8.7.11

I know two people in the last two days who have adopted furry four legged canines from animal rescues into their families, and it makes my heart all warm and fuzzy thinking about our own little rescued dogs.


As I type this, I'm surrounded in bed by the three chocolate labs we call our own. A friend of mine thinks that we are nuts--we won't let our kid sleep in our bed, but our three labs, well, they've got total rule.


There's nothing wrong with getting your dog at a pet store or a breeder (well, okay, there often times is, but that's not the point of this entry), so long as you are madly in love with that dog, and you give it warmth, and food, and lots of love. An occasional bath and brush doesn't hurt. A walk is always divine, and a tennis ball tossing session, well that's just about as great as it gets for a dog. 


But rescued dogs, they're a different kind of animal to bring into your home--literally. I often times look at our three and hope that the love I give them in pets and kisses somehow makes up for the crap life they had before.


Cooper was left tied to a tree, his coat sunburned and his ears covered in fly bites, the scars of which are still there in the form of bare patches on those ears. His separation anxiety in the early days was so bad, we'd take him in the car with us everywhere--grocery store, dinner with friends. Heck, he went to Greg's work every day for a year!


Fisher was one of 120 dogs at some kind of puppy mill run by a crazy old lady with dementia. Neglected and with little to no human contact, he was (and still often is) so leery of humans.


We lost our Zoe a few years back, but she was a wanderer, and her family let her wander so many times, the folks that picked her up decided she shouldn't go back, and took her to a rescue where she came home with us.


Now we have Tulip, who was incredibly loved before she came to us, but was a bit of handful in that family's situation. Now she's our handful! 


We have some dog rescue friends who are just magnets for stray animals. They are currently giving a home to six labs, but have seen countless animals make warm beds at their feet over the years.


I think about how incredibly lucky these dogs are--and these two that just went home with new families this weekend--you'll know, new dog owners. When you look in their eyes as you rub their ears and offer a treat...they are madly in love with you right back, and they are incredibly grateful that you...picked them. 


And then one day, you'll wonder if it wasn't the other way around. You're the lucky one, that they picked you.

Happy, lucky, not-tied-to-a-tree, grateful Cooper.