Wheatens In Need® Success Stories - 2007

Lazlo - from the Colonel to the Camper - by Carol Gross

Lazlo, formerly known as “The Colonel”, had been dropped off at a police station in Corsicana in late August 2007. After being transferred to a kill shelter, one of the shelter employee’s recognized the Wheaten and contacted WIN. The details of whether he was dropped off by someone who found him or by his original owner are sketchy since the police station representative didn’t collect any details when the dog was dropped off. Karen White was able to make the trip on a Monday to pick up The Colonel and bring him back to her home. The Gross family picked him up that afternoon. Lazlo was renamed by his youngest owners whose favorite cartoon at the time was Camp Lazlo.

We are convinced he’s part goat. He tries to eat just about anything and has forced me to throw away many toys. I’m not too disappointed at that though because I’ve been meaning to purge anyway! (As I am writing this I had to stop to pry a pencil out of his mouth.) But we are still trying to correct that behavior. He’s gone through so many chew toys too. It is a good thing Lazlo is adorable!

When Lazlo was neutered about a week after joining his us, the vet estimated his age to be about a year old. He is still quite the active puppy who has no idea how large he is. He thinks nothing of crawling in your lap to cuddle. We have all fallen in love with him—especially me, who was completely heartbroken when our first Wheaten, Barney, passed several years ago. (Barney had fallen out of the back of a pickup truck in Indiana. Jim, who was on a bicycle training trip, tried to catch up with the driver with no luck. Barney was malnourished and had worms and probably would have died if Jim hadn’t taken him home. Barney didn’t come into my life until he was about 6 so I had no idea what I was in for getting a puppy as Barney was so well-behaved by the time he came into my life.)

Lazlo and I try to meet Karen, Ray, Molly and Meghan at the dog park when we can. The dogs get along so well. Lazlo wasn’t with Karen and Ray for more than an afternoon, so Lazlo didn’t have time to learn great manners from Molly and Meghan. But, he shows small signs of calming now that he’s getting closer to 2. He loves his crate and often retreats there in the evening before the rest of us are ready for bed. I’m not sure he’s ready to be gated in the kitchen for more than an hour or so, but I think that will be a possibility in the fall. So I’m very grateful he loves his crate.

I am so grateful to WIN and everyone involved. I shudder to think what would have happened if he had not been picked up. This organization, and others like it, are such a blessing for the dogs and the families united by all the efforts made through this amazing group!