...can I have some more?
Coulee has the best bowels of any dog I have ever met. Unfortunately these last few days, she has had the first diarrhea of her life. So she is on a pumpkin only diet for the day and she is not very happy about it. She was even willing to risk Lu's wrath to ask Marlin for dinner.
As you can see she is still begging!
The girls rarely play with toys together. But I've discovered if I also get in on the game, I can get them both to tug at once and not even quite realize they are playing with each other. They think they are playing with me. Then when I let go, they will play briefly together.
Apparently though, Coulee doesn't think it is much of a competition. "I don't even need to hold on or pay attention, I can just stand on it."
"Yawn! I can even do this while taking a nap."
Amanda, the corgi kids and Boone listed their favourite things and suggested we do the same. So here are the best things ever according to Lacey and Coulee.
I drove Grace out to Cranbrook today so she could catch her flight to her new home tomorrow. I drove to Cranbrook, had a brief visit with my Dad and his wife, handed Grace over to another volunteer who is keeping her for the evening and delivering her to the airport tomorrow, bought a new daycare toy and then drove home with a brief stop to photograph a windmill. I'm exhausted. Is 6 p.m. too early to go to bed?
The Prairie Dog Canine Rescue hosted an adoption fair today. They had 12 dogs from their rescue adopted including Jackie. It was a really good day.
It was really hard to say goodbye to Jackie. It has been really hard to say goodbye to every dog that we have fostered. I was thinking about it today... Why is it so much harder to say goodbye to a rescue dog than it is to a friend's dog that you look after, or a client's dog no longer requires your services?
Is it because you may never see them again? I don't think so. I've had clients move away and while I was sad to see them go, I didn't cry every time I thought about it.
Is it because you aren't sure they are going to a good home? I don't think this is it either. I know the rescue does the best they can to match the right dog up with the right family and will often turn down applications because it isn't the right fit.
I think it is so hard because I'm afraid I'm sending them the message that they weren't good enough.
Every one of these dogs have been told at least once in their life, if not more, that they aren't good enough. They've either been left behind in a cardboard box, or dropped off in the country somewhere, or abandoned at a kennel, or given away because they've had a baby, or are moving, or... It doesn't matter what the reason is, it comes down to the fact that their owner no longer considers them a priority and that they aren't worth fighting for.
I know life isn't black and white and that some people have some really legitimate reasons for having to find their dog a new home. I get that. I really do. But that sure doesn't seem to be the majority and I'm shocked and annoyed by the number of dogs that come into rescue that people really haven't cared about.
I'm scared that Jackie will think that despite the love we gave her and she gave us, despite all the cuddles every night, and despite the fun we had, that when it came down to it, she wasn't good enough for us. When the fact is, she was more than good enough. She was great. We were never meant to keep her forever. We were just meant to keep her safe until she could find someone that needed her as much as she needed them. I just hope she knows that.
Can you see it?
This is Lacey's sister Maggie. We definitely got the runt of the litter.
Jackie is about as close to perfect as a dog can get. She barely barks (and only after my 2 have been going on, and on and on. I bet she wouldn't bark at all without anyone encouraging her!), she loves to snuggle, she loves to run, she completely ignores our cat, she is good with kids, she is quiet and calm in the house, she plays with dogs of all temperaments, sizes and ages and she has a pretty long fuse.
The only time I've ever seen her act inappropriately is over a toy. But in the few weeks she has been with me she only had 3 episodes in the first week and only 1 episode this week - and that was after putting up with a pushy puppy all day long at daycare. I could hardly blame her! And when I say "episode", I mean a quick snark that is all bark and no bite.
She really better get adopted this weekend at the adoption fair. I'm not sure how anyone could meet her and not fall in love. I think she would fit in well with just about anyone - a family, a single person, an active person, a couch potato, a young person, an old person, as a second pet, or as the only pet. She would be anything you want her to be. All she wants, is to be with you.
