Pet Tales

Maverick's Story
by Betty Hancock

Hi! My name is Maverick. I was born in January 1998. I am a full blooded Cocker Spaniel. I'm mostly black, but have white on my chest and a couple of paws. I went to live with a very nice family, but I was a sick little puppy. I had epileptic seizures and my new family couldn't spend a lot of time with me to watch me, so they decided it was best to try to find a puppy that wasn't sick. Well, my first family called the breeder who sold me to them and he said they could adopt my brother (Oliver), but they would have to return me, or find a new home for me. If I had gone back to the breeder, I would have been put to sleep. My first mom (Sue) was so upset and heartbroken. She had come to love me so much, but just couldn't keep me and have my brother, too.

So, she contacted a wonderful lady named Jeanne. Jeanne runs the Cocker Spaniel Rescue Haven http://jeanne.net/rescue.html . Jeanne was talking to my new mom (Mom) on ICQ and Mom had been thinking about getting a puppy. She had helped raise a black cocker that her brother had, so she knew how cool I would be. Having a sick puppy didn't bother her cause she had been really sick herself the previous year and a half and had plenty of time to get to know me. Oh how the emails flew that day!! Emails from Jeanne to Sue, ICQ messages from Jeanne to Mom, email messages back and forth from Mom to Sue.

Finally, everything was set. Sue asked her husband to put me on the plane in Nevada on the morning of March 25, 1998. She cried buckets that day, and couldn't wait to hear from Mom that evening. Mom and Dad picked me up at the air cargo terminal around 4:30. They walked in and while Dad was talking to the nice man who looked after me until they arrived, Mom spotted my carrier. She rudely interrupted the conversation and said, "Is this Maverick?" and had me out of the carrier before the man answered. I was so happy to be in her arms. My little tail was wagging and I was giving her Maverick Smoochies while Dad signed the papers saying I had arrived. Mom and Dad had picked up a pretty red collar for me to wear and it was almost too big. But, Dad put it on me and they took me on a walk to the pick-up truck. My goodness I was a happy puppy!! I sat in Mom's lap for a little while and then I made them move the papers that were on the seat between them, so I could lay down and take a nap. There was the perfect space there, so I curled up and rode the rest of the way home pressed up against Dad with my face where I could see Mom whenever a bump woke me up. We stopped at my new Grandma's house before they took me home. (Don't all new parents take their kids to see Grandma right after they get them?) So, Grandma oohed and aahhhed all over me and held me and I gave her Maverick Smoochies, too.

Finally, I got to my new home. I had to check out every nook and cranny and then I was just so tired I had to take another nap. Flying can be so tiring to a small puppy.

This is a small part of a message that Sue sent to Mom after she found out I had arrived safely: "Give the little guy a big kiss for me, I hope he knows we didn't give him up because we didn't care, we did it because we want him to have a long and happy life with two people who can give him the time and care that he deserves. He will always have a place in my heart. Now maybe I can think about him without crying." So, you can see that I was loved by lots of people in Nevada and now in Kentucky.

A few days after I arrived in Kentucky I had a seizure. I was chasing something under Dad's desk and bumped my head. I scared Mom pretty badly, but she took me in her lap and held me until I quit shaking. It didn't last long and it was the last seizure I have had!!

I love my home. I have lots of room to run. There is a big yard here that has all kinds of wildlife traveling through it. I go out and hunt for them, but I never can find anything. I guess the rabbits and possums don't want to play. But that's o.k. cause I have lots of toys. I have a pacifier squeak toy and a stuffed bird that Sue sent with me. And Mom and Dad bought me a ball to play with. They also let me play with their feet (I love to do sneak attacks on bare toes). I don't bite, just a quick soft nip. I also like to play with things that people think is trash. Dad bought some plastic shelving units a couple of weeks ago that had little round cylinders that I like to chew on, toss in the air and try to catch. I am a recycling doggie! I can't sleep on the truck seat anymore. I'm just too big to stretch out there now. I go play with Grandma's dog Job and we have lots of fun hunting for things in her yard. My favorite place to sleep is under Mom's desk while she is sitting here at the computer.

A note from Mom: Cocker Spaniels are wonderful dogs, but not ideally suited to children as they tend to like being the center of attention. Maverick loves kids and the attention they show him, but this is because Mom and Dad worked hard with him so he knows how important he is to us without worrying about competition. We also make sure we are around whenever kids are playing with him because his breed can be aggressive.

If you are considering getting a dog, there are many rescue organizations and animal shelters that have wonderful animals for adoption. We didn't get Maverick because he was full blooded, we got him because of past experience with the breed and his plight. We have owned many dogs and cats over the years who have come from shelters. Each one has been a joy in our lives and always left a little hole in our hearts when they passed on. As for adopting your own pet, if you want one that is comparable in size to Maverick, I strongly recommend a beagle. I grew up with beagles and they have a wonderful temperament for kids.

About the Author: Warm Reflections is owned and operated by Betty "Cookie" Hancock. Betty first moved to Vine Grove in 1965 when her father was stationed at Fort Knox. Over the years she has visited other places, but always found the roots planted early kept drawing her back. Betty has been designing web pages since she first connected to the internet in 1997. Since those early beginnings, her knowledge has continued to increase and thus, Warm Reflections became a reality. In June, 1998, Betty became a Community Leader for the Enchanted Forest neighborhood of GeoCities. From then, until December of 1999 (when Yahoo severed ties with the Community Leader program) she assisted others in getting their pages running smoothly. In March, 2000, the Enchanted Forest CLs decided to form a web hosting service for children that will incorporate the best of everything they have all learned during their time spent with Y!G. Look for KidsWorlds.net, coming to the internet as soon as our Non-Profit status is approved and the necessary funding for servers is obtained. Betty serves as Senior Vice President and VP of Volunteer Staffing. Visit her Website and Maverick's Web Home: Warm Reflections Web design to reflect warmly on you. AND, owned by Maverick LOL