tyler999 Posted July 6, 2011 Report Share Posted July 6, 2011 Hello everyone, I am Tyler. I have recently come to be roommates with a beautiful female husky mix and wanted to make a quick post to introduce ourselves. Okami came into my life about two and a half weeks ago. I was driving from Atlanta through Rome, Ga on my way to a Native American sweat lodge ceremony when I saw what at first I thought was a wolf, standing in the parking lot of a Dollar General. I pulled in to examine and found a shy, but beautiful dog with striking blue eyes. She was collarless, with patchy fur infested with burrs and a few ticks and fleas, and very thin. She looked like she hadn't been fed in a long time. She was nervous at first but eventually came to met and let me pet her. I went into the store to see if anyone in there was the owner. The cashier didn't know anything about the dog but dismissed her as a stray and volunteered to call animal control. I took one glance out the store windows at the surrounding neighborhood and decided the dog's next stop would likely be a cell and then a needle. Given my first impression of her, and her blue eyes, and the fact that the gentleman running the sweat lodge I was on my way to was named Tom Bluewolf, I figured I should at least take her with me. Somehow, despite her shyness, the dog got in the car with me and was quite peaceful, albeit excited on the ride up. I called the animal shelters in the area and no one reported missing a husky. There were many other dogs at the sweat lodge site, but it became quickly clear she wasnt very socialized, and was very nervous around the other dogs, getting into a fight with another very proud female dog for about a second before I separated them. With other people she was also nervous, but sweet. I was hoping someone might be interested in adopting her, but fate had other ideas. By the time the ceremony was over I realized I couldn't just leave her back at the Dollar General, so I decided to take her back to Atlanta. I grew up with dogs- Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Golden Retrievers and a few stray mutts my parents adopted. I love dogs, but never really had much desire to get one of my own- they are a lot of work, leave hair everywhere and screw with your social schedule. I hoped that perhaps I could get my dad to let her join his pack of 5 dogs. If not, I could drop her at the Atlanta Humane Society, which is a no-kill shelter. However, by the time we got back to Atlanta, I had a sneaking suspicion that I wasn't going to be able to let her go that easily. I had already given her name- Okami. Okami has two meanings in Japanese- both of which I thought appropriate. "Great Spirit" (I found her on the way to a Native American Sweat Lodge) and "wolf" (She looks like a wolf.) The next morning I took her to PetSmart to be checked for a chip. She didn't have one and further inquiries on the internet about missing huskies in the area came up empty. And as far as i was concerned, judging by her malnourishment, if she had only recently gotten loose from some place, I wasn't inclined to return her. I took her to the vet and found she was miraculously free of heartworms or other serious issues. The vet said she was about 1 year old and didn't appear to have made many- if any- vet visits before, reinforcing my belief that she was a true stray. However, he also broke one other piece of news to me- in his best estimation, and having worked with some before, Okami was part wolf. Now, I have always had a great affinity for wolves, and have been told they are my spirit animal, whether you believe in such things or not. That said, other than maybe crazed 13-year-old ideas, I've never had a desire to own a wolf and never thought that wolf-dogs were a good idea. Crossing a domestic animal with a wild animal is most likely to produce offspring that are a ball of conflicting impulses and instincts, with shaky domesticity. On top of which they are technically illegal in Georgia. But, you all know how it goes. I loved her already. It has been about two weeks and they have been great. Somehow, Okami seems to have gotten the best possible combination of traits from both her sides. She is very calm indoors and not prone to destruction, even if I leave her for a few hours. She isn't housebroken, per se, but after a week she stopped going inside, simply from routine of me taking her out. Outdoors she is extremely happy- loving to pull and running me into the ground (we go on 3 mile runs and she couldn't be happier.) She pays me almost no attention outdoors, but we are working on that. And she is definitely a quick learner- she picked up "sit" in a matter of minutes, though she is still stuck on the physical cue and not the verbal, and doesn't respond to either outside unless I have a particularly tasty treat. My only real issue with her is how little she eats. She isn't very food motivated and really only consumes about one bowl of food a day. However, I understand this isn't odd for huskies, especially during the summer. She has gained about 5 pounds since I got her- currently at about 39 pounds. This got long so I will cut it off (it seems I am already at that point in dog ownership where I can talk about her for a long time ;p ) At any rate, glad to be joining and thanks a lot. Tyler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted July 6, 2011 Report Share Posted July 6, 2011 great intro post Welcome to the pack! So good of you to take her in, many people would have stopped at the nearest rehome centre Can't wait to see some pics! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BingBlaze n Skyla Posted July 6, 2011 Report Share Posted July 6, 2011 welcome to the pack she looks gorgeous in your pic please post more pics well done on giving her a home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyler999 Posted July 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2011 Oh yeah- I'll probably never have kids, so this is my only chance to be "that guy"... "Hey! Wanna see pics of my baby?" Right after I first picked her up All cleaned up and fed First trip to the vet... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted July 6, 2011 Report Share Posted July 6, 2011 beautiful!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paranormal Wolf Posted July 6, 2011 Report Share Posted July 6, 2011 Such a beautiful and lucky girl. Love the name as well Always love hearing stories with happy endings. Who knows what would have happened to her had you not stopped at the Dollar Store. Oddly enough my boyfriend works at a General Dollar Store and also loves wolves and we believe his totem animal may very well be the wolf. Keep us updated on her progress, look forward to seeing you around the forum. Welcome to the pack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicole Posted July 6, 2011 Report Share Posted July 6, 2011 Awwww isnt she beautiful ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowpups Posted July 6, 2011 Report Share Posted July 6, 2011 Aww wat a beauty welcome to the pack. Good on you for rescueing her and giving her a home. If you have any questions ask away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Removed #5 Posted July 6, 2011 Report Share Posted July 6, 2011 From the pics definitely much more Husky than wolf! My niece has a wolf Husky mix and he looks *MUCH* more like wolf - he has the Husky markings but wolf size and hair! I couldn't comfortably get much closer when I took this picture of him as he is a really good guard dog and I wan't there long enough to become friends. Meeko (my nieces half breed), meet Okami What would it take to convince you to change that collar you have ... ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stormchaser09 Posted July 6, 2011 Report Share Posted July 6, 2011 beautiful dog, welcome to the site Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marley & Lumikkis Mummy Posted July 6, 2011 Report Share Posted July 6, 2011 awww shes beautiful, and really lucky to have you to the pack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne Posted July 6, 2011 Report Share Posted July 6, 2011 Awe she is gorgeous:heartbeat: and very lucky you s met well done giving her a home Im sure yous will share many happy times together:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyler999 Posted July 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 What would it take to convince you to change that collar you have ... ??? Already have. When I first got her she was aggressive (or defensive- hard to tell which) with other dogs. I had to have something on her that allowed me to control her and keep her from choking herself. Now that I've socialized her to the point that she at least ignores other dogs, I've gotten her a regular collar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 Hi and Welcome! What a beautiful girl you have and amazing and heart warming story to, Well done! also nothing wrong with prong collars! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindavamp666 Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 Wow it's amazing the difference in her just from the pics you put up. She is beautiful, love the name also! I think it's fantastic that you two have come together and that she has found such a great home! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 :welcome:Seems like fate has brought the two of you together. Looks like you she has fallen on her feet in having such a loving caring home. Love the name, so appropriate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosemary Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 Hi Tyler and Okami, welcome to the Forum. It is great to have you here. You are a great writer so I for one am definitely looking forward to more stories about you and your adventures with Okami. Fate probably played a hand in putting the two of you at the right place at the right time. Lucky girl , or should I say lucky Tyler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyler999 Posted July 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 Here in Atlanta, it stormed like crazy on the 4th of July. Looking out my window at the torrential downpour of rain I suddenly got an idea. I threw on my swim trunks, leashed up Okami and we went outside. At first she seemed a little hesitant to go out it the rain, immediately looking for a place to lay down under cover (a remnant of all her days spent as a stray, no doubt), but after about a minute she decided she enjoyed it. Looking up at me with the big blue eyes I knew exactly what she wanted- and so we took off in a run through the neighborhood. At one point we were running up a hill that had so much water funneling down it that she and I simultaneously looked at each other, then down at the ground, then around, as if to ask "are we even moving forward?" It was a spectacular time. Everyone who drove past us was giving looks of "What in the....?" Only to change into looks of immense jealousy when they saw how much fun we were having. Yes, happiness is running barefoot in the rain with a happy dog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosemary Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 I like how you think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 Thats sounds amazing dude! Me and Kita have been out in a few down pours, We love it running through the long park, through the long wet grass, also in the park when it rains, its so tranquil in a weird way, no one about but us, the forest that surrounds the park also is rather beautiful in the rain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosemary Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 Oh to be young again, running in the rain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laine Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 Congrats on your gorgeous girl, Tyler! From scared in the first picture to happy; you're doing good by her. And she's got the perfect name even if she's not a lot of wolf in her. She's lucky to have you and looks like Fate/the Spirits definitely put her in your path. Welcome to the forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Removed #5 Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 And I'm jealous, you do write well and it's enjoyable to read about your adventures, even something so simple as your "Running in the Rain"! You did a good thing taking this dog into your home (and heart) and I bet you'll both have a future of enjoyable adventures to write about. I wasn't trying to be too critical of the collar, living in an area where they (and spiked collars) are used on pit bulls and rottweilers which are used for "Hog Dogs" (and other more nefarious purposes) it bothered me to see one on a Husky, glad you were able to change it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indigo & Oisin Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 Very heartwarming stories Tyler! So glad to have you and Okami amongst us! By the way, see by one of the photos you have been reading Ororon! Love those books but it was a really short collection! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Removed #5 Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 Very heartwarming stories Tyler! So glad to have you and Okami amongst us! By the way, see by one of the photos you have been reading Ororon! Love those books but it was a really short collection! I was chuckling about the "Calculus for Dummies" Okami had his head on - pretty heavy reading for most of us! I'm going to have to go take a look at Ororon, don't know anything about him/her ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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