As most of you know the Rescues are very near and dear to my heart; after all....there would be no Zee in M and Zee's and perhaps not even a Company at all had my Zander not been taken in by the Heart of America Newfoundland Club's Rescue Program.
This time I would like to introduce you to Tessie....a beautiful and very special Newfoundland that was rescued by some great people in the Newfoundland Club of New England...and who found her Forever Home with Alison (AJ ) Cole and her husband Jim of Pittsfield, MA...and also found a brand new "career" as a model.
Tessie's story had a very sad beginning....she had been bounced around from several homes...mostly, it was told, due to behavior problems. At one time, she was turned into a vet clinic and slated to be euthanized...but a tech saw her and not only that...saw a Newf that still had a chance...and called Newfoundland Club of New England to see if they could help Tessie become a "real Newfoundland".
AJ and Jim had been hoping to add another Newfoundland to their family; they already were proud parents of Owen....another Newfoundland rescued by NCNE...and they were assured that the Rescue would happily provide any advice and assistance necessary to help Tessie with her transition to a new life with a family.
Life with Tessie was not easy and she presented many challenges to AJ and Jim and their incumbent pets ( they are also loved by two Golden Retrievers- Simon and Corey and two Siamese kitties )....Tessie was VERY opinionated and was much in need not only of structure and consistency in her life...but also needed to know that she really could trust these people to LOVE her and do the right thing by her.
I likened Tessie to some human foster children...ones who had never known the comfort and security of a home and family...and to avoid the the fear of rejection and disappointment...they would act out so that when that rejection came...perhaps it would not hurt so badly...but it always does. In that respect dogs are no different from children....they behave as they have learned.
Tessie loved to fight and fight she did...and it seemed that poor Corey, the Golden with a progressive eye disorder that will eventually plunge him into total blindness...bore the brunt of Tessie's temper. There were times that AJ and Jim even considered sending Tessie back to NCNE Rescue...even though they knew in their hearts that this would have been the end of the line for this beautiful but testy girl Newfoundland. However, through a LOT of grit and determination....lots of structure and "time outs" in her crate, and most of all a LOT of the 3 P's ( Patience, Perseverance and PRAISE ) and LOVE....Tessie began to come around and soon became able to give back the unconditional love that was being bestowed on her.
Not that Tessie still isn't a challenge from time to time but in following Tessie's journey...I can tell you for fact that she is a totally different dog than the scared, defiant and unloved Newf she once was.....now Tessie is a REAL NEWFOUNDLAND !
AJ is very active in NCNE Working Dog events ( and is an NCNE Board Member ) and has put several titles so far on Owen ( a Companion Dog, Water Dog and multiple Rally titlist; is currently but one leg away from his Companion Dog Excellent title and ALSO registered with Therapy Dogs Inc and part of their READ program -- busy Newf at work here) and decided to try some Obedience and Rally training with Tessie. AJ knew the structured training as well as the socialization would be a definite benefit for Tessie whether they, as a team , eventually earned titles or not.
BUT....Tessie earned her Rally Novice title less than a year ago and during this time AJ realized that Tessie was not only intelligent but very photogenic and for those of you who are not aware of this...among AJ's many talents....she is a wonderful semi-professional photographer and with a gifted eye for candid and posed animal subjects.
AJ discovered that Tessie enjoyed being dressed up...and it didn't matter the color or style of the costume....she simply basked in the attention she got while letting AJ try different hats and scarves and other clothing articles on her. And thus began Tessie's modeling career....and it seems that THIS is now Tessie's little niche in life.....and this dog GLOWS as a model.
A sudden change in employment led AJ to consider some sort of home based business. She looked into publishing a line of photographs and note cards featuring Owen and Tessie and the idea came to market Tessie's very own Calendar .
Tessie was dressed in several costumes appropriate to each month and the final product is now getting ready for sales and distribution....and this is YOUR chance to own one of the very FIRST Tessie Calendars for 2008...and help support NCNE Rescue as well !
The Tessie Calendars are priced at $ 20.00 each....plus postage and handling....with 25% of sales donated to NCNE to help other Newfs like Tessie find a warm and safe home with families that will give them the same unconditional love that Tessie has been blessed with. This is a WIN-WIN-WIN thing for everyone.
For more information on the Tessie Calendars and to inquire on purchasing one or more for yourself or as gifts....please visit AJ's Blogger site:
http://valhallaswimmers.blogspot.com/
I already have two ordered ( to begin with ) and no doubt you, too, will want your own...and Tessie's glorious tail will wag for joy....just as it was meant to do all along !!!!
and one more thing....when I asked AJ to approve this in draft format, she told me that Tessie's name comes from the song by that same name and is one of the musical selections chosen for play during the Boston Red Sox baseball games.
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I am now going to invite other families of those very special "chosen" Newfs to allow them to earn their Spotlight in the M and Zee's blogspot.....They all deserve to be celebrated....the dogs, the people who love them and those Rescue people, who by their dedication and love, give these special dogs a chance to shine in a REAL home.....
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