entle, she liked to eat, and I wanted her to know that eating, petting, and me, all went together!!
After I put her bowl away, I went into my bedroom and started to read a book on the bed. Greta came to the bedroom door and peeked in. I saw her and said, "Come on up here sweetie," and I patted the bed by my side. I had asked her that same question a million other times, and she usually turned and walked away. That night, she looked at me for a minute… and with one jump, landed on the bed. She didn't lie on the bed by me, but wiggled and snuggled so I could hug her close. And with a huge sigh, settled in for life. Greta hasn't been afraid, or wild since that day. The only strangers in her life are friends she hasn't met.
She works as a Therapy Dog, at a Center for traumatized and abused children. I have watched a terrified little boy cling to her neck and sob, while she snuggled close and whimpered comfort. I have seen her soft, silky ears used to wipe sad, sad tears. And I have seen her share a drippy cherry popsicle with a little boy who finally knew he had a 'best friend!!'
One of her 'Doctor friends' told me she had the most sympathetic little face he'd ever seen. Of course she does!! Greta understands exactly the loneliness and fear every child there feels. She also knows that lots of love, lots of hugs, and lots of patience can fix almost anything. I look at Greta as an unplanned blessing, and everyday of my life I am grateful she has become part of our family.
We love Greta!!!