Shazam on the Run
In 2014, on Labor Day, Nikki and I were coming home from a visit with my parents. We were tooling through Summerville GA, and what do you know, we saw a little blonde dog running along the side of the road. Nikki and I both looked at each other and screamed “POMERANIAN!!!”. I squealed wheels and pulled over to try to catch him. He came to Nikki, and before you knew it we were speeding home - he instantly fell asleep in Nikki’s lap. We stopped and got him a slim jim and some water, but he was too tired to eat or drink. He was dirty, exhausted and dehydrated. I named him Shazam right then and there - because “Shazam!” there he was! (those of you that remember Gomer Pyle remember this as his expression when something was surprising to him. Chantel used to say Shazam! to me for my exclamations of wonder about things.)
When I took him to the vet, he didn’t have a chip, he was underweight, severely dehydrated but in general, healthy. The vet thought he was 4 years old, part Terrier but definitely part Pomeranian. I asked Dennis if we could keep him (like he would say no). I said “he fits all the criteria - I saved him AND he looks like a Pomeranian!
When you adopt a rescue, their back story is somewhat of a mystery - but you usually have some detail of their former life. When you rescue a puppy, you have more of the ability to mold the behaviors of the dog. When you find a dog as old as Shazam, your mind goes wild with the types of adventures he must have had before you found him. The toils, the bounties, the fear and the love of strangers he must have experienced in his first 4 years - I jokingly have promised to write and illustrate a series of children books called “Shazam on the Run”.
Shazam, Shazizzles, Shazzammy Whammy, Whamster, ShaJAM, the little barker, Whamalamadingo. He had a lot of Nicknames, but mostly I called him little buddy.
Many have said that I was so lucky to have Shazam as my first dog because he was so well behaved and not destructive. In 4 short years we made great memories:
- Someone taught him to heel - he always walked beside or behind me when on the leash, he never pulled.
- The worst thing he did was poop/pee in the house ‘occasionally’ - but I don’t necessarily think it was out of spite.
- He knew where he lived - even tho he was a runner, he would come back and could be found hanging out on the front porch with his rib bone from God knows where.
- He loved doing downward dog and cobra pose when he woke up - and actually did it all the time. I think it was to impress Auntie Kate!
- Shazam was put on curfew at 9pm because he was a little barker. The Possums that would taunt him on the fence would make him lose his mind and he’d bark his fool head off!
- Shazam loved to eat sticks - we joked that he lived on ‘twigs and berries’ when he was on the run.
- He loved chasing bees! He would jump up in the air like he was catching a frisbee when chasing them. I was thankful he never caught one.
- Shazam was a finicky eater - but he LOVED fish. Sometimes we joked he was a cat in a dogs body.
- He was a people dog and knew how to do his circus trick waving his front paws to get you to give him a treat.
- He knew how to protect himself - always finding a corner to put his back up against, so he could see whats coming.
- Shazam was not a good kisser - he would avoid face kisses, but always lick your arm if you were petting him.
- He never was a cuddler with me, but Kate/Shane, Mark/Dara/Ylva had the joy of snugglin’ with him.
- Shazam hated thunderstorms, and he could be found under Dennis’ desk during them.
- He knew Smeagol ruled the roost, but she would occasionally touch noses with him to show her love.
- He would jump up on you to be petted, only to slowly slink away when he realized Smeagol had beat him to it.
- Shazam loved Gillian his groomer, and she gave him the most incredible lion cuts that made people actually think he was a lion.
- He loved his gauchos in the winter when his hair was long. They literally would jut right out of his butt!
- Shazam hated our Halloween parties and would sulk in his costumes.
- He also hated our Christmas parties and would sneak off to his crate and put himself to bed.
- Shazam would get the tips with his cuteness in his Santa suit when we Christmas caroled in the Decatur Square.
- Shazam had lots of dog friends:
- He loved his big brother Square, and would run straight to the fence gate to visit him, even when he wasn’t home.
- Mansfield (Nikki’s rescue) and him would tear in circles around the front yard endlessly.
- Shazam loved seeing Brooks and Gracie when he was at daycamp.
- ‘Uncle’ Shazam loved it when cousin Georgia would come home for the holidays.
- He almost always ate in the middle of the night right after he woke me up so he could go out to pee at 4am.
- Shazam was always up for being petted - no matter who was doing it. He especially loved Dennis’ shoulder rubs.
- As much as I tried, Shazam didn’t like to swim - not at the beach or in the pool - even though he was a natural at it.
- I swear there are hundreds of rib bones, beggin’ strips and pupperoni buried in my yard.
- Shazam loved going for rides in the car. You would open the car door and he would jump right in - in anticipation and excitement. He loved the wind in his hair! I used to joke that I was going to get him some doggles and train him how to ride on the back of my Harley.
- Shazam was the only dog JoPo ever let come stay at her house - this was a miracle in itself. She even bought him his first toy!
- He loved visiting grandma and grandpa - mainly because he got petted for 4 hours straight on the way there and back.
- And the Walks! He was always up for one! Any many of you have taken him, thank you.
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| Shazam's purple Crepe Myrtle |
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| Nikki had them imprint Shazam's paws for me |
