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Sandi came to us four years ago when my husband found her picture on the Petfinder.com website.  We drove clear across the state to meet her.  My husband's heart was apprehended the moment Sandi looked up at him and let out the funniest hooooooooooooowl.  The first thing I noticed about Sandi was that she barked!  She was definitely not off to a good start with me because of that.  There was absolutely no info left about her, just a barely readable name the previous owners left written on the form, that looked like it had to be: Sandi.  What was obvious though was that she was an older dog, perhaps 10 or 11 years old.  After our first visit, we were not sure what to do since the shelter she was at was a "kill shelter" after a certain amount of time if a dog is not adopted, they are euthanized.  That being so, we left our name and phone number for them to call us as a last resort in case she was not adopted.  Sandi's time was up and had not been adopted, that morning we received a frantic call from a lady who tries to get the dogs into foster homes. instead of seeing them killed.  She said that Sandi had three hours before execution.  We raced out to save her, under the thoughts that we would foster her and find a good home.  After interviewing some folks we soon came to realize that most folks do not understand the malamute breed and were not willing to do what was necessary for Sandi's safety.  Alas, we were the owners of three female Alaskan malamutes.  Timber and Wolf excepted her into the pac.  We have been told this is unheard of.  

My husband was happy, he had his own dog and I had my two.  We soon discovered that Sandi had never been neutered.  While she was having that surgery procedure we decided that she would also have a lump removed from her left.  What a sorry site she was when she came home, bandages everywhere.  It was then that I noticed what a unique dog we had.  She did not know where we were for a minute so she hobbled up the stairs with a stiff bandaged leg & bandages around her waist.....as funny as it looked, it was evidence of her strong need to be with us, her new family, even if she had to conquer the steps to get to us in her condition!  That night I slept with her on the floor in front of the stairs - a place she chose to recover.  Since that event Sandi had never been more then a foot away from me. I can not tell you how many times I tripped over her almost causing great bodily harm to myself!   Somehow Sandi never forgot me staying with her on the floor while she recovered,  a strong bond between us grew and she became my constant companion.  I should have re-named her "My Shadow."

Sandi was a very vocal dog.  Taking in a real fast deep breath before letting out this hysterical howl, telling us everything that happened while we were out.  She thought that Timber and Wolf were dogs and that she was one of us!   Through the years Sandi and Timber became good buddies...you could always find them laying next to each other on the floor.  Sandi was always the one to come upstairs in the morning to greet me...the first one to arrive  with her tail wagging in all directions at a phenomenal speed.  Eating anything without her knowing was virtually impossible.  Sandi exhibited an appreciation for life and us that we never saw in the other two dogs, they say that rescued dogs KNOW you saved their life and show it.  One night I had left candles lit and they were burning very high, she ran to get my husband to tell him (with a constant bark like Lassie would have done) until he went to check it out.  Sandi was like the little general around our house. 

About a year ago we found out why she had so many vomiting attacks that led to a few days of just laying around looking very very sick.  After many tests, an ultrasound showed she had a very bad pancreas.  Whenever she had these attacks she recovered and became her old lively wonderfulness.  Not this time. We had to have her hospitalized, but unfortunately the pancreatitis reached it's worse.  A few hours before she passed from this world my daughter and I sang to her a song she recognized, "You are my sunshine.....my only sunshine.  You make me happy when skies are grey.  You'll never know dear how much I love you, please don't take my sunshine away....."  On November 8th at 2:30 in the morning, our sunshine was taken away. 

This wonderful graphic was made by my very dear friend Danielle of the GothicWindow.com website.

When we were trying to find a permanent home for her, this is the right up we did about her:  Sandi is a happy, wonderful, sweet & gentle creature. 
She is approximately 10 years old. Approx. 95 pounds, with lots of love to give. She is a constant companion. Sandi loves attention and affection. Sandi is the type of dog that likes to stay right by your side & follow you every where, and will want to go in the house when you do and not stay outside alone. Sandi seems to have had obedience classes, because she is VERY obedient!  She loves all people and is good with children. She walks nicely on a leash...just a wonderful, sweet and especially LOYAL.  The only thing we know about Sandi is that her owner became ill and had to surrender her and her brother to the shelter. Her brother was adopted the day before we took Sandi.  We were very happy about that...because his time was also up at the shelter.

August/Sept. 2006

More Pictures of Sandi with Timber and Wolf   <---click

If you have the opportunity to save a dog from a shelter do it!  Shelter dogs know when you have saved their life, and will give you years of love and loyalty.  Sandi has been a constant companion since we rescued her almost three years ago.

Click:  Pets911~What Is Fostering

CLICK:  SAVE A LIFE ~ ADOPT or FOSTER A SHELTERDOG

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