Happy Fourth!

My friend Andy brought Charlie up to Vermont when he picked up his own pup, Truman, from Golden Huggs. Those two boys have been together since they were first rescued, so they definitely bonded.

Andy called up the morning of the Fourth to see what our plans were, and he and Nathaniel decided to come over for our BBQ and to reunite Truman and Charlie.

I wish I had recorded their first reunion - it was the sweetest thing in the world. I took Charlie outside, and he and Truman locked eyes and it was like a slo-mo scene in a movie - they galloped toward each other and collided and immediately clacked teeth and started playing. They chased each other around the yard all evening - and they wouldn't leave each other's sides! It was adorable. They were such happy pups!

Here are just a few photos of the two boys - along with a couple of the most amazing sunset. Happy Fourth indeed :-)


You have the kong... no, no you have the kong... no, I insist, the kong is yours...


Uncle, Uncle!!


Kisses!


In unison...

Baby's First Fourth

Our neighbors are celebrating Fourth of July a little early and setting off some fireworks. I took Charlie out on the shorter leash so that I could keep him close to me in case they made him antsy.

Not only did they make him antsy, but he went into some serious anxiety - tail curled between his legs, walking low the ground, pulling harshly on the leash to get away from the noise. I just sat there and held him for awhile as I tried to calm him down. Then I attempted to walk around a bit to see if he would realize that he's safe and it's OK. Mom was there with us and she was extremely helpful as well, but he wouldn't budge. So I carried the baby back pretty close to the house - though it was tough to carry a 30 pound dog in from the fields. So I put him down, also at the suggestion of my mother, and he high-tailed right onto the porch and sat down in front of the door.

It makes me sad to know that noises like that frightened him as much as they did - God only knows what sorts of things he experienced to make him respond like that. We were talking with the vet earlier, and mom asked, "Well, and maybe we don't know, but do you think they remember? Y'know, the bad stuff?" And without hesitation, the vet responded, "absolutely." And I'm sure he'll have moments, such as tonight, where he has a panic attack and falls back into his former life. But I also know he's beginning to have moments of clarity - moments where he realizes that he's safe and loved now. And I am so, so grateful that he knows that our house is safe and that he knows that's where he should be.

Now he's following me very, very closely around the house. This also makes me grateful - he's realizing that I will keep him safe, and that I'm his person. I was just in the kitchen cleaning up the leftovers from dinner and I look down to see Charlie sitting just a hair away from me, staring intently outside. It's such a strange array of emotions - I get teary eyed for so many reasons: that he was treated so fucking poorly, but that I also get the chance to give him a new life, and that he's already turning into a new, happy, playful dog. It sounds so cheesy that I get weepy over this, but I can't help it. A friend of my categorized me pretty well the other day: not so rational but very emotional - and that's not necessarily a bad thing.

I have a lot of work ahead of me, but it's a blessing that I get to do this for this dog. And it's a blessing because he makes me so happy and full.

I'm ready for my closeup

Just received an email from Golden Huggs - apparently Charlie (formerly known as Eisenhower, or Ike) makes an appearance on Last Chance Highway on Animal Planet!

So keep an eye out for my golden baby :-)

Meet Charlie

This is my new (and first) dog: Charlie. Well, not my first dog, but he's actually mine as opposed to my family's. He was rescued off the streets down south and sent to a kill shelter before Golden Huggs, a fabulous non-profit golden lab rescue organization, saved him from the shelter and sent him into foster up north - where I met him and fell head over heels.

He is, without a doubt, one of the sweetest dogs I have ever met. He barely makes a peep, but more and more I see him breaking out of his shell. He's actually starting to bark like a real dog, and he's playing more than when I first met him just a couple weeks ago.

He's just starting to get used to "Come!" and "Sit!" and "No!" but he's great on a leash. He's kind of like a little kid with A.D.D. so treats are an absolute MUST.

It breaks my hear to think about what he went through before now - when he eats he lies down and that's a sign of a beaten down dog. It's too sad! But he's slowly gaining more confidence, and he knows he's safe now.

And so my journey begins. I have so much to teach him, and I know he has things to teach me and I can't wait to strengthen our already developing bond.

Stay tuned.