...the 1st dog-a-versary

on September 30, 2008, I read this post on MM's blog...

as a long-time animal rescuer, my heart just went out to this dog...
who seemed doomed to be captured by "animal control" & "put down"...

over the previous 6 months or so...
I'd found myself drawn to similar doggy plights on TV...
and to my complete surprise [as a total "cat person"]...
I had found myself wanting a dog...

realizing, of course, that it would have to be a canine, "sent by God"...
because of the aging herd of feline quirkiness I am "staff" to...
and because I had never lived "with" a dog...
not inside the house, where they could "get into things"...

my house was "cat-proofed",[as much as one can be...]
but I had NO idea what dogs would get into...
chew on, tear-up or hurt themselves with...

so as my desire to have a dog to walk with [I need the exercise...]
and for some protection [I live "alone" & am getting "older"...]
seemed to increase, I was quite confused...
as to how to find the right dog for my situation...

so I told God,"If You want me to have a dog...
send the perfect one for me, and make it very clear to me..."
and promptly forgot about it...
until, September 30, 2008 when I read MM's post...

I was instantly consumed with an over-whelming desire to help...
and e-mailed her that I could at least house the dog until a home was found, if they couldn't get it into a rescue...
thinking that it could stay in the back yard...
not realizing that the fence was literally falling down...

the next day, I got the phone call that my help was needed...
as the rescues were all full and there was no other choice...
[at this point, I hadn't told MM that I had been wanting a dog...
she knows how many cats I have & I was afraid that she'd think that I was nuts...]

so on October 1, in the evening, I drove out to the place in the country...
where they had taken the dog for that day, [it couldn't stay there...]
I met the dog, who seemed very sweet, quiet and sad...
she hopped into my car, looked longingly at the GTs...
[who would have kept her in a minute if they could have...]
and we drove back to Mudville, about 40 minutes...

as we neared my house, I began to realize...
that the backyard might not contain her...
so I decided to try taking her inside...
figuring that she could spend the night in the bathroom, if need be...

the rest, as they say, is history...



she walked in shyly...
the cats looked first at her, then at me...
nobody barked or chased...
nobody hissed or puffed their tail...

no growling of any kind...
just some hesitant sniffing & nose touching...
I stayed with them as they sized each other up...
then went about feeding & other evening things...

by the time it was time for bed, I decided to try letting them "co-habit"...
I took "Molly"[that name just came to me...] out...
then settled her on an old rug & went to bed...

it was a peaceful night...

I knew that she was the one and was really pleased...
to be able e-mail MM that I was keeping her...



I took her to DP for a bed, collar, toys & etc...
which she liked, but was still unsure about me...



she was not at all food aggressive...
as you can see Thomas helping himself with impunity...



but as she became more comfortable...
she would yip at any cat bold enough to go near her "batcave"...
especially when she was chewing a pig's ear or her favorite toy...



she went to the vets to be spayed, having to wear the E-collar...
here she's enjoying the back yard, before the new fence...



this it my favorite backyard picture of her...
there's a "cat-door" into the garage [also used by possums...]
which she could only get her head in...
especially while wearing the E-collar...



here she is, "on guard"....
having taken over a cat perch that looks out the LR window...



here we are on a walk in the park, late last fall...
before the accident that has taken a long time to get past...



and on the couch with her favorite toy...



after the Holidays, I got her a crate to better contain the "batcave"...
and to help train her not to go crazy when someone comes to the door...
she sleeps there and stays there when I'm gone...
allowing the kitties maximum food time...
[she is a cat food junky and will slurp it down in 2 seconds...
then they have none...]



her favorite spot other than the "batcave"[she really seems to like it...]
is her "fireside snuggy nest"[a favorite place for chewing or napping...]
that is, when she's NOT up on the cat window seat, "on guard"...



and most recently, at a training session...

I'm struggling with a bad arthritic spell right now...
but as the weather cools, the worst pain goes away...
so we'll be out walking again, regularly, very soon now...

having a dog has been a very different experience than "staffing" cats...

I've had to face many issues & personal growth situations with the dog...
that I wouldn't have had to deal with otherwise...
things that I had no idea were in existence, have surfaced...
and the messages that I get are that God has sent the dog...
so that I would become aware of them & deal with them...

so now, looking back over this "dog year"...

I am thankful...

for Molly, who has added a whole other joyful & musical aspect to my existence...
for the kitties & their patience...
for the chance to change into a better person...
to God, for providing all these things & the grace to grow...

Molly & I would also like to thank again, Miz Minka & Mr.Greenthumb...
for "rescuing the perishing" last year...
and helping Molly find her place...
here, with me & the kitties...

thanks so much...

God is good, all the time...