Mon Petit Garcon, a Corillon-Adopted

Karen Gaston of Auburn, Alabama sent me a photo of this little guy, suggesting he might be a Border Collie mix. Nice try Karen! But, at first glance, I thought maybe a Sheltie mix. Doesn’t matter really, because Holly and I think he’s Stinkin’ Cute!

Garcon is 3 years old, and quite a gentleman and we can’t wait to meet him. I think he’ll make an awesome pet for someone who wants an intelligent dog, but not the drive!

We’ve agreed that he’s got some Basset but after looking at all of his photos a dozen times, we see Papillon. After consulting with a Papillon enthusiast, it was confirmed that we’re not sure! So what do you call a Corgi Papillon Basset? A Bassillon? A Corillon? Okay, whatever!

We asked Karen to describe this little boy’s temperament, and here’s what she wrote:

Formerly known as Jesse, Garcon is sociable and wants to please. He knows some basic commands like sit and shake. He has a moderate energy level. He loves people and has handled the shelter environment well, though you can tell he wants to go home. We haven’t tested him with cats, but I can do that when he comes back from the vet school tomorrow. He has been fine around other dogs at the shelter. I think he’d fit into most anyone’s household fairly well, pending the results of a cat test!

Holly has said repeatedly, that if you love a breed, but can’t stand the negatives of the breed, like hyperactivity, over-the-top herding compulsiveness, or incessant barking, mix it with a Basset and all of your dreams will come true!

I will meet Garcon this weekend, and suspect he’ll be fostered by Laura Watson in Jacksonville. We will receive regular updates regarding his temperament soon!

02/14/11 Update:
Garcon is a doll. Laura Watson has picked him up, and he’s at the groomers! We will be posting new photos shortly. Laura says he was quiet last night, fully crate trained, happy this morning, and very much as gentleman at the groomers! However, I received an email last night that gives me much more insight on this little man. I’ve edited the email to protect the sender’s privacy. The stories I have heard while in rescue amaze me, but this one takes the cake.

Email received 02/13/11: Hi.. I hope you will not mind my writing to you. 🙂 I got your info from Karen Gaston.. who is such an angel in so many ways.

The precious dog you just got and named Garcon was originally rescued/caught by my children and I, three Sundays ago. We were visiting a few houses away. Because of a privacy fence, I could not see him, but I heard occasional bark but that was it. We were driving and went down a street in the subdivision that we do not usually travel.. it backs up to the home where we were visiting. When we got to cul-de-sac to turn around, we saw this dog coming out of the woods. I got out and tried to call him and he wanted to come to me.. but was frightened. He ran toward a house that was a few houses up the street. He still would try to come to me but then get skiddish. We got doggie treats and came back.. he was still there.. I threw him one tiny treat and he came to get it.

I began knocking on doors and people next door told me that they thought he desperately needing to be rescued.. that they believe he was from the house next door and that he had no shelter. They explained that they had a horrible winter weather with ice/freezing rain, snow, cold etc., and that he was usually chained. The owners (this is all 3rd party info so please know I do not know this first hand) would be gone at times for 7+ days and he would not have food or water. Even sadder, he would get chain tangled and not be able to move more than 6-8 inches and would basically be sitting/sleeping in his own excrement. It broke my heart.

Another neighbor came out during this discussion and confirmed the same and both said they had fed him out of concern and that he would occasionally get loose and go find scrap food that had been discarded.

Interestingly, when we rescued him, it took some tries to get a leash on him but he relaxed quickly and went to sleep in my pet carrier right away.

We just adore him.. we called him Jesse.

When we had freezing rain last week, I was just so grateful that he was not outside in that weather with no shelter.

He was very gentle with us. He seemed to really love my little girl who is 9. She wants to be a vet and has a very tender way with animals. He would come to her with no hesitation. Even when we went to visit in busy pet store/rescue a few days later, she got down on his level and he came right to her. I would also like to mention that there are toddler/preschool type toys in the driveway of this house where he lived. I understand there was a divorce.

I was always so careful to teach my children to be gentle with the pets and when we rescued him, my daughter was calm and he did beautifully but can’t speak towards how he might be with younger ones since he seems scared, not scared and aggressive but just scared.

He seemed to very much appreciate “calm”. Don’t we all! 🙂 He just seems to have such a gentle soul. He still seemed a bit nervous to come to me and my bet is that he has probaby been “shooed” away by adults when loose or by his owner and he was just not sure he could trust. In all that we did to “catch” him though on that Sunday afternoon, he was never aggressive and was nothing but a little gentleman.

Since we found him “at large” we were able to help him.. a neighorhood fast endeavor that Sunday afternoon to be sure. We took him to local humane society and I thought he was a Corgi (Sorry I am not any better than Karen Gaston at indentifying!). The Corgi rescue I found would not take him once he was identified as not being pedigreed corgi. I told them to PLEASE not euthanize him if he was ill.. that I would find a way to help him. Finally we found he was at the local Vet school and then going to a wonderful pet boutique/rescue called For Paws in Auburn.. we were able to see him!! We brought him a small bed, some treats and toys. I don’t know that he has ever had any of this so hoping his foster and adoptive home will be able to help him learn to enjoy life. We just wanted him to have something “of his own” for once.

When we got to humane society, he would let them look at his tummy (which had lots of redness and looked like he had some scars from scratching though we never saw him scratch at all) and also look in his mouth. I am sure all of that was not comfortable for him but he was so gentle. Again it broke my heart that he could be so trusting and had not had the love and care he deserved. That is what amazes about about these dogs, that they can still trust and love even though they have not had that reciprocated.

THANK you so much for giving this little guy a chance. We loved him so much and would love to have kept him but we are at our limit for dogs in our town. Please give him a hug for us… I would so love it if you could share my email and/or phone with whoever fosters him and even with his new family if that is allowed.

I just wanted to mainly know he was safe. I want to teach my children to “give back” and to know that working together is what makes things happen.. this has been such an important thing for them to experience. I read on your blog that you too have young children and it is so wonderful that they can have a part in this.

He was quickly starting to trust me so I think he will be fine once he has been shown some consistent love and kindness. I think he was actually grateful. He has such a special heart and thank you again for what you do and for taking him. We were so sad that we did not know what had happened to him once we dropped him off so seeing him OK and now where he will be given only to a qualified and loving home is just a huge blessing for us. I have always heard the saying “it takes a village to raise a child”.. and as ridiculous and silly as it may sound, I am seeing that it truly takes a “village” to rescue these sweet dogs.

Thanks again.

02/17/11 Foster Update: He’s doing great and is sweet and even tempered! He is loving having toys and plays so well with the boys. Shows he is house-trained and very much a gentlemen, when asking to go out.

Took him by vet the other day (just to ask a few questions) and was calm the whole time. He showed no interest in cats that were there, never even sniffed a cage.

He’s really a good boy and wants a family to call his own!

Garcon has been adopted!

Email received 04/11/2011: Hello Garcon’s rescue family – as I write this he is lying at my feet.

We met Laura and her two sweet boys with Garcon at the dog park. Dale and I were both excited and cautious waiting for them to arrive and not knowing what to expect, but we knew right away when we saw him and how he was so trusting with us that we would be bringing him home. We could also see how wonderful Laura’s two boys were with him and the love that Garcon had been getting, Laura you can be proud. The hour ride home went well, Garcon settled down okay at least he was not trembling.

When we got home Dale took Garcon around the whole front and back yard and let him investigate every corner of the house. Although we could see in his eyes a nervousness he did settle in okay. We just love him and we are being loved in return. Each day will be better and Garcon is home where I think he was meant to be.

Our basset hound of fifteen years died last April and our hearts were broken. We only recently got to the stage when we knew we wanted another dog, we felt an empty space in our life so we decided to rescue one. Looking was not easy as so many dogs need a home it was depressing to me. How do you pick one? I could not do it.

A friend directed me to the Dog Liberator website as she first saw Garcon and thought immediately of us. When I checked him out my heart fluttered, no sadness just a connection. I believe in fate. Garcon was abandoned in Alabama by a family and found a forever home in Florida with us and by the way, Dale is originally from Alabama. Also, we met Garcon for the first time at a dog park on Alabama Avenue. So there, you tell me if that is not fate.

On a personal note, I think I connected with Garcon because I saw in him a little dog that knew how to survive. There is something in all of us that we do not know we have until we have to use it. He did. Like I did in 1995-98 when I went through an illness and came out of it not only cured but stronger and learned how fragile life really can be. Garcon is with us now and we will face each day together. This is the first day of the rest of his life.

Thank you Dog Liberator rescue family for bringing him to us. Thank you Laura and family for giving him a loving home. And here’s a photo of Dale and Garcon bonding, how sweet!

Dale and Elizabeth

Update 04/16/11: Hello Laura and Family,
We have had Garcon six days now and he is doing wonderful. We are seeing fewer apprehensions and lots of bonding has taken place. Here are a few photos taken today with my granddaughters, they are having so much fun together. They have decided he is their little buddy so we are looking at calling him “Buddy”. Dale and I both like the name and goodness knows we have come up with a few but none have seemed to stick – so “Buddy” it is. He also does his tricks for the girls which we could not get him to do, Hum!

Dale and I cannot get over how lucky we are to have him, he is perfect for us and I think we are perfect for him too. He follows us both all over the house; he wants to be where we are. We did get a crate and that is working out well as he likes it. Your were right. Well bye for now and hope you enjoy the photos.

Dale and Elizabeth