Best Friends’ members know her as “Sweetums,” one of 173 dogs rescued in May 2007 from a Nebraska puppy mill.
And for Gail DeMarco, “Sweetums,” now called “Tweedle,” was the best birthday present ever.
Sweetums was one of 10 of the most unsocialized and traumatized dogs Best Friends brought to the sanctuary in southern Utah for the extra special care they needed.
Gail, a teacher who lives in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, just outside of Philadelphia with her teacher husband, Ron, first saw the little long-haired Chihuahua online while doing one of her routine “dog rescue surfs.” The DeMarcos just knew Sweetums was the dog for them and contacted Best Friends.
“She had this needy look on her face which meant that I could never love her, cuddle her or kiss her too much,” Gail says.
Sweetums arrived at the airport Sept. 6, 2007, escorted by Kristi Littrell, who works in adoptions at Best Friends and had been fostering Sweetums.
“It was so exciting riding to the airport that night — my actual birthday,” Gail says. “What a wonderful gift!”
Sweetums still had some emotional healing to do. Before coming to Best Friends, she’d spent her entire life in a small, wire cage in a commercial breeding operation with little, if any, human contact. But the DeMarcos, who have three other rescue dogs, had plenty of love to go around.
They changed Sweetums’ name to Tweedle a week after bringing her home.
“She was very nervous, constantly tweedling around,” Gail says.
Tweedle seemed to be afraid of everything.
“She was terrified when we first got her,” Ron says. “She hid underneath the bed. We worked with her as much as we could.”
Gail and Ron coaxed Tweedle out from underneath the bed with treats, but she would quickly take refuge there again. But gradually, Tweedle started to come a little bit more out of her shell. Gail placed a small basket of soft blankets in one of their bathrooms which soon became Tweedle’s new cozy spot.
And when Gail and Ron’s daughter, Lindsay, came home from college to visit, there was a real breakthrough.
“When she’s home, Tweedle not only climbs in bed with her in the mornings, but paws her until she lifts the covers and lets Tweedle crawl under,” Gail says.
Tweedle will probably never be a social butterfly, but today, she is comfortable with both the human and furry members of the DeMarco family.
“In the mornings, she frisks around in the living room and plays, just like a dog, with [one of] our [other dogs] Opal,” Gail says. “Sometimes Opal is the boss and sometimes Tweedle is the boss. Tweedle also now comes to wherever I am when I call her, looking for food. She will walk to me and take the food from my hand.”
Tweedle’s new favorite cozy spot is in bed with Gail, Ron and their other three dogs.
Tweedle continues to come out of her shell, one baby step at a time. “Last month, I decided that Tweedle had to expand her horizons, so I took her for a walk,” Gail says. “Or rather, I walked down the block holding her. I was a little concerned that she would lose control due to fear, but lo and behold, she fit quite nicely into my jacket.
Tweedle might be shy, but she’s also curious.
“She had to stick her nose out to see where we were,” Gail says.
Today, Tweedle not only enjoys going outside in the backyard, but she’s become something of a watchdog.
“She runs right up to the fence and barks her little head off,” Gail says. “She runs back and forth in the yard protecting her home.”
Both Gail and Ron say adopting rescue dogs is a wonderfully rewarding experience.
“The puppy mill dogs take a little extra work, but once you get past the quirks, you’ll have a family member who’s even more affectionate,” Ron says. “They know they’re in a place where they’re loved and cared for. Our dogs are part of our family. Every dog we get here is a birthday gift.”
Puppies Aren’t Products is one of four Best Friends’ campaigns aimed at reaching the goal of No More Homeless Pets. Read more about the campaign and about what you can do to help.
Written by Sandy Miller
Photos by Best Friends staff
As part of Best Friends’ 25th anniversary in 2009, our goal is to double our membership, so we can double our efforts to bring about a time when all companion animals have a forever home. What can you do to help? Give the Gift of a Best Friends membership to family and friends.
