I got Rudy through Petfinder too. After my Poodle, Sophie, died, I couldn't look at another Poodle but wanted to adopt another dog.

I saw a Papillon and we drove down to get her, but that did not work out. It was dissappointing but I knew all things are for a reason, and the right dog was out there somewhere.

A few weeks later I saw a listing for another Papillon but no pic had been posted yet. I went ahead and filled out the adoption form and emailed the service, asking about him. I'd really wanted a girl dog, but it was not that important.

She emailed me back that she'd send a pic as soon as she had one. When I saw his face, I called dh at work.

In 24 yrs of marraige, I can count the number of times on one hand I've called him at work.

We went to pick up this dog - Patches was his name back then, but we don't mention that anymore. He came bouncing like Tigger (from Winnie the pooh) out of her van, jumped up and down and licked my face. His long tail wagged like crazy.

Can you say enthusiasm?


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The woman confided that there was someone else who'd applied for this dog too, but she chose me.

"When the other lady said 'No dog sleeps in MY bed, or sits on MY sofa.' I thought for most dogs, that's fine. But this guy, not fine. He needs a lap, a snuggle, lots of affection - he's a huggy one. Are you ready to never go anywhere without him?"


Somebody must have gone out of their way to find this breed around here. You never see them. And they had him for around 2 yrs, abused him (you can tell, he was terrified if you picked up the vacuum wand or a broom that you were gonna beat him with it) then dumped him at a kill shelter - one of the few kill shelters in Ohio.

Thing is, if they hadn't wanted him, they could have walked down the street and offered him to people passing by and somebody would have snatched him up. People tell me all the time if I don't want him, let them know.

No way, he's mine.
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I told the dog the name had to go though.

"Patches are what you put on something worn out. Rags, garbage. They threw you away like garbage. You shouldn't walk around with that name, from people who treated you like that."

I thought about it for days. Who was this guy with the big darkl eyes, all loving and ready to trust again after all he'd been through?

Those eyes, he looks like he's wearoing eyeliner, and he's stolen my heart right off ... Rudolph Valentino. Rudy.

Oddly he responded to the new name right off. He was like a new dog. He stopped owering when someone walked into the room, showed me his fave toy was the mini tennis ball, and next spring, I taught him to swim. Do not say ball or pool outloud or he goes bananas LOL. Say pool and he grabs his frisbee.

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