My dog Rumor was an experiment. A trial offer. And all parties knew that going in. Except for maybe Rumor.
Rumor was an outdoor country dog. His given name was Ruger (named after a firearm if you don't know, I didn't) which made sense for a dog raised in hunting country. He was a stray that came to live with a loving family at about the age of 1. He lived outdoors, slept in a garage crate at night, frolicked with an older dog pack and had a lovely life. We think he was about 4 years old. He had been neutered, had vet care and was by no means a "rescue".
His dad offered Ruger to me on a give-it-a-try basis. He knew I wanted a dog. He told me Ruger would be sweet to me and also be my protector. He was right on both counts. He told me if it didn't work out, I could bring Ruger back to him and his wife. I could tell they were a little sad when they dropped him off. It made me glad to see that Ruger came from such a loving home. His mom had even bathed and brushed him that morning.
Ruger came in to my home with some uncertainty, but settled in pretty quickly. It was a big change for him. He was living indoors now with a solitary lady. He was figuring out living in the suburbs vs a wide acreage of freedom. He was learning a leash, a bathroom break schedule and a working mom that came home for a lunchtime check. All in all, he handled all these changes pretty well. He even took to his new name, Rumor, really well. (I purposely chose a name that sounded really close to his original moniker.) But like most pet parents, I also called him by several names like Rumor Zoomer, Puppy Boy, Rumie, baby, and of course my go-to fave, darlin.
I had talked Rumor up to everyone around me, especially my special needs son who comes home on weekends. My son who paces the house and stimms with his hands. My boy who loves animals and is acquainted with fostering dogs. I thought bringing Rumor home and getting him acquainted to me, my home and living arrangement and THEN introducing my autistic son would be the best approach.
Until I released how seriously Rumor took his role as my protector.
(After research, I learned that Rumor was very likely a mix of German Shepherd/Rottweiler....two breeds known for their intelligence, watchfulness, and protection. Early socialization is crucial to the development of these dogs. At age 4, this wouldn't be impossible for Rumor, but it would be tough. I honestly didn't feel up to the task as an inexperienced dog trainer.)
He stayed right by my side constantly. He allowed me to pet him, hold him, rub his ears, even kiss him. He acted nervous when I left him. He snarled, growled and even tried to bite any male that he met or who came close to me. And then I realized this wouldn't be the right fit for me and my grown-up, 24 year-old son. And also probably not good for any visitors I might have, including my elderly parents. I wanted to keep Rumor. But not at the expense of alienating my friends and family. If Rumor hadn't had a loving home to go back to, it may have been different.
And I talked to Rumor about it. I let him know I loved him. I told him I appreciated him looking after me. I let his dad know and he understood. We made plans for him to come back and pick up Rumor, his crate, and his 50 pound bag of barely eaten kibble.
And now Rumor is back to being Ruger. Back to roaming free in the wild woods. Chasing squirrels and being his true self. No more staying inside the boring house while his mom works. No scheduled potty breaks. I hope I'll see him again someday and he'll remember me. I know I'll remember him. The sweetest and truest canine protector I ever had. The boy that gave me hope for finding a doggie companion again someday.
Thank you, Rumor. I'll never forget you, my sweet puppy boy.
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