The Big Black Dog Project (Logan's Legacy)
Logan's Legacy
I adopted my dog, Logan in March 2014. I lost him in February 2025, two weeks short of his 14th birthday. This project is his legacy, my way to honour his impact on my life.
Logan came from humble beginnings. In 2013, Calgary and the surrounding regions experienced devasting flooding. Logan was a victim of these floods, found unconscious in a ditch after presumably swimming for his life. He was surrendered to a rescue for rehabilitation and he began his journey to me.
When I started my search for a dog to adopt, I knew that I wanted specific things. Having volunteered in the rescue world, I noticed patterns in the dogs that took longer to adopt. I therefore made it my mission to find a dog that had these characteristics that no one wanted.
The dog I was searching for had to be large, black and not a puppy.
I found Logan after scouring all of the rescue groups, and it was a picture that his foster posted, of him squeezing himself under a table to hide from the vacuum that captured me. He was a 75 lb, 3 year old, fluffy black dog. I introduced him to my existing dog to make sure they got along, and I took him home on a 2 week trial.
Logan had baggage. He was reactive to other dogs on our walks. Planes and other objects in the sky also made him react. He wanted to chase my cat. He thought I was trying to hurt him every time I tried to address all the matting in his fur from neglect and living outside. Being confined in a crate sent him into a panic. But, even with all of these challenges, I could see how badly he wanted to please, and how grateful he was to be in a safe place.
I couldn’t return him after the two weeks. It took time and patience to help Logan through his anxieties, but he continued to try. And he made up for the difficult times by being perfect in so many other ways. He was loving, a great companion for my other dog, and he was just a gentle old soul. We understood each other. I loved him for all he had overcome.
Your life will not go unnoticed because I will notice it. Your life will not go un-witnessed because I will be your witness.
Losing Logan hit me hard. He was never a dog that demanded attention. He was happy to just be that quiet presence in my life to let me know that I wasn’t alone. I couldn’t just let him fade away to be forgotten to the world. I have a favorite quote from the movie “Shall We Dance?”
I needed a way to tell the world that my rescue boy existed, and that he made a difference and will continue to make a difference.
The Big Black Dog Project or Logan’s Legacy is a fund that I am setting up to subsidize the adoption fees of rescue dogs that need a second look, like Logan did. Dogs that are large, that are black, that are older, or that have a few behavior issues. Dogs that just need a chance and family to show them patience and love.
I have partnered with pause4change, a Calgary based dog and cat rescue, to sponsor dogs that have been waiting for a family and that meet the criteria. I will be personally funding this program and a portion of my training fees will be allocated to it. I gratefully accept donations by eft to lynnette@pupculturedogtraining.ca, but cannot issue tax receipts. Direct donations can be made at pause4change.com. Donations of $20 or more are eligible for a tax receipt. Please email them and reference the Big Black Dog Project or Logan’s Legacy to have your funds directed toward this sponsorship initiative.
Thank you for your support! I am grateful to all who help me keep Logan’s memory alive.
