Daisy's Story

Considering this blog is called Daisy's Picks, it seems only fair to start with some background on Daisy herself. Who is she and what qualifies her to be our resident product-tester? Despite my proclivity for blabbering on about how awesome my dog is, I'll try to keep this short and sweet. 

Daisy is a happy dog!

Daisy is what is known as a "Dixie Dog": a shelter dog from somewhere down South that gets shipped up to the Northeast hoping to be adopted. Dogs from Puerto Rico, where overpopulation is particularly severe, are called Sato's. Massachusetts has very strict spay and neuter laws, but unfortunately that's not the case in most of the country. Accidental litters are very common, espcially among strays. And unfortunately, many shelters are overwhelmed with the number of dogs coming in and thus have to euthanize many every day.

The good news is that this problem has been getting increasing attention, and many organizations actually specialize in finding forever homes for Dixie Dogs. Animal Planet even ran a mini-series called Last Chance Highway about the one of these groups (warning: this was too emotional for me to even watch a single episode!) http://animal.discovery.com/tv/last-chance-highway/

As far as we know, Daisy is a basset hound mix, likely with a golden retriever or maybe a fox red lab or chow of some sort. She's from South Carolina, and first "appeared" at the Aiken County Municipal Shelter at around 5 months old. We think she was a stray as she had no paper trail before showing up at this high-kill shelter. Luckily she was healthy, and the Northeast Animal Shelter in Salem, MA, which specializes in Dixie Dogs and Sato's brought her to MA when she was about 7 months old. She made the trip in a horse trailer that had transported horses to SC and sometimes brings dogs on the return trip when they have the space. It must have been fate because the day she arrived in Salem we brought her home!

Daisy on her ride home from the shelter. She still had some puppy fur in an awesome Klingon shape on her forehead

My husband and I were out in the yard visiting with a different dog when Daisy walked by. She jumped up on her hind legs, almost like a circus poodle. If she could have reached I think she would have jumped directly into my arms (which would have ended badly considering she weighs 50 pounds!). Daisy was so desperate for love and attention that she sat directly on my lap and knocked me over with kisses. She wouldn't get off my lap no matter what I did! She wasn't at all what we went to the shelter looking for that day, but it was clear it was a perfect fit. Having been a stray or in a shelter for her entire life, Daisy had to be introduced to family life carefully. The dishwasher terrified her and the TV mesmerized her as it might a toddler watching Dora the Explorer. However, she had no problem adjusting to the couch, our bed or any other soft space. This girl enjoys her creature comforts! She'll celebrate her second birthday in November.

I love spending every day with Daisy. We explore the city, run errands & even take naps together (she’s snoring next to me as I write this). Her favorite activities are chewing on sticks, getting belly rubs & sitting for treats. She absolutely adores chasing squirrels on Boston Common, which is where you can find us most weekend.

What do you mean I can't bring the stick in the house? Look how cool it is!

One of the best things to come out of bring Daisy home is the new sense of community my husband and I have in our neighborhood. We actually know our neighbors (which is rare in the city) and we know about their lives. Even if the conversations begin with talk about what the dogs have been up to, it's also nice to share news of weddings and births, promotions and moves. And now we want to share our adventures with a broader community to help you make the most out of your purchases, play and overall time with your pet. Hmm, that was not short but hopefully you found it sweet. Welcome to the pack!

Welcome to my blog! Do I get a treat now?!