Congratulations to Remington Schuett – winner of this month’s Pup of the Month Club! Remington is a 6-year-old Papillion mix who is all but 20 pounds. The only thing that is small about this little guy is his stature, because he is personality plus and then some. We met Remington for his photo session at Jenison’s Grand Ravines Park in Ottawa County one afternoon last month. Our first impression of the little man was we wished we could have just a tiny bit of his energy – he was a lovable and enthusiastic big-eared blur of white and black fluff that never stopped moving.
Angie, Remington’s Mom, adopted Remington July of 2014 from the Humane Society of West Michigan. She had been looking for a smaller dog as her house is small and she did not have a fenced-in yard. A month into her search she saw a smaller white pup at HSWM calmly lying in his kennel with his front paws crossed over one another and slightly sticking out from under the door of the kennel. She immediately went to the front desk and asked to see him, but was told that he was a runaway that just came in and hadn’t passed his assessment yet. She was told the soonest she could see him was sometime on Tuesday after he cleared his pre-adoption assessment.
Tuesday sounded like a long way off when it was only Saturday. Angie – not so calmly – waited for Tuesday to roll around and then repeatedly called the HSWM throughout the day to see if he had passed his evaluation yet and when she could see him. Finally at around 4pm that afternoon she was told he had the all clear to be adopted, but that they could not hold him for her until she got out of work. So, Angie did the only sane thing to be done – yup…she left work to go see him.
She was a little disappointed when she first met him – he didn’t respond to her and when asked by a HSWM staff member how it was going she replied that she did not think he liked her. The staff member gently reminded her that he was a runaway and like a lot of dogs that end up at a shelter their name is not known. He wasn’t reacting to the name ‘Artie’ because he was just given the name a few days earlier – he didn’t know it yet. When she returned to the pup she sat on the floor and just started talking to him. He responded by looking at her, then walked up to her and kissed her. It was a deal sealed by a dog’s kiss – they’ve been together ever since – almost 4 ½ years. As Angie says, “This little fella is my whole world!”
Angie thought she was getting a relatively calm pup based on her meet and greet at the humane society. That perception totally changed two days after she got Remington home and his highly active, jumping, happy and it-is-hard-to-stay-still personality came out. She quickly discovered that he loved and needed to be near her – even when he walks next to her he reaches over from time to time to touch his nose to her leg – but the need to be close to her is strictly on his own terms. The little guy does not like to be cuddled or carried! Apparently he wants to make it through the world on his own four paws. Entertainingly enough when Angie tries to cuddle with him he moves just far enough away to avoid her embrace and will remain just out of reach if she moves closer.
We always look for what is special in each dog we photograph, because after all they are all special in their individual way. What struck us after meeting Rem (as his Mom affectionately calls him) and hearing his story are the bonds that Remington has created with Angie’s family – especially her nieces, sister, brother-in-law, father and her Grandfather, Opa.
Angie’s nieces were a little intimidated by his jumping, active nature when they first met him. That completely changed after Angie taught them how to have him sit, stay and lie down. Now they love running him through his commands and are even working on ‘roll over’ with him. He is endlessly patient with them and even allows them to dress him up in clothes. I’ve been by told by a reliable source that he makes a very pretty princess.
He has an even different relationship with Angie’s sister, Kim. Kim is convinced that one of these days, Rem will actually love being picked up and cuddled – as long as she keeps after him. Remington wants nothing to do with this conviction. Every time she tries, Remington gets stiff as a board and looks like he would rather be anywhere else in the world.
Eric, Angie’s brother-in-law, and Remington are best buds. Rem doesn’t have to worry about cuddling with Eric, but instead get to hang out as one of the boys and tune everyone else out. Eric talks to Rem, scratches behinds his ears while Rem whimpers back with love and affection.
Interestingly enough when Remington is around Angie’s Dad he is on his best behavior. He completely minds his manners: he doesn’t jump, isn’t as excitable and acts calmer than his normal excitable, jumpy self.
Rem also had a unique bond with Angie’s grandfather, Opa (Grandpa in German) who passed away about a year ago. Rem went with Angie for every visit to see Opa and was often at the car waiting for Angie to hurry up and let him in for the ride to the care home. Remington was very calm and patient with Opa. He would not jump on Opa, but would sit right next to him the entire visit. It was as if he knew Opa was too fragile to jump on and what Opa needed was for him to be his companion and just sit and be still next to him. Even after Opa was in a wheelchair Rem would walk next to the wheelchair while Opa held his leash and Angie pushed the chair. Remington was even with Angie for the last visit – the afternoon before the night he passed away.
Not only did Remington get a forever home when Angie adopted him from the Humane Society of West Michigan, but he got an entire extended family as well. Just the way it should be!
If you have an adopted HSWM pup and would like to nominate him for Pup of the Month Club, you can find more information and the entry form on the TDP website.
