gone to the dogs (alternative title: love is a many splendored thing)

this sweet girl is ruby.  she was a rescue dog.  she was a breeder surrender.  and although i think that she was not abused and was basically kennel potty trained.  and i think that most of her basic needs were met - food, water, shelter - i think that one was not.

love.

when she came she was timid.  had a bit of a funky odor to her (no, it was not flatulence.  that is entire different story.  ahem.).  she seemed to have some muscle atrophy in her hind quarters.  she did not know how to go up, or down, stairs.  she did not bark or growl.  her fur seemed dull.  her eyes had a sadness to them.  she had no interest in treats.

but there was something about her.  something that drew us each to her.  and her to us.  her & i became good buddies quickly...me being home during the day was good.  i would sometimes carry her on my shoulder like a baby.   the girls and i taught her to go down the stairs to the basement.  before she would sit at the top of the stairs until we came back up. 

fast forward almost 8 months:

this lil dog is very active - we call her "wiggle tooshie" because of the way her hind end goes when she is excited.  she walks with more confidence.  the funky odor is gone.  her fur shines.  her eyes sparkle.  she loves being a lapdog.  or couch dog.  or middle-of-the-bed dog.  we have also met her basic needs.  the girls take turns feeding her.  watering her.  giving her a treat to "kennel up" (we often call her a "treat seeking missile" now!).  taking her out to be a "business doing dog" (although sometimes she does not let us know she needs to go out and will go in the girls' bathroom and poop - but at least it is the "right" room, right?!).

but what i think has made the most difference:

l.o.v.e.

between the 4 of us, i think that we may over-indulged her in that need.  but that's okay.  sometimes you have to make up for it.  we are all together a family.  oh, and the cat, too.

in the past couple days i have finished a book that had a dog as one of the main character.  it is called "lost & found" written by author jacqueline sheehan.  it was good.  so good that last night i stayed up way past my bedtime to finish it.  way past.  and then today the girls & i went to the movie "marmaduke" ( we love the kids' summer movie series - cheap admission and free popcorn!).  talking dogs and cats was right up our alley!  it was a very sweet, funny and engaging story.  will it win any big theatrical awards?  no.  but it was a winner to us pet lovers!