HEREABOUTS pamela dillon
The brown-eyed Siberian husky was roaming the neighborhood looking for her next tidbit in a nearby trash can. But she found more than a half-eaten Happy Meal; she found her life-long family. Sandy Liesner lived on a corner in this Springboro residential area, and she was having new siding put on her house four years ago. So she was outside a lot that summer, and noticed the dog hanging around. But this dog was nice and clean and didn’t look scraggly at all. The Liesners had picked up stray dogs before and put them in their fenced-in backyard, and the owners had always come eventually. But when they tried to catch this one, they couldn’t do it.
Finally Liesner saw another woman walking her two dogs, with the husky tagging along. The women said she had to take her daughter to Kent State the next day, and had someone to watch her two dogs, but couldn’t keep the stray. The Liesners took her in, and put up signs for five weeks in Warren, Butler, and Montgomery counties.
“Around that time, my son went to get on the bus to go to school, and the dog just cried,” said Liesner. “Then I called the vet, and he said, ‘Someone who loses their dog is frantic and usually finds them within two to three days. You’ve had her for five weeks; now she’s your dog.’ ”
They considered calling her Snowdog. Her son Jacob, then 10, suggested they call the black and white dog Old TV. But these days the 55-pounder answers to the name of Shady.
“The name suits her, too, because she acts a little sneaky sometimes,” said Liesner. “She’ll get into the pantry and pull out some Ramen Noodles when we’re not looking.”
In the meantime, Shady was getting plenty of exercise and training. Liesner would take her on 2-mile walks every day, and for a special treat get to go to a dog park in Centerville. Liesner also put her in the capable hands of Mike Loesche of Homeland K-9.
“We went to his obedience class. He is absolutely the best,” said Liesner, Chaplain for Boy Scout Troop 50. “This dog is very smart. She learns fast, but she needs to be constantly challenged.”
Loesche recommended throwing a ball for the high-energy dog. But Shady couldn’t care less about going after a ball. So about three years ago, Liesner thought she would try riding a bike with her. Shady’s ancestors were used to pulling sleds in Alaska, so why not learn to pull a bike in Springboro?
Instead of responding to “Mush,” however, Liesner calls out “Hike” (get going), “Gee” (turn left), and “Haw” (turn right). If Shady gets momentarily distracted, she’s instructed to stay “On Task.”
Liesner cautions that the No. 1 aspect of this training is safety. It can be dangerous, and she’s been thrown a few times. You just have to know the area you’re riding in, and know your pet.
Liesner has two grown children, one teenager, and six grandchildren. Jacob is now 14, runs track, and is starting his freshman year at Springboro High School. What does he use Shady for?
“She’s a big chick magnet.”
Contact this columnist at (937) 748-3487 or PamDillon@woh.rr.com.