Click the link above for heartwarming stories of the OzKids, those that started their journey into freedom at The Oz Project. These stories are dedicated to the hardworking volunteers of Col. Potter Cairn Rescue Network. Without their love and dedication these little cairns would have never made their way into rescue, and to The Oz Project. There have been nearly seventy OzKids. I hope in the years to come there will be many more. I will be adding their stories as I complete them. So come back soon. Thanks for visiting.
The Oz Project's First Guests
After months of hard work and preparation we were finally ready for our first guests. I drove north across The Big Mac Bridge to Manistque. There I met a transport driver and helped her load two little cairn girls into my car. I could hardly wait to get back on the road with my very first charges. It took forever because as much as I wanted to get back on the road, she had already fallen in love with them and hated to let them go.
Melody Marie and Hedy were two little sisters. They were surrendered by a breeder. It was their lucky day when she decided she could no longer keep them. It was in fact the first day of the rest of their lives. Even though they were sisters they were nothing alike.
MELODY MARIE 11/19/06-12/03/06
Melody Marie was open and outgoing. She craved attention. Within minutes she was crawling all over me wanting to be held and petted. Who could resist? She was a beautiful petite little princess. She was cute just walking. Because she loved being the center of attention it wasn't long before she started sitting with her little feet in the air begging for more. In no time at all I trained her to dance. I would offer her a treat holding it a few inches above her head. Soon she was standing on her back feet. Once she could do that I started slowly circling the treat over her head. She quickly picked up turning to follow the treat. Now she was dancing! I now wondered, who in the world could ever resist her? Not me.
She was such a loving little girl. She loved nothing more than being held and giving kisses. One night I was sitting on the picnic table bench with my back against the table. I was holding her sister tightening her harness. All of a sudden I felt tiny little kisses on the back of my neck. I couldn't believe it. Melody Marie had climbed up on the bench on the other side of the table. Then she had walked across the table top just to kiss me. Of course I quickly put sissy down on the floor and grabbed Melody Marie. The last thing in the world I wanted was for her to fall. Not many dogs will work that hard to show appreciation or love. Melody Marie "Our Little Circus Dog" would!
HEDY 11/19/06-12/03/06
Hedy was afraid of people. She was a little shed dog. They would leave a shed door ajar allowing her to come and go as she pleased. She was left to roam the property and take care of herself. No one had ever called her to them and petted her. She had never been held. She was a little wild girl.
When we arrived at Oz I hooked a leash to her harness as I opened her crate door letting her out in the outdoor ex-pen. Thank goodness, I had the foresight to do that! The next hour and a half I spent catching glimpses of her out of the corner of my eye. All the while trying to side step onto her leash as she ran by me.
Later that same night as I was sitting holding her sister she cautiously put her little feet on my knee. Yet each time I looked in her direction she would run away. She was so frightened of her strange new surroundings, and me.
Hedy was incredibly brave. She trembled so violently that her whole body shook. Yet she wanted the new life being offered to her. She would timidly follow her sister over to me as long as I would sit on the floor or ground. Yet she couldn't take those last tiny steps to me. Soon she no longer ran from me but when I would approach her she would freeze allowing me to pick her up and carry her. I held and carried her often. Soon I knew that she had started to enjoy it. I could feel her snuggle against me.
Hedy took courage from her sister. I worried how Hedy would ever make it in this world without Melody. If Melody ever barked Hedy would run over and stand behind her and bark too.
Then one day magic happened. My husband Mark had come to Oz for the weekend to help. I had the two little girls in the outdoor kennel that morning when he came out of the cabin. They had never seen him before. Melody started barking. She was afraid of him. I could hear it in her bark. Hedy could too. Hedy made a big circle running right by Melody. She stopped behind me. There she stood peeking out from between my legs barking at him. For the first time she had not trusted her sister to protect her, but a person. For Hedy it was a huge step. It was then that I knew she was going to make it. She would be fine. Sure, Hedy still had fear and trust issues, but she was on her way to happily ever after.
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