Surprise!
Last week I adopted the sweetest little pooch there ever was and I decided to name her Chickpea.
I've always been a dog person. I grew up with 3 dogs that I adored. However, these dogs were always living at my parents farm, which is pretty easy and happy way for a dog to grow up. 100 acres of freedom for the pooch = no picking up of poop! I hate picking up poop.
When I moved from home I lived in Montreal, then LA, and now have been happily settled in Toronto for the last 5 years. With all of the moving about, I knew a dog just wasn't a smart choice for me just yet.
Now that I work full-time from home (best job ever!), I felt it was finally the right time to have a pooch of my very own. At first I started looking for puppies... because who doesn't love puppies, but then I realized that I just couldn't get a puppy when I knew perfectly well there were too many dogs in shelters that needed homes very badly. I admit, I was a bit bummed about the idea of getting an older dog at first, I was worried the dog would come with issues and not bond to me in the same way I was used to.
So with a little hesitance, I started searching my local pet shelter, as well as adoptapet.com and finally petfinder.com and there she was. A medium-little dog who had a quirky look about her, and was described as 1 year old, sweet natured, loving and lovable, with a flair for attracting attention with her soft features and bushy tail.
You know how they say that dogs look like their owners... well I mean come on, she's white all over, with blonde highlights, and fabulous eyeliner. My heart melted.
I drove an hour to go visit her where I met Ann and Pete, a lovely couple that have been fostering dogs for over 30 years until the dogs are able to find permanent homes. After a chat with Ann and Pete I found out that they are veg too, woot!
I met Chickpea (she was called Jodi at the time). She was super nervous of me at first, but was so soft, quiet and she watched my every move with those big adorable eyes. I took her home that day. She hid in the back of my car, but stared up at me every time I looked back at her. Nervous, but she instantly seemed to trust me. It wasn't long before she was glued to my side.
I admit at first I was a little nervous about my impromptu decision. I just adopted a life that I would have to care for, and on top of that, she sheds as if she were trying to make me a rug. Seriously. But shedding and all I knew I had found myself a new best friend. I mean just look at that smile!
Adopting a dog it turned out, was the best decision ever. Chickpea came from northern Quebec, where apparently there are many stray dog that are often left neglected, abandoned, or abused. I really think dogs know that you rescued them. My worries about adopting a dog were completely gone. She had no issues, she just needed a loving home, and with that love came instant bonding. ♥
Chickpea is so insanely smart, she was house trained, learned her name, and how to sit in 2 days. Learned how to heel on the leash in 3, and learned how to lie down, not jump up, and is getting pretty good at peeing on command even! (I tell her "washroom" as "go pee" sounds a little too similar to Chickpea). She is so quiet I have yet to hear her bark, but she is so happy and excited about life it makes every day just so much fun. I swear I can just talk to her and she seems to understand me.
Snuggling is her absolute favourite. When I watch a movie, she snuggles into my side and looks back at me like this. It's impossible not to laugh every time. She's also taken to bopping me on the nose when she wants me to wake up in the morning, which I don't think is particularly funny...
Of course, as the vegan that I am, I was worried about feeding her animal based dog food. I was surprised, and thrilled that when I called 3 different local vets they were all totally supportive of a high-quality vegan diet for dogs.
Actually, I just got back from Chickpea's first vet visit, and the doctor recommended the vegan dog food for her anyways as she seems to suffer from a bit of allergies (part of the shedding problem), and he thinks the food will help. Very, very cool. So now I am transitioning her to a vegan diet, and let me tell you, she seems as thrilled about it as I am.
She has decided this is her favourite chair, and sits looking at me like this while I type away or cook, and every time I look at her, she wags her tail. Seriously, could you be more cute!?
Feeling sappy today.
Sam.
Andrea Karsch says
So awesome! I adopted a 2 year old standard dachshund about 4 weeks ago and he gets better every day. He makes me laugh and I believe that I am his emotional support human!
Sam Turnbull says
Awww I love that! I think we defiantly support dogs emotionally as much as they support us. 🙂
Neil Turnbull says
She is a lovely and very smart dog. The time that you spent grooming her has really paid off, she looks great, is soft and fluffy, and I just bet that the hair shedding will end.
Well done Sammie, and welcome Chickpea
DAD
Sam Turnbull says
Thanks dad!
Apparently the shedding was due to her lack of grooming before me, poor diet, stress, and the hot weather, but the vet also thought it was a bit of allergies and the new food should help!
She is super soft and fluffy now for sure!
madeline says
I have a 15 year old black lab who's still going strong, and I credit her 12 year Vegan diet! Go Veg-pets (I just made that up!)!
Janet says
What brand do you use?
Sam Turnbull says
My vet recommended Royal Canin as that's what his clinic sells, and I am also trying Natural Balance. V-Dog is not yet available in Canada, but when it is I will look forward to trying that one as well 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Love it!! So happy to hear of so many healthy, happy vegan dogs. Go Veg-pets!
Joan Dillon says
She is darling. I have 4 dogs all vegan
Congratulations on your new babe
Sam Turnbull says
Yay! Congrats on your vegan pooches! Do you have any recommendations of brands of food or treats they love?
Tracy Singer says
D'awwww Yay for rescues!!! XOXOXO
Sam Turnbull says
Agree! 🙂
Becky Lane says
I love every possible element of this post. You so warmed my heart. Thank you for saving a life - and such a beautiful one, at that. 🙂 Much luck and love to you and your new little sweetheart.
xoxo
Sam Turnbull says
Aww thank YOU Becky!
Scott says
Awww, what a cutie. My girls are jealous! Love the name, too. Congratulations!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha thank you so much Scott 🙂
carmen says
congratulations !!, her name is very sweet, I feel very happy for both. we have at home 7 dogs and 5 cats; It is a bit difficult to get vegan pet food here but we try to give them a food with more vegetables than meat, plus they love fresh vegetables and fruits!
Sam Turnbull says
Wow! You have a lot of furry company, you must never get bored! I love that they eat fresh veggies and fruit! So far Chickpea is a bit picky of an eater, but likes frozen banana slices as a treat. 🙂
Becki says
I am so happy to see that another dog has been saved and placed in a safe and loving home. I have two shelties now and before I got them I had one sheltie and her name was Tazzie. She taught me many lessons about life and about treating dogs with modern medicine verses holistic (homeopathic) remedies. She had recurring ear infections and then had surgery on her ear to relieve pain and infection. We had to bring her back for a check up on her ear and since she didn't like to ride in cars I asked if she could have her annual shots while we were there. So the vet gave her the shots that she needed and she got sick the next day and we rushed her to the University Animal Hospital. She was there for a week in ICU and in a oxygen kennel. She died 6 days after receiving her shots. I learned a lot about vaccinations and the impact that they have on the immune system and that they should NOT be given if the animal is sick. Its been 9 years and I still feel the pain of not knowing that she should not have had the shots. I try to spread my story about losing my fur baby to as many people as I can in her memory.
Brenda Reinhardt says
Becki, your story broke my heart. I lost my Scrappy due to cancer when he was still very young and loosing an animal you love is always hard. But, you did not give her the shots - people who should have known better did - and they should have said 'no' to your request and told you why. And then Tassie was healed from her operation, then you could have gotten the shots. This is not your fault, but that does not make it an easier to bear the loss.
Brenda Reinhardt says
I am sorry I spelt Tazzie wrong in the above post. I hit the 's' by mistake.
Sam Turnbull says
Wow what a sad sad story... loosing our loved ones is always hard. I agree with Brenda, it wasn't your fault, so try not to beat yourself up about it. A good lesson to have learned and to spread. I will always make sure Chickpea is in full health before getting any shots. Thanks so much for sharing your story!
Heleen says
Chickpea is utterly adorable! Those eyes.... No wonder you fell in love! I hope you have a wonderful (and very, very long) life together! Enjoy!
Sam Turnbull says
Yeah she's pretty cute all right! Thank you so much Heleen 🙂
tamara ewart says
Chickpea is a very lucky girl. Good for you for adopting... Just one more reason why I love you and your blog Seriously, I've been following you for your recipes and your brave life choices. Congrats girl!
Sam Turnbull says
Aww shucks, thank you tamara! I's been an exciting adventure, I feel so lucky that I get to share it with you... and that my feet are currently being warmed by my new furry best friend 😀
sophie says
OH MY GOD SHE'S SO CUUUUUUTTTTTEEEEEEEAEHFBUZeigfhqeipruqgs! <3 <3
Sam Turnbull says
Yeah..... she's pretty cute all right. 🙂
Sandi says
So are you feeding her a particular brand of vegan dog food or making your own? My dogs will eat green beans and they absolutely love Brussels sprouts but I've never given them anything else.
Sam Turnbull says
I would be too nervous to make my own as I want to make sure Chickpea gets all of the nutrients she needs and in the right quantities. My vet recommended to me Royal Canin because that's the brand they sell in the clinic. I have also seen Natural Balance in my local pet store, and heard great things about V-Dog, which isn't yet sold in Canada, but when I emailed them, they said it will be coming soon. So I will definitely try V-Dog when it comes out! I also noticed there were many dog treats that are vegan (accidental or not).
concerned says
JUST FYI.....vet brands are garbage. like really poor quality. i would highly recommend against listening to any vet with regards to food unless they've actually done their research. they have to go out of their way to learn as it's not really taught in school. for example: my vet is all gung-ho against raw diets but her arguments are more to do with safe handling practices than anything else. i've met many dogs on raw and had my boys on raw and saw nothing but improvement despite what my vet thinks.
generally speaking, what the vets know about food they carry is what they're told by the companies that are providing them food. biased much??
here's a note - do old adage of keeping your dog on only one type of food was created by the dog food companies so you'd keep buying from them. it's actually detrimental to keep a dog on one type of food forever as it can lead to sensitivities and won't provide a healthy, balanced diet.
i've had to do a LOT of research because my dogs are allergic to so many things (including broccoli and flax). they are allergic to the hypoallergenic vet foods - previous owners were giving them this along with ridiculous levels of prednisone that actually shocked my vets and immunosuppressants.... vets treat symptoms, they do not find out the cause.
vet brands and many (many) commercial brands are about as healthy as eating lucky charms for breakfast every day. just because they've fortified them with a pile of vitamins and minerals does not mean it's actually healthy in anyways. and the quality standars that need to be met are so low.
the newest "hypoallergenic" food is now made from the very first part of a bird that any animal removes first....the feathers. i'm pretty sure the companies did not look to find a new, alternative protein for our allergic pets. i'm pretty sure they went, "hey, all of those feathers are just being thrown out. how can we profit off of them?"
yeah, garbage and my vet is telling me that's healthy.
no.
again, i would really recommend you do a lot more research just on pet foods in general. there are a lot of resources out there.
if you do eventually wish to make your own, you need to make sure it's balanced....which is a little harder to do with our pets.
there is a company out of guelph that has recipes and supplements to give a complete, balanced diet.
http://completeandbalanced.com/
i haven't tried it because, as i said, my poor pups are allergic to so much...i will have to get specific recipes for them.
sorry, i'm very into pets and proper diets. too many times i've seen people always purchasing corn-based, chemical-filled purina and science diet and it makes me so sad.
concerned says
(sorry - i just wanted to note that the previous owners of my girls were doing exactly what their vets told them to do. in no way were they diagnosing the dogs themselves. the vets put the dogs on obscenely high prednisone.)
Trish says
Seriously, seriously adorable! And good for you for adopting! We currently have four dogs ranging from 12lbs to 120lbs, plus parakeets and pet rats (all adopted). Crazy, noisy household at times, but makes us feel good that we've saved them and brought them into a secure, loving home. Puppies ... adorable, but they get adopted quickly and quite frankly, I prefer older dogs; no potting training, no chewing, and no having to constantly keep your eye on them to make sure they're not getting themselves into trouble! Lucky Chickpea for having you choose her! Beyond cute and I just love her name; suits her fabulously! Enjoy!!
Sam Turnbull says
Yes, the no potty training, no chewing, no babysitting, were all so nice!! I'm too busy for a baby, so it was great to just welcome Chickpea to her new home without her needing my full attention at all times. Haha, so happy you love her name too! It does suite her. Congrats to you and your furry family Trish, you are saving so many lives!!
Albert says
I would love to hear more about the vegan diet you are aiming for for her. I am vegan but feed my dogs a raw meat diet, ugh! I know animals are still being killed so that I can feed my dogs.
I have read tons about how you should not feed dogs vegan, so your your insight would be really great on that topic, thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
I'm not a doctor of course so make sure you check with your vet. But the way I see it is for every anti-vegan dog article there is also a pro-vegan dog article, which is why I was a little sceptical myself. I decided the best bet was to call around local clinics and ask the doctors myself. I was pleasantly surprised that not only did all my local vets say it was totally doable, but they didn't even seemed that phased by the question. Apparently, when dogs suffer from allergies the food the give them is vegan. The funny thing is my cousin (who is a butcher) has a her dog on a vegan diet because of it's allergies. She said the pooch has never been happier or healthier! As a fun fact, the longest living dog in the world according to the Guinness book of world records was vegan. As long as you put your dog on a high-quality vegan dog food (so that all the proteins, amino acids, and everything else they need are balanced properly) your dog should thrive! Chickpea is just transitioning over right now, but so far she seems to love it 🙂
albert says
Thanks so much for your reply. I already include Spirulina, fish oil, tumeric, eggs in their raw meat diet, and knowing what we do about what nutrients humans need, it is not hard to do the same for dogs. I wouldnt feed a commercial brand as I know from inside contacts that they are not in it for the betterment of your animal. I know a rep for Ryal Canin... they have had issues and are scrambling to get out of them still. Its a profit game for them, so be super nosey about what ingredients are included.
I think I will slowly cut back on the meat until it is 100% veggie, etc. Thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
Yes, interesting to consider. I noticed there were sweet potato treats in the pet store, that were simply dried sweet potato and they charged $8 for it! I decided I should make my own for a fraction of the price. I am hoping V-Dog is a better company, as it is operated and owned by vegans. I can only imagine they have the animals best interest at heart.
Arlene Cohen says
Congratulations, Sammi. You are in for 15 + years of happiness and joy with Chickpea. So happy for the two of you and can't wait to meet her. I'd be delighted to be her Auntie Arlene. xo
Sam Turnbull says
And Auntie Arlene you shall be! I know you will love her 🙂
Arlene Cohen says
I already do. Chickpea Turnbull.
Patricia says
Congratulations! Sweet, smart, beautiful and vegan... matchy-matchy!
Thanks for all your great recipes and your infectiously positive attitude. You've helped make my transition to veganism this year downright easy. 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Haha thank you so much Patricia! I'm so very happy (and flattered) to hear that. Congrats on your transition 😀
Little Vegan Bear says
Aw, she's adorable!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha yeah... she's alright I guess. 😉
Fred says
Congratulations! You two look like a great match! I am enjoying your blog. First time posting. Keep up your fabulous work!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Fred! Welcome 🙂 Thank you so much, I think we're a pretty great pair. So happy you are enjoying my blog, look forward to seeing you around 🙂
Emilie @ Emilie Eats says
She is just adorable! Congrats! I just got a kitty a few weeks ago, and totally thought about named him Chickpea. #veganproblems
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Did you? That's hilarious! What name did you end up going with? And thanks so much, I love her so much, I just wanna squeeze her all day!
Emilie @ Emilie Eats says
I ended up going with Leo, but at first I was totally going to go with something food-related. 'Cause, ya know, food. <3
Sam Turnbull says
haha! Food blogger problems... haha