By M. E. Martucci, PhD 
Tanja taught me that secondhand dogs need special care. They require more of everything - food, grooming, attention, and, most of all, love. Secondhand dogs, whether they come from a shelter, the street, or a friend, have been uprooted and carry a deep hurt inside.
Tanja, A Second Hand Dog
Tanja came to live with me when she was three years old, after her owners had moved out of town. She was a mixed breed, part German shepherd and part hunting dog. She had the most beautiful, soulful eyes, which seemed to reflect longing or loneliness that I attributed to her missing her former humans.
I agreed to take Tanja because of her strong, protective instincts and her quiet, gentle nature.
Since I often worked late hours during the week and occasionally on weekends, I wanted a dog like Tanja. I placed her, along with her house, in my two-car garage, where she had the freedom to move around. I provided her with plenty of food and water.
The back door of the garage opened onto a small deck. On warm days, I left the screened door open so Tanja could enjoy the scenery from the safety of the garage.
Tanja Sighted In The Neighbourhood
Tanja had been with me for several weeks when my next-door neighbor told me that she’d seen the dog running through our neighborhood. I thanked my neighbor for her concern, adding quickly that she must be mistaken because Tanja was always waiting for my return home by her house inside the garage.
When I went to work, I entered and left through the garage, using the button on the wall to open and close the door. Every day Tanja watched me follow my routine and, as the garage door slowly closed, she’d walk away toward her house.
A few more weeks passed and my neighbor insisted that she’d seen Tanja walking around the neighborhood. She brought another neighbor from several houses away to confirm the Tanja sightings. I still couldn’t believe it. There was no way Tanja could be loose all day and waiting where I’d left her when I returned each night.
Tanja’s Secret
Then I stayed home from work one week and discovered Tanja’s secret.
The first day home, I heard what sounded like the garage door going up. I quickly went out to keep Tanja from running away. To my surprise, Tanja stood upright on the steps but didn’t look as if she intended to run away.
I hit the button to close the garage door thinking that, as happened sometimes, the electronic impulse from a passing airplane might have caused the door to go up.
The next day, I glanced out my window and noticed my neighbor’s garage door and mine opening simultaneously. I felt pleased to have solved the mystery.
My neighbor and I had similar garage door code numbers and hers must be opening my door also. Perhaps Tanja had run out when the door had magically opened for her.
The following day, however, I heard the garage door open again. This time my neighbor was nowhere in sight and there was no plane overhead.
Such A Smart Dog
When I checked on Tanja, I found her standing upright on the steps with one paw on the wall and the other pressing the garage door button. Caught in the act, Tanja promptly dropped to the floor and sheepishly crawled into her house.
Those soulful eyes tugged at me. I just couldn’t reprimand her. Actually, I felt proud of her intelligence and initiative.
Tanja had learned how to get in and out of the garage without my ever knowing it. Even more surprising was the fact that she’d left and returned within the hours I was away.
A Need For Freedom
When I watched her perform this feat the next day, I knew it was no fluke. Tanja had discovered how to have more freedom than I’d ever imagined.
Unfortunately, my residential neighborhood didn’t allow for such ingenuity in pets. “All dogs must be leashed and attended to by their owners,” read the restrictions.
Now that Tanja’s secret was known, the neighborhood watch wasn’t impressed or sympathetic. So Tanja and I had to find a new home for her where she could run and play. I wasn’t happy with the decision but knew that Tanja needed her freedom.
Now when I visit Tanja in her new home, those beautiful eyes are brighter and less soulful. Tanja’s spirit is renewed and she seems content. I know she’s forgiven me for not keeping her, and I’m pleased.
I’ll always remember the lesson she taught me: No matter how lovely your circumstances in confinement might be, you’ll always want to make the changes necessary to find freedom.
Meditation
What is the garage door button that you secretly long to push? The one that will open a door to a change that will enable you to become all you were meant to be?