I wanted to share a story I wrote about a model for two of our current shirts. She is one of countless rescue dogs that have found a little piece of heaven on earth.
It is no minor miracle that Bernese Mountain dog, Kuai, did not end up a statistic. She was born with water on the brain, and was prone to seizures when she was a puppy. In the worst case scenario, this condition can be fatal in some dogs, and many people would not have even given her the chance to survive or patiently offered her a quality of life. While her former owner, who lived in an apartment and could no longer give this sixty pound special needs dog a home, it was this decision that not only brought Kuai to the roomy, safe and encouraging atmosphere at PCDR, it opened the door for this happy girl’s destiny to unfold.
Cherie and Sal Massaro are no strangers to Bernese Mountain dogs, having loved and cared for three of them in the past, two with unique needs. One adult “Berner” they adopted had a biting history the couple was willing to take on and work with, and the other had hip dysplasia. Sadly, all three dogs passed away within a couple years of one another, the most recent in 2008, leaving not only grief in its wake, but a question as to whether or not the Massaro’s would consider adopting more Bernese Mountain dogs. Finding Kuai via the internet, that gorgeous face you can’t help but get lost in, was all they needed to finalize their shared desire to bring another Berner home with them.
Kuai had not experienced a single seizure during her time at PCDR. Though she played energetically on the Blue Dog Ranch yard, with her somewhat uneven, trademark gate, Kuai, soon to be renamed Kailei, could only have wished for the life journey she was about to embark on.
For as truly captivating as Kailei’s beauty is, colors melding all around her bright and curious round eyes, her sweetness rivals it on any given day. This quality was not lost on Cherie and Sal when they met her. They knew she would mesh well with their other trio of animals, Nic a Rottweiler, Kody an Australian Shepherd, Kari a rescued Scottish Fold cat, and a canary to complete the gang. With full knowledge of how Kailei’s leg would sometimes drag or slip when her rambunctious self would bound around and come to a full stop, and her propensity to maybe not be the most graceful girl in a room full of furniture, the Massaro’s have included Kailei into their lives and onto their ten acre fenced home environment in the country with open arms and hearts. Cherie and Sal paid great attention to creating a safe setting for Kailei that included putting down area rugs to impede potential slipping on their hardwood floors, and thought to place soft edging on furniture that had sharp corners to protect Kailei from injury. They even kept the very interested 120 pound Nic away from the new Berner in the fold long enough to make a smooth transition for all.
Cooler California mornings offer a great opportunity for Kailei to get some outdoor exercise with her canine mates and human counterparts. The intense heat of late has called for more time inside during the day with the benefits of air conditioning, toys to chew on and the other dogs to hang out with. Sometimes she alternates between gnawing on a toy and playfully wrapping her mouth around Kody’s head, but the two are bonded in an extraordinary way that has no doubt added to the richness of Kailei’s new life. Perks like a memory foam dog bed, and treats of chicken and cheese are other reasons Kailei is fortunate to have found the Masaro’s, who are committed to her comfort, safety and enduring joy.
Having special needs dogs myself, I understand when Cherie and Sal say that sharing their lives with a dog challenged in distinctive ways only intensifies the reciprocal love and inspires them to want more for her every day. Kailei’s love binds the family together, and reminds them what magnificent teachers dogs really are.
