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The dog who saved my life

9K views 95 replies 62 participants last post by  LouLatch 
#1 · (Edited)
Barney is my 4 year old English springer spaniel. I got him almost 4 years ago today at 6 months of age.

My life has changed so much because of him, everyone says they change because of their dog but he's changed me and in some ways saved my life.

When I was very young I was bullied, this bullying continued all though school. I was psychically bullied as well as mentally and sadly any friends I made they were also attacked. I became very anti social and upon getting a computer at the age of 12, I just never left home unless it was to go to school. The bullying also affected my school work as sometimes I was also bullied in class and sadly by the age of 15 I developed Panic attacks. Things did not good for me as by 17 I had very few friends and was just not comfortable being in groups of people, which I new would affect me if I ever hoped to get a job.

After many years of trying to convince my mum I wanted a dog and the advice of others, she finally let me have a dog. that dog was barney, he was nothing special just a 6 month old puppy who's owners were not able to keep him. He had very little training and had eye problems, I did not think a whole lot of him when he first appeared and even thought he was kind of ugly.

We were quickly friends and I found how much I loved teaching him things as he loved learning them. There was another side to him that came with benefits, being a dog people would stop and talk to me wanting to know about him and often talking just about him. The more people I met because of him they more my confidence grew, I even started taking him with me everywhere I went as him became my protector.

As our bond grew stronger he soon picked up my panic attacks and started to warn me about them. This helped me so much, sadly I still had to go to college without him but when I came home I was so happy to see him again. I would spend my days teaching him tricks and playing games with him. I later found out a trick I taught him would also protect me in the future.

I taught Barney to chase friends and neighbors who happily volunteered. I NEVER allowed him to bite although sometimes he would nip them it would never really hurt. One day I had a small group of youths shouting abusive and horrible things at me, one even hit me. Barney did NOT approve and he gave a small growl, the youth who hit me backed off. I told them to leave or the dog will attack them, they ran and barney chased after them and chased them off my street. Once they got off my street he came back as the happist dog in the world. Since then I have been left alone and I still get the occasional abuse from the other side of the street when he is not with me but now they just leave me alone.

I rarely have panic attacks now because of him, I have nothing to fear. I am also very confident now with people and still teach barney lots of tricks. I also met my fiancee because of him, as my fiancee loves springer spaniels. I have allot to owe him and despite various problems he's had and the high vets bills (he recently got a twisted stomach), I am still forever indebted to him and would be lost without him.

Here's a few videos of him;

YouTube - Chase
here he's chasing my friend on command.

YouTube - Quick Tricks
a video of him doing some quick tricks

YouTube - Barney's Home
and this is home after his twisted gut op

YouTube - Let's play fetch
Him playing fetch.













This dog has put up with my insanity and my aggression. Sadly he has become very very unwell and is allot of pain and no one is sure what is wrong right now but it's not looking good for him.

Thank you Barney for making me who I am.

edit;

Sadly after a trip to the vets it was found he had several lumps in his gut and stomach which have been believed to be tumors and his gut had re-twisted. It was decided that it would be fairer on Barney to place him to sleep then go through the trauma any longer.

R.I.P Barney
 
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#12 ·
Sadly after a trip to the vets it was found he had several lumps in his gut and stomach which have been belived to be tumours and his gut had re-twisted. It was decided that it would be fairer on Barney to place him to sleep then go through the trauma any longer.

R.I.P Barney
 
#26 ·
So very sorry to hear of your loss,:(
It must be very hard for you to come to terms with something as traumatic as this , my thoughts are with you , and your wonderfull Barney . (((hugs))) xxx

Run Free Barney .xxx
 
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