by Lee Juslin

Germany – or Manny – as his foster mom, PK calls him, spent his early years in a puppy mill as a stud dog with little attention, certainly no loving attention, and most of his time spent in a small cage.

At nine years old, Manny was taken into Col. Potter Cairn Rescue, and his whole world changed. His feet, as is the case with most mill dogs, were flat from spending his life in a cage and his back legs had little muscle tone. Under PK’s care Manny began to blossom. He learned how to go up and down stairs. He taught himself how to “throw” a ball and chase it. He enjoyed running free in PK’s backyard and especially picking the tomatoes she grew in her garden. His feet have improved, and the muscle tone has strengthened in his back legs.

Germany

Despite his rough start in life, Manny is a happy boy. He’s not a lap dog and doesn’t really like to cuddle, but he enjoys meeting new people and dogs, and he follows PK around the house, curious about what she is doing. His greeting is to lick and nibble at people’s fingers but he’s very gentle. “At dinner he wags so hard his entire crate rocks,” said PK. “He reminds me of a child with ADD because he gets very excited with new people and when I groom him. He gets antsy if I try to restrain him. I’ve been working with him to get him to calm down and gain some control and he is making progress.”

Manny has an enlarged heart no doubt caused by the tooth decay he exhibited when he first came in to rescue. He’s had all but four teeth removed, but that hasn’t slowed him down or prevented his eating kibble and dog treats. He’s on three medications for his heart condition and is responding well. The medications cost about thirty three dollars per month.

A good home for Manny would be one with an experienced terrier single person or couple. Older kids would be fine, but PK does not recommend a home with younger children because Manny really needs a calm environment. He would like a fenced backyard, and a tomato garden would be a plus. While he is not a lap dog, he would enjoy doing things with his person like long walks. PK has three dogs of her own plus Manny who is her twenty-ninth foster. She walks them all about three miles a day, and Manny has no problem keeping up.

Manny’s heart condition should not be a high concern for a potential adopter. His medication is not expensive, and he is responding to it well. Manny is a sweet boy with a number of good years ahead of him. He is looking for a forever home where his happy disposition and love of activity will be appreciated. He would be a great companion for the right person or family.

If you would like to learn more about Col. Potter Cairn Terrier Rescue to donate, foster, apply to adopt a sweet Cairn like Manny, or volunteer, visit their website: Col. Potter.

Want to know how to see your ad like this at the end of an article? Email KRL at life@kingsriverlife[dot]com by replacing the [dot] for more info. 10% of all ad sales goes to animal rescue.

Lee Juslin is a free lance copywriter living in North Carolina with her husband, Scott, and her band of misfits: Tarquin, a Wheaten Scottish Terrier, and three handicapped cats. They can be seen on their website: Hampshire Hooligans. She owns I B Dog Gone, a small embroidery business and is the author of the Nurse Frosty books for children and Frosty’s Story: Tales of a Therapy Dog. She supports a number of national and regional terrier rescue organizations.