15/11/2022
I recently came across this article I wrote in 2010 about a dog named Rex who belonged to Jane Bowers, a dog trainer on the lower Sunshine Coast. Sadly, Jane passed away in December 2021, almost a year ago now. I think of her often. She was a wonderful trainer and I Iearned a lot from her. I remember Rex too and reading this article after all these years brought back many memories - of the bond they had and the difference they made.
REX'S STORY
Four years ago Jane Bowers received a call about a dog in trouble. A German Shepherd cross named Rex lived his life on a chain and his owners were ready to shoot him. When Jane went to investigate she found a family about to lose their home. They planned to shoot their old dog because they didn’t think anyone would want him. Jane proved them wrong. Rex became her dog and she became his person.
Before he came to live with Jane Rex’s world was small and constricted. Chained for nine years, he had little freedom of movement, no friends, and no variety or novelty in his life. Sometimes he didn’t get fed. But Rex had a remarkable attitude and a core of resilience that helped him to cope with the deprivation and loneliness. His spirit stayed strong and he still engaged with the world. He took pleasure and comfort where he could – in visits from the deer and fawns that wandered by and in his collection of sticks and stones. His teeth were worn down to the gum line from gnawing on stones and rocks.
Once he came to live with Jane on her farm Rex flourished. He especially liked to swim and would dive off the rocks at a local lake. The memory of hunger may never have left him because he relished his meals and made Jane feel like the best cook on earth. Rex also had a marvelous ability to get along with other animals. Perhaps he remembered the little fawns that brought him comfort because he never chased a small animal. He also never picked a fight with another dog and if one tried to pick a fight with him he walked away. He was deeply loved by Jane’s dogs Kelly and Phoenix.
Rex had a way with people too. Jane took him with her to educate schoolchildren on how to behave with a dog. The kids loved and accepted him and learned that a big old German Shepherd with a gray muzzle and a history of life on a chain can be a loving companion and friend. Rex helped to shape the children’s understanding of the nature of dogs and the importance of treating them humanely.
Abuse doesn’t change the nature of some dogs. Like Rex, these dogs stay friendly, loving and engaged no matter how much they have suffered. Rex’s story shows us that dogs who have been chained all their lives can still be wonderful pets. His story also reminds us that sometimes dogs are chained and abused not from deliberate cruelty but because of circumstances such as poverty, displacement, and lack of knowledge and understanding.
As he aged Rex’s body took him back to those years on the chain when he wasn’t free to walk and run and play. But Rex always lived life to the full and looked for the best in every situation. His mind and heart stayed strong even as his body grew weak. Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” The attitude and spirit Rex demonstrated all his life tell us these words are as true for dogs as they are for us.
In October 2010 Rex went home with Jane by his side. He was 15 years old. So long, dear Rex. Time to rest now and play with the fawns.
