Callie, Callie C., Stinky, Callie Underfoot

Callie came to me by way of Tulsa Boxer Rescue in November, 2007.  She had been found abandoned and living under a porch with a litter of pups that, sadly, did not survive.  I found her online, while looking specifically for another deaf dog to take the place of my first one, an American Eskimo named Kalli that I had lost a few months earlier.  Most people aren't willing to adopt a deaf dog and Callie had spent nine months with a foster family before I brought her home with me.

If I had to pick one word to describe Callie it would be "devoted".  She adored me from the beginning and stuck with me wherever I went, watching me with those huge brown eyes.  If I left the room while she was napping, she'd run around the house in a near panic to find me again when she woke.  She was extremely protective of my house and my car, warning would-be intruders away with her deep, booming boxer voice.  As ferocious as she could look and sound, I can only recall two times in which she acted with aggression:  Once, she snapped at an over-eager neighbor boy who got in her face.  The second time was with a strange dog who attacked her "sister", my Welsh Corgi.

Callie had a heartworm infestation when I adopted her and health problems plagued her for the entire time she lived with me.  There were three instances of an ulcerated cornea and recurring problems with her teeth & gums.  I nearly lost her to an immune system condition that left her severely anemic and required an emergency blood transfusion.  Then, there was a plethora of tumors including a notable one that grew to the size of a handball, seemingly overnight.  Yet, in spite of her health conditions, Callie was always a happy dog.

I kissed Callie goodbye for the last time on March 5, 2015.  Sleep well, Stinky.

This beautiful tribute to Callie was drawn by  Sepia.
Please fave the original in her gallery here: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/21920431/