From dumped dog to disc dog – Air Barley!

Tomorrow is our birthdays, so I’m telling the story of me and my mom. It’s magic!

When I was just 5 weeks old and still nursing, I was pullled from my life and dumped out in a box. I was bottle fed at a wonderful rescue, and when I was 12 weeks old I met my mom.
She had moved here to take care of her mom, who got Leukemia after her dad died of Parkinson’s’s disease.

She was far from home and knew no one here, so she volunteered with a dog rescue while her mom was getting chemo or sleeping. It was a refuge for her and she met lots of great dogs and made some good friends.

Then only 7 months after moving here her mom died. It was a sad dark time for my mom, living alone in her parent’s home that was so recently filled with family and love. The day after her mom’s funeral she got a call from her rescue asking for help bathing the dogs for the weekly adoption event at the local Petco. And that’s when she met me!
I was 12 weeks old then, and she gave me a wonderful bath and then I met her again the next day at Petco! And i sat on her lap the whole day and didn’t move. And you know what? She and I knew that day that we were meant to be together – and I went home with her that same afternoon. We’re pretty sure her dad sent me to her to make her smile again, especially when we learned we have the same birthday.

We started taking classes together and we both learned REALLY fast! I got my CGC at 11 months and then my therapy dog certification just 6 months later. And the whole time we played frisbee together. She’s a pretty good thrower and I’m the best catcher!

I’ll be 4 years old tomorrow (I can’t tell you how old my mom will be) and we have the most wonderful life together! We go Children’s Hospital every week, and I sit on beds and give kisses and hugs to lots of sick kids. I make them forget for a little while. They really love me.
And I go to the Boys & Girls Club on Mondays and the kids read to me and rub my belly. I’m a good listener and I really love kids!

And we play frisbee almost every day – it’s my absolute favorite thing! And we’re getting good – I have a few ribbons and plaques, even if I’m a stocky Cattle Dog instead of a sleek Border Collie!

So I’ve learned never to give up – the person who loves you may be the next person you meet. And my mom has learned that a little red spotted puppy can heal your heart and rescue you.