Steve Shelton - The Poundry

The Poundry is Pleased to Announce the Newest Member of Our Family, Ripp!

Monica and I have been keeping tabs on this German Shepherd for several months now.  We first learned of his story via a German Shepherd Rescue group asking for donations to help pay for an emergency ear surgery he was in desperate need of after years of neglect. All that we know of his past is that there was a court order to remove him from the property of the people he lived with in South Carolina, and that he has been in foster care since May of last year. Untreated ear infections were allowed to harden in both of his ears and as a result, Ripp has lost all of his hearing. His hearing was long gone before the rescue took him in, but he was in pain because of the infections.  The surgery removed both of his ear canals and closed off the openings, so he doesn't even have a way to receive sound.  How's that for a chapter in The Chronicles of Suckiness!  That which robs you of your hearing then drives you mad with chronic pain and discomfort...  He's recovered really well, though there is a recurring topical infection that we are treating.  He is incredibly sweet, playful and more than a little goofy.  All three characteristics are wonderful to have in a dog, and we are delighted to be able to provide a stress free home for such a sweet boy!

Ripley Ripperton is eight years old and weighs about eighty five pounds.  He's the biggest dog I've ever shared a home with, but he spends much of his time on the many dog beds we have all around the house.  Things had seemed awfully quiet around here since we lost our beloved Luna back in September.  We had already talked about adopting an older dog whenever the time came.  It's so sad to read about how these dogs are tossed from their homes after living with people for so many years.  Younger dogs almost always find homes pretty quickly, but the older ones are often ignored when people think of adopting.  If they happen to have some kind of debilitating injury or health issue they become much harder to place into a home.  Ripp had become something of a rock star within the adoption circles because of his story, and the number of people who donated money to cover the cost of his surgery.  We gave to the cause as well back in the early summer.  The woman who had been caring for him and brought him over to our house last Saturday for the home inspection/interview said she was overwhelmed by the donations they received for this guy. Monica reported Ripp's progress to me over the last several months and we kept our fingers crossed for him, but also for the chance to bring him into our own home when we were ready. After the holidays and all of the Loincloth shows were behind us, we knew we were ready to give Ripp a home if he was still available.  Today marks the end of the week long trial period his rescue center grants prospective adopters, and we are beaming with joy right now to have the chance to make life better for this gentle soul.

I would like to thank everyone for their condolences after we lost Luna last year.  There were several people who were moved to comment after reading about her passing.  She was unlike any other dog I've had the pleasure to know.  Ripp has some of her mannerisms. He certainly follows Monica around like Luna always did.  Since he's deaf he ends up doing laps in the house until he finds her, which makes for some pretty good chuckles while Monica is in the shower or downstairs getting something.  He is totally committed to finding her, wherever she goes.   I have never been around other German Shepherds, so I was interested in seeing what similarities they might share.  Thusfar, Ripp seems to be wired for relaxation in the same way I am.  Maybe I should get a human sized dog bed to lounge around on!  I used to take naps on the floor anyway, and who doesn't love the delicious treats cats leave in their litter boxes?!?!  Hmm...  I think Ripp and I will get along just fine! 

There are a lot more people visiting The Poundry than there were even a couple of months ago.  Thanks for being curious enough to check in, and especially for being intrigued enough to come back!  For any dog lovers out there who have a soft spot for touching dog stories you can read about our last girl, Luna by clicking here.  Luna's "sister" is the one barking behind Ripp in the photo above.  Jasmine is simply the sweetest dog ever, and everybody loves her.  She is dealing with the new member of the family really well, and we are making sure that she gets plenty of attention as we go out of our way to make sure that Ripley sees he can trust us and relax here.  It's cute to see them sleeping beside each other.

Well, I just wanted to let The Faithful know what was going on on the canine front in our lives since so many people read about Luna and mentioned it to us in person.  People from all of our unconnected circles found out about her passing, and she had a lot of admirers.  Thanks again for checking in, and if you find yourself in a position to take in a new pet, give adoption some serious thought.  Don't be afraid to consider a pet that has a restrictive physical condition.  They compensate much better than most people would, and it's nice to be fairly sure that you have made a positive difference in the life of a creature who trusted humans before, only to be let down and sometimes scarred for that trust.  They deserve better, and Monica and I have already gotten our money's worth in seeing how comfortable Ripp is in his new home.  Any dog as sweet as him needs to live in a place where they don't have to worry about being left alone ever again.  Ripp is with us for good, and I really think he is as excited and comforted by that thought as we are.