Throw Back Sunday!

This week I’d like to share a little about my first dog in Thailand, Nam Ngiaw. She was a ginormous rottie at 50 kilos, and had a heart twice that size – and more. She was an absolute joy!

I was blessed with Nammie shortly I had moved to Thailand. She had lived on an orchard with a crusty old character that wasn’t kind to her, to say the least.

She captured my heart from our first meeting. She didn’t care for males, sadly understandable, and absolutely loved women in particular. She did like foreign men, just not any man in a uniform or helmet. Poor girl had been traumatized. Well gladly that was over, and we went on to have ten wonderful years together.

She had recovered from e-canis(blood parasites) and also quite incredibly, pancreatitis. It was many years ago, but from what I remember…Nammie went downhill fast. I had just received the call from our vet that Nammie needed a blood transfusion to save her life, and they didn’t think she would make it through the night.

The neighborhood we lived in had a little shop, where I went on an almost daily basis. I happened to go over there and told Pa Dang(Aunt Dang) about our situation, and how we needed a dog that could donate blood for Nammie in hopes of saving her. We needed a dog that was a match, and at that time a compatible dog was of the same sex, size and age. And what did you know but Pa Dang’s beautiful golden retriever Tong(gold) ticked every box. She did not hesitate to offer to bring Tong in to do the procedure…and it worked! Nammie came back strong after losing 10 kilos from her sudden illness, and lived many more years. I was stunned and so very grateful to Pi(elder) Dang(red) for her kindness. This is a woman that had lost both her husband in a car accident, and then her daughter in a plane crash. Her Tong was her world, and I was so humbled that she had such love and empathy for my girl – she got it. She loved Nam Ngiaw as everyone did, she was such a gentle giant.

Nam Ngiaw and Bolo were best buds, he absolutely adored her! Nammie gave the approval when I had taken Bolo in after his accident, then making him a permanent member of our family. They were tight, it was an amazing bond. She was my first female dog, and she didn’t disappoint. She had the cutest habit of charging me with a huge smile and shooting right between my legs! It was adorable! She was always up for a cuddle, and was the most affectionate dog ever (well, next to Bolo). I’d venture to say that Nammie and Bolo have been my favorite dogs that I’ve had the pleasure to share my life with. I think with age comes a more meaningful connection with people and our pets. It might just be me, but these two had me smitten, and they made a huge impact on my life in Thailand. I feel so very fortunate to have had these awesome rescued dogs to teach me so many life lessons.

Please consider blood donations if you have a healthy dog, it could save a fellow canine companion’s life. And that goes for us humans too!

Do any of you have a rescue dog? Tell us about it!