Heeeeeere's Johnny!!!

I belong to several Ichthyosis support type groups on Facebook.  So sometimes, I scroll past some of the random posts that pop up from them.  But one day I could help but take a pause over one of the posts I saw with the cutest little puppy on it.  The owner of a rescue group in California had reached out to an ichthyosis contact of his in hope of getting help finding a forever home for a little guy they had taken into their group named Johnny, with a form of canine ichthyosis.  I read through it, smiling at the pictures thinking they would have no problem finding a forever home for this cute little guy.  I just didn't think it was going to be with us.

The picture that stole my heart

About a week later, I revisited the post, just curious to see if they had found a loving home for him.  They hadn't.  And even worse, Ashlynne had seen the post.  This was bad news for me.  See, it combined two of my biggest loves:  my ichtyosis community, and my love for animals.  It broke my heard that no one wanted this little guy simply because he had the same genetic disorder that my Ashlynne has.  So I inquired, figuring there was no harm in just checking into it, and I put it out there to Russ, who wasn't completely opposed, but he had the same question I did.  How were we going to get this dog all the way from California to Kansas?  I had just left California from the Ichthyosis conference, and he couldn't take any time off of work right now.  Unbeknownst to us, Ashlynne had taken it upon herself to inquire as well.  She had gotten the phone number off of their website, and called them herself.  She was disappointed when the man told her that just that morning, Johnny might have been spoken for.  But her disappointment turned to joy when the man on the other end of the phone told her that the man that had called asking about Johnny was named Russ.  She came running downstairs yelling that "Pops" had called the rescue group and asked about Johnny.  "He's going to let me get him!"

We explained to her the logistics of it all, about getting him here, and also the fact that the rescue group preferred a couple of overnight visits with the adoptive family to see if it was a good fit.  All of this was going to be very hard considering we were half way across the country.  She begged and pleaded, she promised she would help take care of him (I know, I know, all kids promise to help take care of the puppy they want), and he was JUST like her (her words, not mine).  And as we were discussing it, I hear from the other room, from what I thought was a sleeping Breckyn, "heeeeeeere's Johnny!".  Mic drop.  How does this kid even know that line?

So we contacted Nobody's Perfekt Dogs and pleaded our case.  We explained the situation with Ashlynne, and explained my immense love for animals, and the man decided it was worth giving us a shot. And at the end of August, he would be bringing his son this way on his way back to college, and he could meet us just three hours from our home.  It was all falling into place.  How could Russ say no now? Game over.

So on August 19, we will be welcoming Johnny, a cocker spaniel/Chihuahua mix, into our home.  I'm so excited for our next venture, and will be sharing plenty of Johnny stories with you all along the way.  I just hope Zailey can adjust to not being the only dog in the house again!  Russ and I have always said that if we ever heard of a baby that was up for adoption with ichthyosis, we would try to adopt the child.  We just never dreamed it would be a fur baby.  Johnny's skin regime will be much different that Ashlynne's, considering applying lotion all over his body, and soaking him in the tub for an hour and a half a day isn't really an option.  So we will apply ointment to his eyes, and a vitamin A supplement in his food, along with weekly medicated baths.  I will also apply Vaseline to his paws, which gave me an excuse to buy him some cute little booties.  I had decided in March, after our Hurley passed away, that once Zailey passed, I would never own another dog.  They just break your heart, they don't outlive you.  But it looks like God had other plans for our family!  I think Johnny will be the "perfekt" fit for us!

Look at this face!!  How can you resist?!
I think this is going to be one spoiled pooch!