The other day I got a notification from Facebook to look back on some memories from that day in the past. Turns out that day was the day, 2 years ago, that Emrys came to stay with us. Growing up we never had a dog...my parents only got a dog when I left for college. So having Emrys come stay with us was a big deal. What was supposed to be a temporary arrangement turned into a forever home for a little guy. This is going to sound crazy - but from the first time I met Emmy back in 2012 visiting Zach's parents for the first time....we were friends. He would always come sit with me, cuddle me, etc. I didn't think anything of it at the time. But when he came to stay with us, he definitely crawled up in my heart and stayed there. So loosing him was horrible.
It was only about 2 weeks between losing Emmy and adopting Sweetie but it felt like ages. All I wanted was for someone to give me a dog. I went to a few shelters and all the dogs seemed too much for me to handle. I talked to a breeder of Corgis and it just seemed like I was going to be alone for a long time. It seemed like I'd never have a fur ball in my life again. I'd find a dog on a shelter site that I liked, they'd always end up being adopted. (Which was wonderful, but when was I going to find my dog?)
I went to a shelter by my work, only to find out that the dog I saw online had been adopted. I decided to look anyway..... and there she was. A super cute, lemon colored female dog estimated to be about 1-2 years old. I was told by the workers there that she was really sweet, kept her kennel clean, etc. Honestly it was like 'why was she even dropped off here?'
I asked to see her. We went into their little visiting area and I can't express the love I felt for her right there. I'm not even exaggerating. I knew I had to apply for her. So I did. And I waited. And I was so stressed. I tried to look up reviews on the shelter - and some I saw were negative, and I got nervous. I've run into a place before where the shelter hardly ever adopted animals out....the owner apparently was like an animal hoarder! But, thats beside the point of this story.
They called me. I got her. She was mine.
I went to pick her up with a new collar and leash. I signed for her, and we walked out the door. She did not want to get in the car so I had to pick her up. We went home. I don't really remember the first few days except that I was super nervous this wouldn't work out. I didn't know what to name her - I had a name picked out for another Corgi, Sandy for a girl or Calder for a boy (my favorite artist is Alexander Calder) - but with her yellow coat I thought Sandy was too obvious. I named her Sweetie because of how frickin' sweet she is. The B initial is for Zach's last name.
We went for her check up where everything initially went fine. I was told, however, that she was in heat.....and I could be having puppies on my hand come a few months. She turned out healthy though. Over the next few days, however, she developed a horrible case of kennel cough. They even thought it might be the dog flu. I remember her sneezing and having to clean the snot out of her nose. Have you ever seen a dog with a snotty nose? Neither have I! She was just so sick. We took her to the vet twice. We got a few rounds of antibiotics, got her some fattening wet food, and she got better. Like night and day better. I honestly thought I was going to lose her. I also thought that if something was seriously wrong, I couldn't just give her back. I got her, I looked her in the face and told her she was mine, I couldn't just give her back. But I didn't know if I could go through something crazy again like losing another dog. But like I said, she got better!
So then I had to do all the things you do with a dog....like train them! I will tell you - she got on my last. damn. nerve. Everything was a struggle. She would potty on the floor at night by the door to the bedroom. She would get into. every. damn. thing. She wouldn't listen. It was more than that though - all of this was brand new. She didn't trust me...she didn't know who I was - we had to work together on this. But she's frickin' smart. She got better at not pottying on the floor, she hasn't had an accident since I can't remember when. She stopped pooping in the spare room - I thought that was more hilarious than anything else! Every time I'd open the door...she'd poop in there. It was ridiculous. She now knows to sit, to wait, to lay down, to shake. She can be by herself and I'm not afraid she's chewing on something. We've only had 3 washi tape casualties. She loves socks. She still gets on the counter. She still jumps up on people. I'm pretty sure she loves Zach more than me. But she's very trusting now.
I also think it is hilarious how good of a guard dog she is. I named her Sweetie because of how utterly sweet she was when we met. She didn't bark & she wasn't aggressive towards me. Now that she's realized this is her home and we are her humans she's gotten to be a little bit protective!! I have to explain to people how sweet she really is while she's barking her head off. We've gotten better at that too (for the most part). If you ride your bike down the street or are in your yard while we are on a walk you're ok. If you're a group of people or you're trying to come up to me or Zach while we're on a walk....prepare to be barked at. If you come in our yard, prepare to be barked at. She's a pretty good guard dog.
The reason I'm writing this post is because today I just realized she can pretty much have the whole run of the house and she doesn't get into anything. I also found her laying in her crate earlier....just hanging out in there...which means she finally feels that it is a safe place! She's also fattened up well. She walks alright on a leash. I feel like my baby girl is all grown up.
I think it is crazy that you can train a dog and that they are so smart to know what you mean! Adopting her was hard. It really was. But she filled a hole in my hear that Emmy left. And I thought that would be weird. But I know she isn't him, I know she's got her own personality - which is so weird. That has been another thing that's been crazy to get used to - her personality. She asks for things differently (she stamps her feet when she has to poop and she just plain acts bat shit crazy). She snores when she sleeps, she takes up the whole bed, she makes little piggy snorting noises. I never thought we'd get here. I never thought that she'd be as responsible as she is. She just makes my life so much better.
Oh, and she loves the crap out of Zach......she thinks he's her boyfriend. No lie, kisses his face all day, all night, if she could.
But I also wanted to ask myself this question 'would I adopt again?' I don't know...I think I got lucky, but I also think that the dog finds you. I was very nervous about adopting since you don't know what the dog might have gone through, what might trigger something, etc. I think I got super lucky. I think she makes the perfect addition to our family.
So, meet Sweetie B.
xoxo, Moe
