I want to go to heaven, even if there are no dogs there!
I feel that "rescued" dogs ... Wether strays, or from a shelter are able to tell and appreciate a new good owner ... We adopted a dog we named "Sarah" from a shelter on a Saturday afternoon, she was missing an eye, had a broken tail, and a limp, could not on her own jump up on to the couch ...
The next morning I was getting dressed for church, I had my pants and shirt on, and had just finished putting on my tie, reaching for my coat, had my back to the hall that Sarah was coming down to see me, as we had really connected, even though we really got her for my wife as a companion while I was off to work ... As I slipped on my coat I turned around and saw her, she crouched down, kinda growling, backing up with her broken tail tucked between her legs, I tried to talk to her, but it was no use ... I felt HORRIBLE!
I took off the coat and tie and went and found her, shaking under the table ... I gently coaxed her out, and held her on the couch, she was about 35 Lbs ... Once she was calmed down, I called her to follow me in a happy voice, she was about 2 years old, but not trained ... She followed me cautiously, but trusting into the bedroom, I picked her up and set her on the bed where I had dropped my coat and tie, she sniffed around as petted her, then I picked up the tie, she sat and watched me, I let her sniff it, then I slowly let her watch me with her one eye put it on, she was confused ... I sat down and talked with her for a bit, then let her get down and follow me out to the couch, she still was unsure of the tie ...
Long story short it appeared to me that some guy with a tie really abused her, it took weeks before she was comfortable with me wearing a suit and tie, but then she was alright, but didn't trust most guys ...
She turned out to be "my dog" even though she loved my wife, her heart was bonded with mine, and she seemed to know that we were trustworthy, and we spoiled her, at times it seemed that she remembered her past life, but enjoyed her new life with appreciation!