Time to shake, wag and roll

A three-legged dog, left for dead earlier this year in a roadside ditch in Post Falls, was the howling center of attention Saturday at a unique dog show in Coeur d’Alene.

The appearance of Tres at Dog Daze of Coeur d’Alene was just a warm-up for the 2-year-old blue tick coonhound.

In December, the amputee dog is scheduled to accompany his owners, Joan and Mikal Thornton of Coeur d’Alene, for a visit to the amputee ward at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington. Most patients there are U.S. soldiers wounded in Iraq.

“Our dog’s picture is already hanging in the recovery ward back at Walter Reed for the patients to see, and they love him,” said Joan Thornton. “We think he will be a real inspiration when they see him in person.”

Mikal Thornton, the former director of veterans services in Kootenai County, is now a medical evaluation liaison officer at the well-known medical center and frequently commutes back to Coeur d’Alene, his wife said.

Their rescued dog, Tres, provided a lot of inspiration and smiles at Saturday’s dog show, sponsored by a newly formed animal adoption organization called PAWS – People for Animal Welfare & Safety Inc.

“He doesn’t bark, he howls,” Joan Thornton said as her dog’s vocal chords overpowered 100 or so other dogs in the show at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds. There were at least 50 dogs wearing orange ribbons, indicating they were available for adoption. They were brought to the show by 12 animal and dog lover organizations.

The PAWS group, now headed by Jennifer Jenkins and Valicity Marshall, both of Coeur d’Alene, wants to build a new $1.5 million animal shelter to ease severe overcrowding at two existing shelters in Kootenai County, where the human population doubled in the last decade.

“This future shelter will strive to provide the community and surrounding region with animals who are temperamentally sound, current on necessary vaccines, spayed or neutered and in general good health,” the group’s literature says.

Tres was severely injured in Post Falls and headed for euthanasia when an animal rescue group got him to the Alpine Animal clinic. Veterinarians there amputated his left rear leg, closed the stump with more than 100 stitches and neutered him.

Then he was nursed through a difficult recovery period, with various complications, before being adopted by Joan Thornton and her husband.

“Now, he’s just as energetic as any dog – and he’s loud!” Joan Thornton said.

“He doesn’t seem to know he doesn’t have two back legs,” she said. “You should see him run.”

“The only problem he has is when he tries to pee,” she said. “He lifts his stump and sometimes pees on his front legs. It’s embarrassing, but we just love him.”

Joan Thornton entered her dog in the “best ears” and “best three-legged energy” competitions. Tres took the prize in the latter category.

“He was a ‘leg up’ in the three-legged competition, because he’s the only entry,” she said with a laugh.

There also was competition for best tail wag, best trick, best dressed, happiest pooch, best hair, best rollover, best tail chase, best Frisbee catch, best shake, best sibling pair and best talker.

The show was intended for everyday people who own everyday dogs, the sponsors said.

“We don’t show our dogs at shows, but we’ve always wanted to, and that’s why we’re here,” said Katy O’Connor, 18, of Coeur d’Alene.

Her boyfriend, Reece Long, 19, said he entered his 2-year-old malamute, Boh, in the “best hair” competition “because he’s beautiful!” The judges agreed.

Long’s little brother, 7-year-old Cameron Ealy, was holding a 5-month-old papillion, Tilly, who was to compete in the best ears and happiest pooch categories.

Another crowd-pleaser at the show was the trick performed by Luke, a 2 ½-year-old Australian shepherd-German shepherd mix.

His owner, Monica Mosqueda, put five crisp $1 bills and one $20 on the floor before the judges after ordering her pooch to sit and look the other way.

Luke was then ordered to pick up the highest denomination bill, which he promptly did, ignoring the five $1 bills.

The crowd roared with approval.

Not only did Luke take the honors for best trick, he also won for best talker/singer.

Afterward, Mosqueda gave up her secret: The $20 bill was rubbed with her body scent and her dog, who’s training to be certified for search and rescue, went straight for it.

Mosqueda also whispered another secret: She’s a professional dog trainer who owns K-Zone in North Idaho.