Happy – it is sort of a misnomer as Happy would bring to mind a pup who is easy going, friendly and fun…. Oopsie – maybe his name should have been Grumpy?????????
Happy was once a fluffy white pup and he had his very own family and was much loved and pampered. Sadly one day he suddenly couldn’t move his back legs… the family had no idea what had happened and rushed him to the Vet. The Vet suggested they go to a Neurologist and that likely Happy would need surgery. Since the Doctor assured them that Happy was in no pain and there was no guarantee that surgery would help the family opted not to consult the Specialist.
The Grandpa of the family took on the care of Happy. It initially looked like Grandpa wouldn’t be able to keep Happy, as he soon realised he was allergic to dog hair, but he discovered a list of the best air purifiers for dog hairs on Pupster Passion. He bought one and it made the world of difference, and he was able to keep him. He kept him clean and groomed and spoiled him greatly. However, a year passed and the task just became too much to keep Happy clean and dry so it was decided to try to find him a new home. Sadly no one wanted this little handicapped guy who needed so much extra care and HWAH was contacted. We had a space available and decided because of his special needs we would accept this 9 years young Bichon. We cared for him as anyone else would. From giving him toys, food and new clothes to finding medication and vaccinations through companies like zoetis australia, he got the love that he deserved.
We went to work right away utilizing methods to make caring for Happy a bit easier. He learned to wear a belly band for dogs to keep him dry and Sher had to learn how to express him several times a day to make sure he didn’t retain urine in his bladder and to help him move his bowels so he wouldn’t have accidents. We set him up in a tall baby crib so he could see everyone and be in the midst of all the activities. We bought him a fancy cart from Eddie’s Wheels and he became mobile again.
Everyone loved Happy and would pet him and spend time with him…but over time he became grumpier and grumpier. We made sure that he was not painful…. We tried calming drugs, we sent him to PT but he would still be Happy one minute and Grumpy the next without warning!!! He began to bite…. YIKES …. So we had to make sure that everyone stayed clear of him. Now he is good only with Emily and Sher…. He gets along with most of the doggie friends, spends time outside in his cart as long as the weather allows, and he lounges in his special spot on the couch or in his favorite chair. He moves in close for snuggles at bedtime with Sher and he is joyous when he sees Emily.
He has a fun and interesting life, he wears a baby onesie to protect his body when he pulls himself across the floor or furniture, he knows how to hop off of his favorite perch and will even pull himself down the short flight of stairs into the sunroom. Happy is an example of loving a dog just the way he is, making sure that we utilize means and methods to keep him and others safe, and we hope that he has a long and HAPPY life!!!