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Dalton is a very special dog. He is, as I've said, timid and sweet. He has been a part of my family since 5/91, coming to live with me the day after his 2nd birthday. Dalton's story is very sad, but it has, obviously, a very happy ending.
Dalton was literally scraped off the street by Oakland Animal Control, more dead than alive. He weighed a mere 65 pounds and had cuts, abrasions and broken bones. The Animal Control officers took him to the vet's office, but it was expected that he would be put down.
Despite his injuries, which included his left hip being broken in three places, and the pain and fear that he was experiencing, he kept giving the veterinary staff kisses. Because of his sweetness, the staff there finagled him an extra week and contacted Sue and Marc of Akita Rescue, who ultimately came and got him. He lived in their basement for several months while his injuries healed.
In the meantime, I had returned from overseas and was starting to think about getting a new apartment and putting out feelers toward getting another Akita, although I expected it to be at least a year in the future. San Francisco has a huge dog show every year in February and I attended, mainly to get my Akita Fix since I was, at the time, dog-less! I made a beeline for the Akita area and it was there that I met Sue and Marc and took an application to adopt a rescued Akita.
Thinking little of it, I returned home. Approximately 6 weeks later, I attended another dog show and again encountered Sue and Marc. I also met Jill, an Akita breeder who was showing her dogs that day. The four of us ended up talking, Jill because she suspected that the dog which had been rescued was one she had originally bred and I because by this time, I realized that as much fun as a puppy would have been, my lifestyle wouldn't allow it and I was now considering taking a young adult dog, preferably already housebroken! I also had come to the conclusion by that time that I really needed a dog with a laid-back personality, since I don't discipline well. They said they had just the dog for me and told me about Dalton, who was called Winter Wizard at that point. From his description, I said I'd take him!
Over the next two weeks, I began seriously searching for an apartment which would accept a large dog (which I found, obviously) and called Sue and Marc to see if Dalton was still available. (That was when we changed his name, too.) Sue suggested that I visit them, offering to pick me up from the BART station. Dalton was out on the front lawn when I arrived, thin, scared and standing on three legs. I sat with him for over an hour, just talking to him and petting him.
I'd love to say that it was love at first sight, but in reality, over the next 8 weeks, I went to Sue and Marc's on Thursday evenings after work. I would have dinner with them and then spend a couple of hours downstairs sitting next to Dalton, petting him and talking him and having him ignore me. At that stage, he wouldn't even look at me. Because of his broken hip, of course, he couldn't go anywhere, so he just sort of tolerated my attentions.
It took 5 weeks for him to accept me as part of his world and after the 8th week, I took him home! Once it was just the two of us, we bonded quickly.
Dalton no longer limps, except when he's really cold or really scared. He weighs a solid 80 pounds, small as Akitas go, but a good weight for him. When he's feeling anxious, he'll climb onto the bed with me, just for the feeling of connectedness. Niki joined the family almost exactly one year later and they, too, are nearly inseparable. Her confidence has been very good for him and since we've moved to our new apartment (the landlady couldn't deal with TWO Akitas!), Dalton has made some solid friends in the hood, both two and four-legged.
I have promised Dalton that no matter what, he won't be recycled again. A more loving, loyal or protective friend I couldn't ask for.