Karen Scanlan knew of a couple who was splitting up and looking for a home for their six-year-old German shepherd named Sheba four years ago. Throughout her life, she has had several dogs, but this would be her first time rescuing an adult dog.
They brought her home despite her fears. They were happy to have such a lovely dog in their home, but the early days were difficult. Sheba was a difficult and aloof dog.
“She responded to my training by eating my slipper and peeing in my office. When she jumped up on our expensive white couch one day, I grabbed her collar firmly and she responded with hostility. I got her off the couch but if you’ve seen an angry German shepherd, you will know it’s a little unnerving” according to Karen.
Unsure of how to handle her, she called a friend who had recently adopted a difficult adult dog. She informed him about the couch. He said, “You won the battle but you’re losing the war. She’s had enough bosses. She needs to know this is a loving home first.”
And so, the tale of an aging dog learning new tricks began. Sheba became their lifelong love and made the pandemic so much more bearable. Her lessons helped Karen get through it.
She and her husband couldn’t understand why Sheba would pull errant sticks and weeds from his hands while working in their country home. They eventually determined that she was a working dog looking for work. So they made her a part of the process by handing her weeds to shake out the life.
Sheba demonstrated her thanks and affection for them in many ways, reminding them of the significance of displaying gratitude and love – and not taking it for granted. “She split her time during the pandemic lying beside both of our desks. If we sat at our desks too long, she would gently nudge our arm as we typed, and when she got our attention, run to the door and grab her leash. Not so subtle and hard to resist,” Karen said.
They relocated to Vancouver, and she eagerly traded her five acres of land for a condo with convenient access to the coast and mountains. While going along the shoreline, a man approached them to return to his girlfriend, whom they had just passed sitting on a bench. They followed his request. Suddenly, Sheba made a beeline for this woman, backed into her, and sat down.
The woman’s German shepherd had recently died. The woman sobbed as she hugged Sheba’s neck. Since the outbreak, they have learned the value of compassion and empathy, which Sheba exemplified naturally. Friends and family members who were not ‘dog people’ were frequently drawn to her. Sheba was always going out of her way to make others feel special.
In January, they received news that Sheba had terminal cancer. They kept her as comfortable for as long as they could, but after a few weeks, they had no choice but to take her to the vet’s office to be euthanized. Since she left, their house has been strangely quiet and empty. “I’ve only known her for a few months, but I’ve spent that time pondering the things she taught me,” said Karen.
Karen, a human resources expert, spends a lot of time assisting leaders with personnel issues. “I often talk about the lessons I learned from Sheba — giving people time to trust instead of expecting it early on, learning to accept people the way they are instead of trying to change them, finding ways to express your love and gratitude, especially when you don’t have the words.”
