"Every dog has a story to tell, and since they cannot speak for themselves, we must do so for them."
Buddha was born on 11-5-07 and when the economy crashed in 2008 his family lost their home, as did so many others. His stewards placed Buddha in the Milwaukee County Humane Society, thinking he would find a new family to care for him. Someone there concluded that Buddha was “aggressive”, and he was scheduled for euthanasia. His family took him back and surrendered him to The Labrador Connection. That was his first brush with death.
Buddha lived with his foster family for six months. We first saw him in a parade of foster dogs at a vet clinic. It was love at first sight and we filed an online adoption request upon returning home. We adopted Buddha on 5-20-09.
Buddha lived with his foster family for six months. We first saw him in a parade of foster dogs at a vet clinic. It was love at first sight and we filed an online adoption request upon returning home. We adopted Buddha on 5-20-09.
He accompanied me to my work at a dog daycare, where he met about 200 dogs in five years. One afternoon Buddha was struck by a car on the highway, at the end of our driveway. He limped back to the house on three legs, his broken leg dangling. My experience as an Emergency Medical Technician and preparation of having a first aid kit enabled me to save his life. I treated him for shock, splinted his compound fracture and we rushed him to an emergency hospital for surgery. His blood pressure was nearly below measurement, and it took 24 hours to stabilize his condition before surgery could be attempted. That was his second brush with death.
His recovery was slow and the surgeon expected arthritis to set in within five years. Buddha recovered fully, and he never developed arthritis. We adopted another Lab, Gandhi, from the same foster family. Buddha and Gandhi were instant playmates. The three of us continued going to the dog daycare and in 2011 I began teaching group training classes. Buddha and Gandhi assisted me as demonstration dogs.
In 2012 I formed Happy Buddha Dog Training, offering in-home training and behavior services. Buddha and Gandhi continued helping me with leash-reactive dogs.
They also became registered Pet Partners therapy dogs and we began visiting pre-schools, grade schools, the Dane County Humane Society bite-prevention classes, correctional facilities, colleges and nursing homes. They were calm and friendly in any environment, providing comfort to countless people.
His recovery was slow and the surgeon expected arthritis to set in within five years. Buddha recovered fully, and he never developed arthritis. We adopted another Lab, Gandhi, from the same foster family. Buddha and Gandhi were instant playmates. The three of us continued going to the dog daycare and in 2011 I began teaching group training classes. Buddha and Gandhi assisted me as demonstration dogs.
In 2012 I formed Happy Buddha Dog Training, offering in-home training and behavior services. Buddha and Gandhi continued helping me with leash-reactive dogs.
They also became registered Pet Partners therapy dogs and we began visiting pre-schools, grade schools, the Dane County Humane Society bite-prevention classes, correctional facilities, colleges and nursing homes. They were calm and friendly in any environment, providing comfort to countless people.
Years later a solar system was installed on the roof of our horse barn. While a work crew did their job, I cleaned water buckets. I heard a barn door slam, looked up and saw Gandhi leading Buddha in a chase game on a trail, heading toward the highway. I ran to the highway, arriving in time to see Gandhi running across the roadway as a semi-tractor pulling a trailer approached from the south, followed by two cars. Another car was approaching from the north and Gandhi was in a crossfire. Buddha was at the edge of the driveway by our mailbox, about to follow Gandhi.
That was precisely where he had been struck by a car shortly after adoption. I expected to see a multi-vehicle crash and the violent death of my beloved dogs. It was a worst-case-scenario nightmare but my 30 years of experience in law enforcement dealing with emergencies helped me act decisively.
At a distance of 200 feet I managed to get Buddha’s attention while the truck driver sounded his air horn. The excellent training that I invested in Buddha paid dividends when he responded to my hand cues to sit and stay, until I reached him and attached a leash. The training saved his life in yet a third brush with death. Gandhi was equally lucky running back to me before I could cue him to stay.
Years passed, Buddha and Gandhi’s chins turned gray, and Buddha’s hearing faded away. I retired Buddha from Pet Partners service after six years and we enjoyed a very close relationship playing, walking the trails and snuggling in the house.
In the 11 and one-half years that I lived with Buddha, he never displayed aggressive behavior. Had he been euthanized due to an invalid assessment in his youth, hundreds of dogs and people would never have enjoyed the benefits of knowing him, and I would not have founded Happy Buddha Dog Training, or helped the 1,000 dogs I served in a decade.
The morning of October 17, 2020 began like any other, with a walk to the barn. As I began my cleaning chores Gandhi walked the fence line of the paddocks in his customary gopher patrol, while Buddha rested on the floor of the aisle, watching me. We always took a trail walk at the conclusion of my chores, but Buddha declined on that day, for the first time.
The morning of October 17, 2020 began like any other, with a walk to the barn. As I began my cleaning chores Gandhi walked the fence line of the paddocks in his customary gopher patrol, while Buddha rested on the floor of the aisle, watching me. We always took a trail walk at the conclusion of my chores, but Buddha declined on that day, for the first time.
When we returned to the house Buddha went straight to a bed and remained there all day, which was unusual. By supper time he got up, walked toward the garage and collapsed. At 7:30 PM he gazed into my eyes for the last time as I held him in the euthanasia room of the emergency hospital. He died 19 days shy of his 13th birthday. Gandhi died 14 months later, also just shy of his 13th birthday. I could not save either of them from the cancers that took their lives.
The legacy of Buddha and Gandhi live on as I continue helping pets and their people, thanks to the inspiration of a black Labrador named Buddha, and his best friend, a black Labrador named Gandhi. Their spirit of kindness and joy live on and remind me to always consider empathy, compassion and the welfare of a pet at the forefront in my work.
Happy Buddha!
