I create safe and secure collars that snug up on your dog's neck if they try to back out of them, but are comfortable and fashionable for your best friend. I also specialize in many other art trades. My passion is quality hand-made arts and crafts and my inspiration is rescue. My products can be found in the "Shop" section of my page. Please read my whole story of Kiwi's Collars below, and thank y
ou for stopping by my page! In November of 2009 I decided to find a friend to keep Kita, my senior Labrador company in my currently one dog home. I started to look at the local shelters on line and there was this sweet little face staring back at me through the computer screen. She was thin with her eyes were huge and sad. I made an appointment to meet this sweet little thing. “Kaylee”, as they named her, was a little lab/border collie mix that they guessed was about 5 years old. She came from a Texas puppy mill, they had no clue how many litters she has had, or what her living conditions really were. My heart when out to this sweet little face. It wasn’t much time before I went to meet her at the shelter. Under the desk and curled up on a bed, was this sad, scared, but beautiful little face. She was so balled up so I couldn’t really see how big she was. I sat on the floor and let her come to me. Slowly she got off the bed and smelled my knee and then my hand, then she turned around and went back to the bed; her safe zone. The staff member put a lead on her and we went out to the lawn for the initial introduction to Kita. Both puppies looked at each other and smelled their “Hellos”. I looked at the staff member and said “pack her up, she is going home with me!”. As I was walking out of the shelter, new rescue dog on leash, a team member squealed on how lucky “Kaylee” was to find a home, and how sweet it was that I had her name tattooed on the inter part of my wrist. I looked at her and said that was my daughter’s name. I knew it was meant to be due to this emotionally broken little dog to have the same name as my daughter. So little “Kaylee” became Kiwi which was my daughter’s childhood nickname. To this day they both answer when called. For the first two weeks Kiwi lived under my bed, she ate there, slept there, and did her business there. I thought I made a huge mistake getting a special needs dog. I cried on my daughter’s shoulder, “What have I done and what could anyone do to a dog to make them this way!”. Kaylee told me patience, give her time, she is scared and has never known love. “Well if that is what Kiwi needs is love, that is what Kiwi is going to get”. As weeks went by she came out of her shell. She made the corner of the couch her safe place. She found the dog door and started exploring outside, sticking really close to Kita. They became each other’s shadow. In fact, Kita had Vestibular Disease and for three days Kita fought the strange affliction and Kiwi never left her side. They slept side by side, ate side by side, even when I had to help Kita to the yard, Kiwi was right there. To this day we still work hard to help her trust people, I have every guest in my home go to Kiwi and love her up as she is perched on her secure island of the corner of the couch. I want Kiwi to know that NO ONE will ever hurt her again. I was a mess when she had to have her teeth cleaned and a few pulled. I think because I promised Kiwi that I would never put her in a crate again. She did amazing. It has now been 7 years and Kiwi is 13, and Kaylee (my daughter) is an AMAZING Veterinary Technician. Kiwi loves to play in the snow and even lets me chase her outside. She loves to go for car rides, and even greets people at the dog park. She does not go too far from my side but loves being off the leash. She is still scared of sudden noises, and jumps at every loud bump, but she is becoming strong. I think my favorite thing about her is that every morning when I get up, she jumps up on my bed and shoves her face in my pillow. I don’t know if it is to get my smell on her or just a warm place to cuddle up to. Then she will lean on me and shove her face into my chest, and l love her up like she has never been loved before. I don’t know what her life was like before she came to live with me and I can’t image anyone ever hurting her, or any other animal for that case. Kiwi has been a God send to me, she rescued me, many a time I needed a hug and she was there. It was scary at first but I will always want another special needs dog whether it is a physical or emotional need. My door will always be open. I now have a house full, Kiwi, Misha a Doberman, and Charlotte a blue nose Pitbull. Everyone is healthy and happy. I started making the collars because I wanted a safe and secure way to have a collar that a canine companion cannot back out of if scared, startled, or just has a thick neck, but is not a choke chain. Thank your reading Kiwi’s story. She has taught me not to give up, and to have trust and faith in strangers. Jessica John,
and Kiwi
