Joey started his life in Kentucky as a much loved little Maltese. Sadly, he developed several expensive medical conditions that stretched his original owner's budget to the breaking point. Joey had severe allergies which resulted in horrific ear infections and terrible skin infections. He was often hospitalized for one condition or the other and of course there were allergy tests, medications, monthly shots, prescription dog food, antibiotics for skin and ears - never ending expenses that sometimes ran several hundred dollars a month. Then he developed Cushings Disease and that medication, along with his continuing allergy issues, broke the bank. As much as his owner loved him, she could no longer afford his medical care. Kentucky is a poor state - a dog with expensive medical conditions had very little chance of being adopted so his owner advertised him on the internet and hoped to find a good home for him.
A rescue friend in Michigan read the internet advertisement and offered to take him. Joey moved to Michigan and shared his new home with twenty or so other dogs. He was well cared for and quite happy for a year or so until a situation occured requiring Joey's new owner to downsize the number of dogs in her home.
Joey came here for a month or so while another rescue made room for him. He was a cute little guy who did a lot of "growly talking." It sounded like he was growling but when we watched the other dogs, they never reacted - apparently he was just a "growly talker." He did need to be muzzled in order to clean his ears or snip his toenails. We figured with all the ear infections his ears probably were painful and we knew his allergies made his feet sore. Anyway, a rescue friend in Kentucky helped transport him from Ohio to TN to his foster home.
He was in TN for a couple of months when we received a call telling us his foster mom said he was aggressive, had bitten both her and her husband and that he was not adoptable. There was talk of euthanizing him. We've worked with aggressive dogs before so I asked to have him sent back and once again our KY buddy helped get him from TN to Ohio. (Thank you Jeanie.)
Anyway, Joey did come back to OH and he is now a permanent Spoiled Royal. We think his growly talk may have intimidated his foster parents and perhaps they reacted to it. I'm really not sure. I suspect that it may simply be the case that Joey was supposed to be our dog and things were going to happen until he came back here. He's here to stay, he no longer needs muzzled to clip his nails or clean his ears. He still does his "growly talk" and we just chuckle at it. We know he is saying "I'm home and I'm the last Spoiled Royal!"
