It was a beautiful day in June of 2006.  Our mission was to drive 1-1/-2 hours south of Chicago to pick up a 3-1/2 year old Airedale Terrier (from Kentucky) that was on her third transportation leg to her “forever” home – the Spencer household.  The minute she jumped out of the transport van, she began wiggling that tail with excitement – we were then introduced to …Miss Daisy.  My husband’s first words were, “She’s beautiful and she’s ours.”  I knew she could be a handful, when as we pulled out of the rest stop to make the journey home, she pulled my straw out of my Starbuck’s drink and then proceeded to open the lid and grab some ice! I knew we had a very smart Airedale on our hands!  Ha Ha!

At first, I wondered if she could even bark, she was so quiet, but I remembered my rescue coordinator, Joan, telling me that sometimes it takes 2-3 weeks before you see the dog’s personality come out.  Well, when she did let out a bark, then I knew she felt at home, and she continued to bark out orders ever since.  She was a very smart girl, she knew her commands and she even would go in the down position around children—she loved meeting up with the neighbor kids on our walks.  When she’d hear the car pulling up into the driveway, she would search for her Kong, grab it and carry it to the door and wait for my husband, Al to open the door and began to follow him until he said, “give” to fill her Kong with peanut butter.

Daisy loved to play with kids, play in the snow, and even catch snowballs thrown at her.  She loved car rides, trips to Dairy Queen and keeping the yard free of rabbits and squirrels.  She was the best popcorn catcher I’d ever seen.  Daisy was a blessing to our family and we are forever changed by the unconditional love that she gave to us. I will miss massaging her every morning before she got up off the couch (as of course, that became her bed at night).

Miss Daisy crossed the Rainbow Bridge on May 7, 2011.  She had a mass tumor that was undetected near her liver that hemorrhaged and nothing could be done to save her, it all happened so fast – we were devastated, as Daisy was truly a part of our family.

Daisy had several nicknames; Precious, Sha-Daisy, Daisy Bell, Daisy Dukes, Daisy Mae, Big Girl, Baby Girl, and Sweetem’s.  She answered to every one of them!  We were blessed with five wonderful years with Miss Daisy.  She was such a beautiful and loving dog.  Forever missed, but not forgotten.

Debbie & Al Spencer