Returning home, exhausted and empty-handed from a day trip to the Sacramento SPCA, she was leafing through her local paper, when her eye lit upon this ad: "ADULT MALE ROTTWEILER FREE TO A GOOD HOME." The last year had been a crummy one for her. She had to put down her last Rottweiler. She had undergone chemotherapy for breast cancer and had been missing the companionship of a Rottie. For the last twenty-five years, there had always been one in her life. A year had gone by since she had put the last one down, and at the same time finished her chemo treatments. This was not the kind of ad she saw everyday and she felt that this was a special message to her. "I will call first thing in the morning," she thought.

This is the beginning of Quinn's story, a truly remarkable dog, who changed her life as much as she changed his. He became part of a new family and met many, many new people who became part of his life. He faced an enormous challenge through which he both taught and learned the meaning of love and trust. This story will appeal to anyone who has ever loved a dog.

Quinn, the Rottweiler

A Story of a Dog Dealing with CancerBy Maryly Turner

iUniverse, Inc.

Copyright © 2009 Maryly Turner
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4401-7493-3

Contents

Chapter 1 A New Beginning.....................................1Chapter 2 Meeting Dr. Rice....................................9Chapter 3 Giving Danny Trouble................................17Chapter 4 Quinn's Birthday Party..............................21Chapter 5 Outside The Gate....................................27Chapter 6 Dog Class...........................................31Chapter 7 Bump On My Foot.....................................37Chapter 8 Having Fun With Ernie And Rosey.....................45Chapter 9 The Cone-Shaped Collar..............................51Chapter 10 My First Chemo Treatment............................59Chapter 11 The E-mails Start...................................71Chapter 12 Removing The Tumor..................................77Chapter 13 Our Camping Trip....................................79Chapter 14 A Biopsy............................................91Chapter 15 Mast Cell Tumor.....................................97Chapter 16 Chemo Is Half Over..................................107Chapter 17 Vienna Sausages.....................................111Chapter 18 Flowers For Dr. Sara................................117Chapter 19 Time Has Run Out....................................125Chapter 20 My Last Journey.....................................131

Chapter One

A New Beginning

It's just another lonely night as I walk slowly into the cold, wet shed. I'm getting ready to bed down for one of the last chilly, miserable nights here, not yet knowing that my life is about to change, leaving this all behind. I say chilly and miserable because I'm out here in this shed alone, and my papa and his family are inside the main house. Two little dogs also live inside. They have no idea what it's like to sleep out in this shed. My papa loves me, but he thinks because I'm a big dog that I'm okay out here. Oh how I'd love to sleep inside like the little dogs do.

The sun is finally coming up the next morning, and I am laying on the cement walkway, waiting for the ground to thaw out from the sun warming the yard. There is a guide-line that goes from the shop to the back-porch. I have on a leather collar, which is connected to a chain. I don't like my collar because it rubs away the fur on my neck. This chain slides back and forth on the guideline, letting me jump around and trot over to my papa where he sits on his chair by the kitchen door. I hear the telephone ring. After the girl hangs up, I hear her saying that a lady is interested in coming to meet the dog in the ad. The ad reads, 'ADULT MALE ROTTWEILER-FREE TO A GOOD HOME' I wonder, would that be about me? I'm a grown Rottweiler who will turn eight years old in a couple of days. I'm laying here soaking up the sun, wondering and worrying if I've done something bad, when I hear the girl tell my papa that it's for the best; Papa is getting older and can't get around as well as when I first came here to live with him and his family.

Before I go any further with my story, let me introduce myself. My name is Chong. They joke about how I had a littermate named Cheech. I don't understand, but for some reason everybody laughs when they hear my name, thinking it's a funny joke. They don't know that it hurts when I hear them laughing at me. Don't people know that dogs have feelings? Sometimes it can be very damaging, enough to break a good dog down, and trust will be lost. Some dogs have jobs they are expected to perform, while others are pets and just want to make their people happy. I know that's what I'm here to do.

I am hungry, even though my food dish is full. I don't like the way it tastes. I take a bite and try not to think about how awful it is. In keeping my bowl filled, my family thinks I have plenty to eat. As always, I end up eating or go without. They mean well and think that everything is okay. I have no idea that there are better ways for a dog to be treated.

The lady that phoned wants to come and meet me. The girl tells her that today is not a good day to see me. They think I've got a sticker or a thorn in my foot. My left front leg hurts me so bad; sometimes I have trouble standing or walking on it. Because of this, my family has to take me to see my veterinarian. Going to the vet is fun, because that's usually the only time I get to go for a ride. Riding in the car is my very favorite thing to do. It's been a long time since I saw my veterinarian, so the car rides don't happen very often. My vet checks me over and tells the girl that I have something called arthritis. He gives her pain medication for me to take. A couple of days go by and I'm feeling a little bit better.

My papa is sitting on his chair on the back-porch. I like to sit in front of him and offer my paw. When he doesn't shake it, I offer my other paw. I try to please him by shaking hands. He likes that as much as I do. My papa used to throw the ball for me. Come to think about it, I don't know what happened to that ball. Maybe my papa can't play anymore. Playing ball is my second favorite thing to do, after riding in the car.

I'm taking a nap, dreaming about chasing the ball, when I hear the sound of a car coming up the road to my house. I wonder, who could it be? I jump up and stretch really tall. I see two ladies getting out of a van; they are talking to the girl and my papa. One of the ladies gives me a cookie, and I notice that she has more cookies in her hand. I'm being the best boy I can be. Everybody is smiling. I have a happy smile on my face, and my stubby tail will not stop wagging. I am a happy boy. I like the lady, but she leaves. I wish she would've stayed longer, because she seemed to like me. Maybe if she stayed, we could've played ball. It's been so long since anybody played with me. My family is telling me that she will be back tomorrow to take me home with her. I'm going to live in a family with two other dogs and even a cat! I've heard about cats, but they never come close enough for me to get to know.

I go to sleep in the shed, and dream about my new family. What will they be like? Will I be on a chain? Where will I sleep? I'm in the middle of a good snooze, when I awake to the sound of a car coming up the road to my papa's house. I come outside to see the lady that was here yesterday. The girl and papa are talking to her. She is holding a leather leash in her hand. Everybody is smiling and nodding, as the girl undoes my chain. The lady fastens the leash to my collar and walks me out to the car. Oh boy, it looks like I get to go for a ride with her. I am so excited about that! There's lots of room in back for me to lay down, as the seats are flatten out. The lady turns to me, telling me that I'm a good boy.

She says that we will be at my new home very soon. Off we go down the bumpy dirt road, followed by a rolling mass of dust billowing up behind us. I love riding in the car. It won't be long before we reach town, as we are on the freeway now and going a lot faster.

When we get to my new house, the lady gets out and opens the gate. She parks the car and lets me out. I sniff around the carport, smelling the other dogs' scents. I trot up onto the porch and see two dogs in a kennel. They are as anxious to meet me as I am to meet them. The one who catches my eye first is the little red dog, a Terrier/hound mix, with a white chest, sox, and a white tip on his tail....