The Love That Founded Rocky Mountain Leos

*Written January 8, 2021

The heart knows.

11 weeks ago I saw an urgent need for a foster. The photo of this soul grabbed my heart and the piece of information given hurt it. She was pregnant and she needed a safe place to have her babies. They called her Kobe.

I asked about her and was told she was a big girl with a gentle spirit. She was surrendered in New Mexico by her people, and they said she was a Great Pyrenees. She was placed on a 72 hour euthanasia hold. The rescue grabbed her off that list and transported her to Colorado to get her ready for a new life.

When the rescue went to spay her they found she was pregnant with 10-12 little ones, so they started looking for a place for her to deliver. That is where my family and I came in 

Such a grateful girl!

The shelter director brought Lennon to me and she moved so slowly. You could tell she was close to her due date, but she was still the perfect dog. She was polite and patient, she knew basic obedience and she was potty trained. She was the best dog from day 1, and my husband and I just couldn't figure out how she ended up in the situation she was in, but we were really happy we were able to step in and help her.

Kobe didn't seem to fit her precious and soulful personality, and when I saw her face she made me think of the song Imagine by John Lennon. Kobe turned into the precious Lennon.

Lennon was such a big girl that our biggest kennel was too small for her babies, so my husband built her a whelping box and she just thought she may explode with happiness. 

Lennon's first days settling with us were full of smiles and love. She was such a content and precious girl. We knew pretty immediately she was meant to be with us forever, but first, we had a job to do.

LABOR!!!

One morning Lennon's smiles were very hard to come by, which tipped me off that things were getting going. 

She was so cute putting up with my maternity massages, ambient lighting and binaural beats. Sometimes I would look at her and she would just be staring back at me. You couldn't help but become obsessed with her sweetness.

Labor was not kind to her though. It ticked on for THREE DAYS, and she was exhausted. She was an absolute star through every moment of it though!

All she required was reassurance and she was fabulous!

PUPPIES!!!!

FINALLY! right before the start of the 4th day Lennon begins to push! Our first baby is here shortly after, and Lennon lets us know she was an experienced mama. She cleans her baby beautifully, but she is nervous about letting her near her.

Quickly after that baby number 2 is born, but this baby is born to heaven. 

Lennon gets a break from contractions, but as they start to pick back up, her demeanor and her eyes change. I cant think of another word to use, but my sweet girl turned neurotic, and she tried to attack everyone trying to help her. 

We gave her space and she delivered the rest of her 11 puppies all by herself. She did such a spectacular job and she was such an amazing mommy. I was so sad she was afraid to let us help her, but I was so proud of her that I thought my heart may burst.

After her delivery her neurotic look and demeanor did not change. She was afraid to leave her babies. After narrowly escaping a bite from her, we were able to access her and she was a terrifying sight.

Her pregnancy hid an emaciated and weak body. For days after her delivery, her aggression continued and she seemed so so sore. 

I took her to the doctor.

In the middle of all of this, we also had a failure to thrive puppy we were desperately trying to bring around. Unfortunately we were unable to save him. I promised mama Len she would see him again, but for now, I needed her to feel better in her body.

Diagnosis.

At her doctors appointment an x-ray series called an OFA was performed, and Lennon was diagnosed with the worst scoring of hip dysplasia that there is. She was living in chronic debilitating pain. She had atrophy in her hind end muscles, and she had compensation injuries in her front legs. 

Her aggression was related to pain. They put her on medicine, and she came home to care for her babies like the wonderful mama she was. We were given a plan for when the babies were weaned to fully address her hip dysplasia, and things were really good for her for about 3 weeks. 

Our first hurdle and a surgery.

Puppy mobility caused a very bad trip for Lennon one day. She was hurt, and she was hurt bad. 

She dug a hole on the side of my house and she laid it it for days and days. She stopped caring for her babies and herself. She stopped eating. 

We needed surgery for her or she was going to let the pain consume her!

When her babies were 5 weeks old Lennon underwent her first of 2 planned, extensive hip surgeries, and she did absolutely phenomenal! By the end of the first week, I was seriously questioning if she even had surgery. She was doing beautifully!!!

A crash.

Lennon's body was still weak from her previous life. It is suspected she was used by her people for back yard breeding, and it was clear her nutrition and care were very poor in her previous life. This made slips common for Lennon during healing.

One slip took her out. She shut down. Stopped eating, stopped drinking, stopped doing anything. 

I took her to the doctor and was given an overhaul on her pain medicine. 

Things continued to decline, so we added endless stomach meds, an appetite stimulant and high calorie rx doggy baby food. 

She responded!!!!!

Good times!

Lennon started to see a good life after we got her through her pain. She started playing. Her smile came back. She was going to be ok, and all the fight and worry was ending. She had a life she deserved ahead and we could NOT wait for clearance to adopt such a special soul.

It was not meant to be. 

Lennon was doing amazing. She had seen the light, and was doing so beautiful in her healing. 

She had a very hard fall a couple mornings ago though. She fell forward, which was new. She got to her bed ok, but she didn't get up for 3 hours, so I went to her to take her outside to potty. 

Her walking was very painful and slow, and she seemed to be limping. 

She fell a second time, and this time she could not get up. My neighbor had to help me carry her in. 

A trip to the vet told us Lennon had most likely ruptured a disc in her neck. She failed her neurological testing in all four of her legs. 

She was given a shot to try and turn around again, but it was not meant to be. Her pain was too incredible. 

We got one more special night with our girl.

Good Bye..... for now

We made Lennon bacon and eggs the next morning. She got to bark at some antelope in our backyard, and she spent all morning being loved on.

She was in so much pain though, and I could not allow anymore suffering for her. 

Yesterday, at 112pm, while listening to Imagine, being reminded of being reunited with Sergeant, and being told "when you bloom again, you will be the prettiest flower in the garden" Lennon fell asleep in comfort and peace forever, in my arms and my daughters lap.

She is free now, and we are so thankful we got to love her forever, even if it hurts like hell right now. 

You will always be loved Lennon Jane!