|
Cali, An Adoption Story
Submitted by Patrice, Pound Puppy Rescue Adopting Family |
Cali |
|
Timing is everything. As Patrice explains, her search for a puppy was put on hold after she read the book "Before and After Getting Your Puppy" and decided she just wasn't quite ready for all the responsibilities a puppy brings. With some time and fate, PPR matched up Patrice with the perfect dog for her.
It had been a few years that my beloved “Nicky” passed away when in December 2004, I was feeling as if I was ready for another dog. I saw a posting for an adoption event at a local Pet Food Express and met volunteers from Pound Puppy Rescue. I was encouraged to purchase “Before and After Getting Your Puppy” by Ian Dunbar since it had been many years since I had a puppy. I went home and read the book which promptly scared the pants off of me! I had forgotten all the work it takes to raise a puppy. Potty training, crate training, socializing, puppy training classes... but I wasn’t worried because there were so many interested adopters at the event I figured I probably wouldn’t be selected anyway. |
|
A few days later I was notified that PPR wanted to adopt one of the puppies to me! YIKES! I told the volunteer that after reading the book I decided I wasn’t quite ready. One of the main reasons PPR encourages adopters to read the book and “sleep on it” is because it is much better to realize this before taking a puppy home than after. So, for two months I was “Auntie” to all my friend’s dogs and was quite content playing and running with their dogs.
As fate would have it PPR sent me a photo of a litter of adorable Shepherd mix puppies. I drove to the event convinced I was going to “just look” at the puppies. After all, visions of Ian Dunbar were still swirling in my head. My friend and I arrived at the event to see a litter of the sweetest pups I have ever seen.
They were sleeping in a jumble, one on top of the other, like a Norman Rockwell painting. My friend pointed out the female pup (I was skeptical because I had always had male dogs) and a volunteer let me hold the puppy. As the doggie gods would have it, this sweet puppy and I were meant to be. I adopted her and named her Cali.
Cali was of course a very smart dog and learned quickly. She has become such an integral part of my life and I couldn’t imagine my life without her. Cali’s quirky trademarks include always having to have a toy in her mouth and the ridge which forms on her back when she is worried. One of her most endearing features is that she has body image issues. She weighs 57 pounds and thinks she is a little lap dog! It is known by all who visit that inviting Cali onto the couch next to them will result in Cali turning around and slyly backing up and sitting straight up on their laps. She is content to stay there, oblivious to the fact that she blocks views and cuts off circulation!
I have since adopted another dog “Bailey” who was found on the freeway. Bailey integrated perfectly into our family and looks similar to Cali. They are great friends and love to play together all day. I will forever be grateful to the volunteers of Pound Puppy Rescue for matching up the perfect dog for me!  |
Cali, 57 lbs. and still a “little lap dog”!
|
|
|
