The Eye of the Devil?

A beautiful, sometimes sad, heart-warming story of podenco adoption from Hennie.

'Actually it's the eye of Denzel, my 'beloved' dog.

He can frighten people very much and half the population of our village walks on the other side of the street when they see Denzel coming. A lot of them ends with their face on the street when they pass by with their bicycle. They blame me for it but after years of hard working, on a friendly and sometimes a little less friendly way, Denzel doesn't change.

He was found as a puppy in Spain dumped in a dust container together with his brother.

The first seven months of his life he has been on five different addresses but always returned to the animal shelter. On the last address he even was abused. (note: nine hours a day, he was locked in a cage with an electric bark collar, he had the scars on his neck)

I saw his picture on the internet with the beautiful text: 'nice seven months old puppy who knows the base comments'. He still doesn't know them although we went to school with him, he was kicked out!

After we had him for two months he became sick. it's an incurable disease and the muscles in his jaws are dying. There are days he can drive me crazy and today was one of those days. I have had it with Denzel (called after Denzel Washington).

After you have read this story I don't think you will believe when I tell you that he's also a very sweet dog. He always wants to be with you. If you are in bed or in bath, Denzel is their! He's just an insecure sick little devil with pain. Last month they even had to take out eleven tooth.

When he became sick the prognosis was that he will reach three years max. Guess what, Denzel is already eight years.

We are still happy with this poor little Spanish street dog with no manners who's a real Podenco also called 'dog of the Egyptian pharaohs'. When you look at historical documents you see them sitting in a very aristocratic pose next to the pharaohs.
Denzel can sit and look exactly in that aristocratic way. I'm still waiting till he also behaves that way :-)

Last December the 27th he passed away at the age of nine. He couldn't fight any longer. I posted this tribute.

As you could read he has been replaced five times in the first seven months of his life. He was so insecure and I thought this breed couldn't wag its tail. But for Denzel there was nothing to wag his tail for. He was just waiting to be replaced again. One day, months later, we were walking with him and didn't pay much attention for the first time. That was the moment he understood. We were his family and he came running like hell, wagging his tail en jumping all over us. I never forget that beautiful moment. We had him together with Bionda, also a dog from the shelter. He couldn't stay alone when she passed away five months before. When I walked out the door just for a few minutes he started to cry like a wolf.

Some wonderful pictures below to show how he also was. As you can see, his head is almost a skeleton because all the muscles in his face died.

When Denzel passed away I searched the internet for another dog from a shelter. This time we wanted a puppy. After we had adopted three problem dogs we wanted a dog which we could educate fro the beginning, like our first dog (a Leonberger). After some days I saw a puppy from 4 months who was in a shelter not far away and we went to look and brought him home. He looks so adorable but... after four days I knew: he must be a Podenco. It was so clear because of his behavior.

I started looking on the internet what kind I had and found out it was a Podengo Português. I contacted the Podencoworld people and they confirmed what I already knew. We called him Bruce (after Bruce Willis) and he's the worst dog you can imagine. He is hyper energetic and I have my hands full. Sometimes I even want to cry in the evening. His behavior is so bad.

But people from Podencoworld all had at least one Podenco who was like that and they all say 'when he's 1,5 years, he will turn into the most sweetest dog I can imagine'. I hold on to that.'

Here are the words in my tribute to Denzil.

Denzel, my sweet little Spanish devil, like I used to call you...

Your life was one big struggle against sickness, pain and insecurity, nine years long.
But you were a fighter, a survivor.

It was a privilege to have you in my life and home
although it wasn't always easy for the both of us.

You are on your way to a place with light and love
and finally without pain.

You will always be with me
and a part of my heart belongs to you.

Thank you for sharing the stories of your podencos, Hennie. Good luck Bruce!

Comments

[jenny]

awwww bless him what a story it took time for him to get his home but got a deserving one in the end bless you sweetheart and your mama for taking you on wounderful woman

[Kathryn]

This is a lovely story but poor Denzel having had such a horrible life before he found his forever home. Looking at Denzel though I don't understand why people would be frightened of him or not want to look at him. To me he looks like a lovely dog, regal looking definitely. I wish some people were more compassionate. Bless Denzel, poor old lad.

[lynn bayley]

What a fabulous lady you are to have taken on a dog with so many problems, he must have loved you very much but was unable to show it
Also good luck with Bruce I hope he settles into your life a lot quicker
Best wishes Lynn