Doobie

I am Doobie’s foster, and I really love this sweet young boy!  Doobie has brought so much fun and energy into my house. He just adores people, is super affectionate, and loves to be with me all the time.  He also has a very serious side, when he has a job to do.  More on that later.  You are probably also wondering how he got his unusual name, and I’ll explain that, too.  But first, you should know where Doobie came from.

You always hear about dogs in Houston being dumped out of cars and abandoned.  Well, Doobie is one of those dogs.  A truck pulled over, pushed a terrified young dog out on the side of the highway, and just drove off and left him.  A kind hearted man was a few car lengths back, and saw the whole thing happen.  He was so worried the dog would be hit before he could get to him.  When he pulled up, the dog was frozen in fear amidst the noise and the speed of the traffic. The man opened his car door, the dog took one look at him, and jumped right in.  That’s how Doobie’s life was saved.

The man turned out to be the kind of person who saves dogs all the time. He took  Doobie home and introduced him to his own pack of dogs and fosters.  He said Doobie immediately started playing with them “as if he was just one of the brothers.”  The man called him “Doobie,” as in The Doobie Brothers rock band.  Depending on your age, you will know exactly who The Doobie Brothers are!   Over time, he thought Doobie would be a great candidate for Greater Houston German Shepherd Dog Rescue.

We found that apart from being extremely underweight, Doobie was very healthy.  He got all his shots, was neutered and microchipped, and is on Heartworm and flea preventive.  I joke that he eats me out of house and home.  He gets fed twice a day, with yummy high protein “toppers” on his dog food to help him gain weight.  He also gets training treats in between.  When I first got him, I could clearly see his backbone, his hipbones, and count every rib.  Now he is is starting to fill out and put on weight.  He’s going to be a beautiful dog.

He sleeps quietly all night, where he can see me, on his own dog bed.  But Doobie likes to get up early, and he likes me to get up early, too. He doesn’t wake me up, but if I start moving around, or reach over to check my phone, he is beside me in a second, cheerfully ready to start the day together.

If you like to go for walks, Doobie is your guy.  He is very comfortable meeting all kinds of people, and loves other dogs.  He will walk calmly and happily by my side when encountering typical neighborhood helpers such as postal workers, landscapers, trash collectors, and even the famous UPS truck. He is always excited to meet other dogs, but is learning that we keep walking politely on by and let other dogs and their people enjoy their walks, too.  I have Doobie wear a hiking pack, and he happily carries water bottles, treats, poop bags, and anything else you might need. I even trust him to carry my keys, ID, and cell phone, because he has never tried to run off.  Instead, he stays right with me.  He seems to understand that he is helping me, and he walks proudly along, taking his job quite seriously.

I really feel that Doobie was a typical “back yard dog,” that lived outside, getting no attention or training, and that somebody tossed food to occasionally.  Now, he is absolutely thrilled to live in my house with my dog and me.  At first he was in awe of the fact that whenever I went inside, he got to go inside, too.  Inside my house was a whole new world of warmth, good food, fresh water, comfortable dog beds, and love. There are also these wonderful things called toys. I tried to get Doobie to play with them, but he wouldn’t touch them, as if he was afraid he’d get into trouble.  I don’t think he had ever even seen a toy.  Now he is so interested in toys, and has learned that these are things he can enjoy any time he wants to.

Doobie is super smart, and loves to learn. He is like a sponge, soaking up knowledge and training.  Now that he feels safe and loved, I’ve started training him with verbal commands and hand signals, which has been fun for both of us.  We are just at the beginning of his journey, and Doobie needs a special person to take him the rest of the way.  He needs someone who will make sure he gets lots of exercise, to use up that “young dog” energy.  Once that need for exercise is met, he will be so happy if you will spend time training him every day.  Doobie needs a home where someone will enjoy helping him develop his wonderful mind.

Doobie is a dog with a true Houston rescue story.  Now he is ready to start the part of his story that is yet to be. I tell him every day, “Sweet boy, you were not created to be abused or neglected or dumped out of a truck.  You were saved for a reason. There is somebody out there who wants and needs exactly what you have to give.”  I hope you are the person that would love to go with Doobie on the rest of this journey - together.