Janiver Great Pyrenees Kiowa, OK

Janiver's Story
-Written by Janiver, a 3-year-old, 72lb male Great Pyrenees mix.
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I have always been a dreamer. I have always dreamed big but sadly most of the time my dreams are just that...dreams. Since I was just a puppy I had dreamed of a forever family. Someone to spend my life with. Things didn't work out with my last family though. Long story short I ended up on my own. I spent many days and many nights on my own. The nights were always the worse. I always had to be so on guard. I always cringed when I heard the coyotes howling in the background. Jumped up when I heard an owl hoot right above me. Quickly turned my head to the slightest of rustle in the leaves. It sometimes felt like all around me there was something out to get me. I would like to say the days for better, but not really. I was always looking for food and was always hungry. I could never seem to find enough water. I was always wandering around but I never had a destination or place in mind. I was truly just trying to survive.

As time went on, I started to get uncomfortable. My coat became entwined with hundreds of burrs. My white coat had turned to almost brown, it was so dirty. I had so many mats on me. My fur was even soft to the touch anymore. It was just coarse clumps of fur. Along with that, I was infested with fleas and ticks. I truly could no recognize the dog I was anymore. I had once been so happy and so carefree. Now I was guarded, dirty, being drained of life by parasites, skinny, and the light had seemed to leave my eyes some. I had all but given up when I found a place that I thought I could call home. There was a really nice guy and he was always so nice to me. He would feed me, and take care of me the best he could. However, he was not able to keep me forever. He tried though but one day there was a close call.

The guy did not have a fence and I would often roam around. One day, I got too close to the road and was almost hit. That changed everything. The guy had already tried to find a place for me but no one was stepping up. So, he loaded me up and drove me to tractor supply, and posted everywhere. He said that I was free and someone needed to come to get me because he could not keep me any longer. In the photo he took of me, I looked so defeated. I was so matted, my head was hung, and it looked like I had given up. I think I had. It wasn't his fault, he wasn't my owner and he was desperately trying to keep me from getting hit. But it was also so dangerous to be giving me away to just anyone, what could I do though? Like everything in my life, I had no say.

In the end though, things worked out. This rescue ended up seeing his post and reached out. They asked if the guy could help get me to them and he jumped right on it. He just wanted me to go somewhere safe and knew he could no longer keep me. So, he brought me to them. It was a harder goodbye than I thought it was. The guy gave me a hug and wished me the best. He wanted better for me, and this was my chance. Of course, I wasn't convinced. I didn't feel too good, I was hot, I was a bit hungry again, I kept having parasites crawling around on me, and I was just tired. I ended up getting the full work up at the vet, which included giving me some prevention to get rid of all those nasty parasites. During my neuter, they shaved all those nasty big mats on me. I still had a lot of burs in my fur but at least my dreadlocks were finally gone. I ended up testing positive for a tick bourne disease which aided in my feeling depressed, and got put on meds to help with that.

Shortly after I got all fixed up at the vet, I was off to my new foster home. I already had a little more pep in me then but still was nowhere that I should be. I was very unsure and still shut down when I made it to my foster home. I hadn't even wagged my tail once yet, this whole time that I had been in rescue. I tried to mostly keep to myself and slept. As time went on though and I started to feel better, things started to change. I started to take note of how happy everyone was. I started to realize that I was no longer hungry and no longer felt so down. I really started to perk up after my grooming appointment. Everyone there was so nice, and I felt like a brand new dog when I came out all white and bur free!

I went from being a depressed dog to someone who once again enjoys life! I am on the calmer and laid-back side, but do enjoy getting to be part of the family. I have no idea what toys are and show no interest in them. That also means that I do not know how to play fetch. I have also never had the chance to play in any water, so have no idea what to do with it. My foster has introduced walks to me, and I have to say I am quite the fan of them. I really like when she takes me to the park. I enjoy exploring everything and sniffing everything. So, I do believe that I would enjoy going hiking with my new family. As I mentioned, I am on the calmer side though so probably wouldn't be someone who would constantly enjoy long hikes. But every now and then sounds like fun!

Along with being a calmer dog, I am also on the quieter side. I have not shown to be a big barker in my foster home. I am potty trained but have no experience being kenneled. When my foster family is away, I am baby-gated in the bedroom and do well. At night, I love sleeping in one of the kiddos rooms. I am not a chewer and have not tried to get into anything that I shouldn't. I am a pretty chill guy so do believe that I would be a canidate for apartment living. I am good with other dogs but am often indifferent to them. I am good with cats and tend to pay them no mind. I am a big fan of attention so that means that I love people of all ages, including kids!

I try not to ask for much, mostly because I never really had anything in my past life. I am quiet, I am chill, I have good house manners, and I am just so thankful that the past is behind me. I am now cleaned up and gain a little more energy each day. I have even started to play with the other dogs in my foster home. Not a whole lot yet, but some. It is so amazing to me that I went from having nothing and to having just about given up, to what I have now.

I mentioned at the beginning of my bio that I had always been a dreamer. Do you know what my dream was? It was to feel like I belonged. That is all I ever wanted. To have someone that loves and a family that I don't ever have to worry about losing. And now, I am so close. I am so incredibly close to having that.

All someone has to do is fill out an adoption app for me at
https://www.pyrpawsandfluffytailsrescue.com/adoption-app

Once your app comes in, it will be sent on to my foster family. This is to help ensure that not only am I a good fit for you but that you are also a good fit for me! ? And then...then my dream will have fully come to life.

I am currently residing in Guthrie, OK. If you have fallen in love with me and are out of state, how about a road trip? I think it would be quite a memorable adventure and a great way to kick off our new life together.

My adoption fee is $250.
That will include my DHLPP, Rabies, and Bordetella. I will be micro-chipped, have a fecal done, be de-wormed, be spayed/neutered, and will be current on heart-worm and flea/tick prevention.

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EPILOGUE
-Below is an excerpt from Janiver's foster family.

"Janiver didn't feel very good when he came to our house. He certainly feels better now though. He absolutely loves attention. If you stop petting him, he will go find someone else to pet him. Yanni is not a demanding or high need guy. He is comfortable just hanging out with people. He will use the Pyr paw to let you know that he would like more attention. He is a sweetheart that hardly asks for anything, but is so incredibly thankful when you show him love."