Gratitude Dog Huff

A Fresh Start

I am grateful to be part of a family again. I had one a long time ago. But they got another dog and everything changed.  I was locked away and very sad. But things changed again!

I met a new human. She didn't believe that I was a bad dog and she didn't care that I was old. She decided to take me home.

I was afraid when I first came here because there was still a crate. It was a clean crate. It was inside the house which was nice because I didn’t get too hot or too cold. But I still didn’t like it.

I had to figure out what my new human wanted. That wasn’t too hard since I am a smart dog.

The main rule is no peeing in the house.  Apparently “potty outside” is a big deal to her. I had never been an inside dog before but once I understood, I could do that easy.

Another big rule is “don’t take food off the table.”  Even if  the food is for me, I still have to wait. It’s a silly rule, but I go along.

I had to tolerate a bath, but I guess I really did need one. (Don’t tell her, but I did like the way I smelled afterwards.)

Once I got the potty thing down and showed her I wouldn’t touch things on the table, she was satisfied.  She said ‘I trust you’ and took the crate away.  I was happy dog that day. My human was happy too - I don’t think she liked the crate either.

Life gets better!

Napping is important to me.  Here  I can sleep wherever I want in the house. On the wood floor. On the tile floor. On the carpet by the door. In whatever room I want!  

I even have three special places that are just for me!  

I have the pillow Aunt Terry made me which I like to keep in the living room.

I have two beds made from towels and my human’s old yoga mats -honestly she wasn’t using them that much!  I started sleeping on them and she said I looked so cute that I could have them. 

I keep one by my human’s bed and one in the back room where I feel safe during storms.

I have space to move around on my soft beds. I can change positions and stretch out my legs. My human stretches with me every morning. It’s important for her to get all her joints moving before I take her for a walk. Okay, it is probably good for me too.

I can get up and move around whenever I want! I wake up in the middle of the night and I can get a drink of water or move to an different sleeping spot.  I never thought that was a big deal, until it was taken away from me.

The Promise

Sometimes I forget that I don’t have to live in the garage. I shrink back when my human wants to go in there. But she reassures me that I am house dog now and promises I will never be a garage dog again.  I trust her, so I go with her. She has never made me go in there by myself and she never leaves me alone in there. But I am much happier when we leave the garage - together. She pets me and tells me I am a good dog. She thanks me for going in the garage with her and being so brave to trust her.

Best of all

I am grateful to be part of  a family again. I like belonging with and being close to my human. I like her to pet me and snuggle with me. I comfort her when she is upset and she comforts me when I am afraid.  I know she needs me as much as I need her. We are a good family.

 The other day I overhead someone tell my human that I look a different dog now - that I look like a puppy. I think it is true. I am starting over again with a new life. I feel as happy as a puppy.   

Not bad for an old dog!