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Tashi Deleh (after Cali died, 6/07, Tashi began to turn more blonde like her. The Vet & I are stunned as there’s no change in his food nor environment and his health is fine. Maybe he simply invited her spirit in with him. ???)
My story is like many rescued animals, who have been abused. I was raised in a home in Northern California with a lady, a man and my own father. My father bullied me and liked to bite a lot. The lady human screamed and hollered at me, which made me shiver, run, and hide. She also hit me a lot with a newspaper, a broom, a fly swatter or anything else that was handy. The man human was so physically abusive to me that I was scared to death of men. My name was “Bashful”. I was shy, nervous, timid and bashful, but that was because my daddy and the humans were cruel to me and always abusing me.
The humans that owned me decided that all four of us were going to move to San Diego. After they purchased our condo they realized that they could only have one dog. So in the beginning of February of 2004, I was the one who was relinquished for adoption to a rescue group. Cassandra said if they were good dog owners they would have told the realtor right at the beginning they had two dogs and not to show them anything that wouldn’t accept both of us. But they didn’t. The lady who runs the rescue group, Janice, is a friend of Cassandra’s. This is the group that Cassandra works with when she fosters dogs.
Cassandra’s dog, Calidad (Cali), had been very sick. She was hospitalized on December 1, 2003 and diagnosed with both Pancreatitis and Diabetes. She almost died, but with a great vet, Dr. Sara Ford, at Veterinarian Centers of America (VCA) Cali was saved and sent home December 11, 2003. However, she required a lot of care, special diet and medicine around the clock. Her Diabetes’ glucose levels are still not completely stable and she is on special diets.
The night of February 9, 2004 Cassandra had a bad dream. She dreamt that she was walking down a path, carrying Cali, when they came to a crossroads. She was told that if she went one direction Cali would die, but if she went the other direction a younger dog would help Cali on her path. She woke up crying and in cold sweats. The next day she called Janice, her friend that runs San Diego Special Needs Rescue, and told her about her dream. Janice immediately told her about how I had been relinquished the day before and how I had been bullied by my father (Of course the people didn’t tell Janice they also abused me). So, though Cassandra had her hands full with Cali’s medical schedule, she and Cali came to Janice’s home to meet me. Cali and I took to each other instantly and though I was “Bashful” around people I took to Cassandra immediately, also. I went home with them on a trial basis to help with Cali.
Cassandra has many visitors and clients come and soon she realized that I was petrified of the males and apprehensive of the females. It did not take much time for her to realize that not only was I bullied by my own father, but I had been very physically abused by the woman and especially by the man in the house. Cassandra also realized the woman had screamed, hollered and hit me because when Cassandra firmly said no to me I get scared and ran. She followed me and could tell by my cowering I thought she was going to hit me, but instead she picked me up and held me, but I still just shook. It made Cassandra very sad. I am really glad to be away from that man, woman and my own father because here, with Cali and Cassandra, there is no screaming and hollering, and I’m not bullied nor physically abused. Cassandra keeps saying “You are safe”. Now I’m learning what that means and she is right….I am safe……finally and really happy.
After a very short time Cassandra, Cali and I all fell in love with each other and I was adopted. It took awhile to get together with Janice, but on March 10, 2004 Cassandra signed the adoption papers and as it turns out my birthday is the day after Cali’s. She is April 23, 1992 and I am April 24, 2000 (I am 8 years and 1 day younger than Cali). When Janice told Cassandra my birth date and Cassandra told Janice it was the day after Cali’s birthday both women stood there with goosebumps running up and down their bodies. Don’t know why they were so surprised. I was to get close to Cali and help her; so what better closeness? And we look quite a bit alike; except I am more white and cream, while Cali is blonde and white. (See our photos together below.)
That night Cassandra was meditating and called on her sister, Michelle, who passed away April 11, 2003, and whose birthday was the day after Cassandra’s (October 7th and October 8th). She asked Michelle if she had anything to do with the circumstances of me being the dog Cassandra adopted and she heard Michelle giggle. She told her Michelle ‘even on the other side you are still feisty” and they both laughed.
So here I am with Cassandra and Cali. I have helped Cali take her medicines better by standing in front of her when she has to have them. When she is not feeling well I lay down beside her and comfort her by cleaning her or just cuddling with her. Since I have been here Cali has improved a lot. The Pancreatitis is much better and the Diabetes’ glucose is getting more under control. I am so happy that I can help. Cassandra says that I am Cali’s good luck….so she changed my name from Bashful to Tashi Deleh, which means ‘good luck’ in Tibetan. Everyone calls me Tashi and I like it so much that it only took me a day to adapt to it.
As far as my personality, Cassandra says I have 2 of my past lives mixed into this one. I love to rub up against her like a cat and bat things like a cat when I am playing. Also, when I tinkle I stretch both my back legs out like a horse. I do love to cuddle; especially on the magnet bed where I sleep. (Cali used to share her magnet bed with me, but now I have my own; right next to hers and we can still cuddle together next to Cassandra’s bed.)
Cassandra says I am silly and I guess I have to agree with her. Someone has to be the family clown, don’t they? I love to chase my tail, but wouldn’t know what I would do if I caught it. And I know there is a third dog here because I see him all the time in the office (it has mirrored closet doors). I bark at him, but he barks at the same time and he does everything I do. Even when I lay down so does he. I just don’t understand why he is only in the office and never the rest of the house. Cassandra just laughs at me when I try to confront that dog. She says maybe someday I will get a clue……whatever that means.
I’ve assisted Tashi to get over his fear of men and reluctance of women by putting a container or treats outside my door. Any time anyone comes in they bring a treat. If he is shaking I have them gently toss the treat in front of him on the floor and we leave the room. He is shaking far less and letting people get closer. But there is another person, who has helped him even more so. Read on.
April 12, 2006: I have been with Cali and Cassandra for a little over 2 years now and I am far less nervous and fearful. I have no issues with other dogs or women because of Cali and Cassandra. And today I made Cassandra get tears in her eyes. You see there is a man, who is a neighbor. Every other weekend his 3 children (1 daughter and 2 sons) come visit him. Over time he has been very kind to me and his sons, also. They have helped me not be afraid of men any more. Well, today one of the new neighbors, who I had never met or seen, was walking to his car and I ran over to greet this stranger. Cassandra stood there and got tears in her eyes. She couldn’t believe my fear of men was so resolved that I went up to a stranger. When Todd, the neighbor who helped me get past my fear, came home Cassandra told him what had happened and thanked him so much for assisting me. She said “I could have never gotten Tashi past his fear of men because I’m a female. And thanks to you and your boys his fear is completely gone”. She had also baked him and his children a dozen apple dumplings as a gift of gratitude. The only thing I didn’t understand was why I didn’t get an apple dumpling…..I’m the one who was scared of men, but I did get some more new toys; so I guess that’s enough.
June 17, 2007: One week ago today, on June 10th @ 11:01am, my Cali died in Cassandra’s arms with me laying next to her. I was so sad that I laid my head across her neck, whimpered and cried real tears…I had never done that before, but I really didn’t want her to die because she was my mommy. And being sad I haven’t eaten since she died and I just kept crying. Cassandra let’s me sleep on the bed with her, which makes me feel safer and less sad, but I’m still having nightmares. When the nightmares come it wakes Cassandra up and she just holds me and tells me I am safe and everything is going to be alright. Cali was a mom to me and taught me a lot about being a dog, which I had never learned. I miss her so much and will always remember her because I love her. My human, Cassandra, keeps telling me everything will be alright, but now I just feel sad. I wish Cali was still here to take care of me.
Tashi and I are doing much better now, but we are still very sad about Cali. Everyday Tashi and I take long walks around the lake that we couldn’t do before because Cali couldn’t walk the distance. I didn’t want to carry her because it would have been uncomfortable for both of us nor did I want to leave her home for long periods of time. And though we still miss her and cry sometimes because of it we know that we will be alright and that she is looking over us; helping us get through our grieving.
November 13, 2008: Today we adopted a female Shih Tzu, Sasé Chienne, who is now a welcome member of our family. She is just so funny and a bit nuts; so fits right in with Tashi and I. Take a peek at Sasé
August 8, 2010: I shocked Cassandra today. She heard some noise so came out of her office to find out what it was. Sasé had just convinced me to play by following her lead. She and I were playing like a couple of puppies and it was fun. I tried to do this with my own father when I was a puppy, but he couldn’t be bothered and would snap at me or bit me. Cali couldn’t teach me because she was old, but Sasé has taught me and now I’m feeling younger than 10 yrs old. I missed all those years of not learning sooner, but glad I finally learned. This is so much fun. We zoom around the house chasing each other. Cassandra laughs and cries to see what she calls “a full fledged dog with all the perks”. Of course I almost tripped a few times. She just needs to stay out of my way and she’s learning. Did I say that? OOPS!!
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TASHI (when he was all white) |
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Cassandra, Sasé & I send you love.
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