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Sadie was a wild child, never following directions or playing well with others. Her actions put her in real danger, but there was something in her eyes that promised she could do better if she only had a chance.
That chance came in the form of Linda Hunter, of Pleasanton, who fell in love with Sadie and brought her home.
The journey for 4-year-old Sadie, a lovable Saint Bernard, began on death row but has moved to the winner’s circle.
Sadie was a family pet in Southern California, but financial difficulties that cost the family their home also resulted in Sadie being put in the pound. She didn’t fare well there. She hadn’t received any training and didn’t get along with the other dogs.
She was due to be euthanized, but two days before that fatal date, Saints of the West Rescue, which is located just outside Reno, Nevada, stepped in and saved her.
Not long after that, Hunter was searching the rescue group’s website and fell in love with Sadie.
“I knew I wanted her,” Hunter says, “but when we went to see her and I was walking her, she just kept looking up at me like she was saying ‘take me, take me.'”
The Hunters have a long history with Saint Bernards. At one time, they had four at once, trading in the family sedan for a van that could hold the entire family, as well as the dogs.
“I was in Saint heaven,” Hunter says, “but the house wasn’t.”
Their first experiences with Saints wasn’t a good one. They purchased from backyard breeders and soon discovered the health problems that can come with operations that are more interested in making money than in responsible breeding.
After that, they traveled to Oregon to purchase pure breeds. But two years ago, with an empty house that needed another Saint to fill it, they decided to look a different direction. Hunter already was a volunteer for Saints of the West, collecting Saints from shelters in the Bay Area and driving them to Reno, so it was natural that would be the first place she turned.
Sadie was not the perfect dog, but Hunter was perfect for her. Sadie’s aggression toward other dogs and overall lack of training made her difficult to handle. But Hunter has decades of experience in training Saints and with the help of a professional trainer and daily sessions, Sadie was soon a different dog.
“I’m so glad I’m the one who got her,” Hunter says.
Although Sadie is on the small side — only about 95 pounds, which is 25 pounds lighter than a typical female Saint her age — she is strong, clever and determined, excelling at dog competitions. In rally, dog and owner must act as one, completing challenges they encounter in the ring. In draft, the dog pulls a cart, one of the many tasks Saints were bred to do, pulling milk carts for Swiss dairy farmers.
And for a dog that had never obeyed before, Sadie shines in obedience. Last fall, Sadie and Hunter competed at the National Saint Bernard Dog Show earning three titles in obedience, rally and drafting. Recently, they earned first place in beginning obedience and rally at the Cow Palace Dog Show.
Hunter has more plans for Sadie as they move through the rankings to collect titles and eventually, a championship. Sadie might not have come to Hunter through traditional routes, but she has proven herself time after time.
“We’re very proud of our little girl,” Hunter says, who encourages others to look to rescues for their next pets.
Every breed has a rescue group out there, Hunter says, giving dog fanciers many options. Saints often seem to end up in shelters when their owners realize that the adorable puppy they got has turned into a handsome but large dog with big dog needs.
“Saints are a lot of work,” Hunter says. “That’s why they end up in rescues. But people have to realize this is a forever commitment.”
