Thursday, February 25, 2021

And Let Them Run In Pairs

After losing Bella and Tulip, my wife and I were really needing the quiet.  We were able to go to a hotel, leave town and not have to make arrangements to do things.  But, we actually, didn't really go and do a whole lot.  We didn't just get away or make late dinner dates that would have kept us out all hours.  We are just in a different phase of our lives I assume... oh, and Covid.  But one thing was certain, we were going to stay dogless for awhile.  And when we finally do get a dog, it will be a single dog.


Yeah, that idea was fleeting after we brought Ginger home.  Love can be expressed in many ways.  Heck, I'm a touchy person and it would be unusual for you to see me out and about for more than 30 minutes without be holding the wife's hand.  For Ginger, it's a little needy and possessive but loving.  And that seeking attention, affection and stimulation had me wondering if she needed a sister.


What do you know?  A few days later Kerry sees a photo on the AHome4Spot Facebook page.  The dog, Bubblegum (which we think came from some being stuck in her hair when they found her) had similar fear issues and had seen her share of abuse.  Foster situations weren't working well for her and she was about to be moved to a new foster home.  The photo we saw was this one:




Weighing in 1 pound more than Ginger, this dog definitely screams cute.  And screaming was what Kerry did when she saw the photo on my phone.  We made the call.  We waited a few days and were able to arrange to see her.  Now, there was some trepidation.  She had run out the front door of a previous foster home, can be snippy if you try to comb her hair (but has never broken the skin), becomes very protective of those she bonds with where she might bark at you upon approach until she recognizes you and, lastly, she can bark when you raise a hand (sometimes even waving.)  But, that worry was overblown.  She is loving and cuddly.




We have some hurdles to overcome and I expect Cookie (yes, changed the name again) to be another source of joy for us.  She is possibly a better walker than Ginger.  It's been 3 days, now.  The girls get along very well (except when there isn't enough lap for them to sit in.)  I can actually say that the heart of our family feels really full in a good way right now.  I can't ask for anything more.


9 Pounds Of Love

 

 There is something about the quiet moments in life.  Sometimes we yearn for them when the cacophony of daily life overwhelms us.  Other times what others would call a peaceful calm drives us crazy with the stillness around us.  I liken the last one to the sitting in a noise reduced room for a prolonged period of time where your breathing and heart beat are the only sounds... well, other than the voices in your head, right?


We've been feeling a lot of the latter.  A home where you are awakened by furry family members (no, not David) needing to go potty or wanting to eat.  One where you are greeted with licks and "hold me" looks.  With my work schedule changing randomly, I found too many of the quiet moments and started looking at rescuing a dog.


We started by going to an event on the other side of town.  Things have changed for animal adoption during Covid and many pets are being fostered away from a main facility.  So, a weekly "gathering" of these fostered pets allow you to see what little wet noses are available.  About a week after looking around, calling and meeting some dogs, Kerry saw a photo.  Well, this one:



As you can see in the photo, she loves sitting in the sun with a margarita in her paws (maybe not true as we have yet to see her indulge.)  Kerry's reaction was that we "have to call about her now!"  We did.  Arranged a Saturday meeting and asked to be put on the list to see her (kind of a new thing too.)  We were told she had fear issues.  And it was evident that she bonded with her foster mom.  So, that was Laren and in the end we didn't get Laren.




We got Ginger.  Ok, it was Laren but I have to tell you something.  Naming a dog is a personal thing and you want that connection.  They were also saying it like Lauren and that's just confusing as hell as we kept saying it wrong before even meeting her.  Our recent food experiments included a cauliflour fried rice (plus shrimp or pork) and the wife has found a new appreciation for ginger root.  So the word was there in Kerry's brain when we were meeting her.  She whined all the way home (Ginger not Kerry.)  But has really settled in.


We bought a bunch of throw blankets for her.  As we found out, her favorite way nap is to crawl under the blanket and roll herself up like a burrito.  This has led us to set a new ground rules for jumping on beds or sofas as there may be 9 lbs. of love beneathe you.  She is also a power walker.  Anyhow, if you wind up looking into pet adoption in the area, definitely consider AHome4Spot.  Good people and a provider of good new memories.



Monday, February 15, 2021

A Time Comes For All Paws

You've been there before.  Weeks, months or maybe years knowing that the end is coming.  For Tulip, it was a progressive slide  from thyroid issues, going deaf, dementia, possible blindness, balance issues to sleeping 90% of the day.  We treated every day as the last.  Often we would just check to see if she was breathing...which isn't sounding optimistic.

On January 5th, the dog that made me a better human and forever made me want to rescue other animals scared my wife.  I heard a shout from the living room and found Tulip going into seizures.  I tried CPR.  After what seemed like an eternity (but was probably 8 to 10 minutes) she stopped shaking.  We knew that it was time and that she wouldn't be able to survive another one.  All 3 of us went to say our goodbyes.

What we didn't understand is that having your surviving dog pass makes for an eerily quiet home.  You keep seeing reminders.  It is almost like you mourn the first dog, Bella, all over again while feeling guilty about how both dog's passing affected you differently.  All I know is that we gave them...no, they gave us more than we could ever ask.  We must loved them all we could.