Gracie, Carole Gruenewald’s puppy, was left in a field with a broken leg when she was only three months old. Before being discovered and taken to a shelter by a stranger, Gracie’s first owner abandoned her there to perish.
“They tried to do a surgery to fix [Gracie’s leg], but it was too far gone so they ended up amputating,” Carole said.
With only three legs, most people did not think Gracie was suitable for adoption—all but Carole.
“She’s a one in-a-million dog, she really really is,” according to Carole, who adopted her during a trip to the shelter.
After a while, Carole started looking for something they could do together. She enrolled Gracie after seeing someone providing training in nose work.
“When we first started, it was just for fun,” according to Carole.
She eventually started entering Gracie in contests across the nation, where the dog won.
One of the best nose work dogs in the nation right now is Gracie. She is one of a select few people who can stand on three legs.
“Never underestimate the heart of a champion,” Carole said. “It’s hard for me to put into words what a special dog she is.”
But maybe two will do: Amazing Gracie.
