My BEST Activerain Success Story---He had me at Hello!
I have read-and been a participant in some of the VERY BEST success stories all because of Activerain. It has taken my business and many of yours to a new level. We blog because we love it, we find treasured friendships in the rain and have people reading us from all over. We get work-and lots of it.
Still, nothing has affected me more then this. A post I was undecided about putting up just before Christmas because it was anything BUT cheery. The amazing people who came on to lend support with the nicest comments anyone could ask for that helped during a very difficult time. And after.
For those of you who missed it: It Seems Like Only Yesterday--
One very special person contacted me not long after the post was up, our own Gayle Balaban Gayle Balaban/E. Tn Waterfront Real Estate . She is involved with Poodle Rescue and Gayle worked very hard to get me a rescue dog for my mother (who is still heartbroken, I watch her deteriorate a little bit more every day).
Gayle contacted probably EVERY person she knows (and she seems to know them ALL) to help. Hours of her time that I'm sure she didn't have to spare. But we were hitting a blank wall---for most places my mother was deemed "too old" to adopt a dog. In spite of the fact that I am about 10 minutes from her house and over there (often with my OWN dogs to play) 4 or 5 times a week.
Standards are rigorous and I do understand that. I have heard some of the horror stories of pets that have been put to adoption. Gayle had so much trust and confidence in us, she even offered my mother one of HER dogs. God bless you, Gayle!
I thought it over and believed my mother would want a poodle. I went to every shelter or called on Long Island and New York City looking for a small breed who was house-trained. And came up with nothing.
We've ALL heard those stories about breeders and puppy mills. I went back to a breeder I had used a few years ago for my own dog who I know is trustworthy. There were puppies available, lots of them in fact and we went to see them ALL. None were house trained as they claimed.
My mother has trained every single dog we have EVER had-and done it well. This time I felt it would be too difficult for her. I put one ad up on a site I found and quit looking---it was time to Let it Go.
Several weeks went by and I got an email from a breeder on Long Island. She had a dog, she said, she was going to keep but just had too many dogs-as much as she loved it, she was letting it go. She SCREENS HER BUYERS and I was very worried about my mother's age being a problem. Although I spoke to her, she seemed unsure.
I went on to Activerain and sent her that blog in the hopes she would see my mother is capable and loving. She called me to set up an appointment and I didn't even ASK the price of the dog---after seeing SO many I figured it somehow wouldn't be a "fit" for my mom.
I was WRONG. He was in the kitchen and very shy when Laura and I arrived. Within about 10 minutes he was coming to us and crawling up in our laps to be held. He was a sweetheart, fully trained and I could tell the Breeder loved him very much
Surprisingly, she asked me almost no questions about my mom's ability to care for the dog. He captured both Laura and my heart on site. I have LONG believed that you don't choose your pet, in one way or another YOUR PET CHOOSES YOU!
I said I would love to take him before asking the price-how stupid of me. She could see our faces and KNEW we loved that little dog. So the question had to come up-how much is he?
She looked at me. "I normally charge between $600 to $900 for my dogs." However, when I read what you wrote and saw your mother I had decided if you loved my dog, I would give him to you-FREE. "I can see that you do-so he's yours if you want him."
Laura and I were both too stunned to speak. She had looked further into me from that post and read others. She could tell we loved this precious little guy. My mother will be getting Pierre on Sunday. While Laura and I will be picking him up, Adam will keep my mother busy.
He will NOT by any means "replace" her other love. We ALL have so much love in us I know there will soon be a very special place in my mother's heart for her new companion.
Oh, please meet Pierre.
And ActiveRain and it's members: THIS WOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED WITHOUT YOU!
http://www.FengShuiLI.com
*Carole Provenzale has been a Certified Feng Shui Consultant since 1997 and is the Founder of Feng Shui Long Island providing Feng Shui Consultations for all of New York City and Long Island and Online/Phone Consultations for those at a distance for homes, offices, businesses, corporations, renovations, and new construction.
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This is a beautiful story. You are making me change my mind about breeders. I have a feeling it will be love at first sight.