A Dog's Prayer: "Treat me kindly, my beloved friend, for no heart in the entire world is more grateful for your kindness than mine. Don't be angry with me for long, and don't lock me up as punishment. After all, you have your job, your friends and your entertainment. I only have you."
Hi Donna,
You are most welcome to share the latest installment of the "Poppy's Great Adventures in Ottawa" series. She is just the best little girl; I say that with absolutely no bias. Let me know if you would like some pictures to accompany her tail.
Poppy does a fantastic job educating people about puppy mills. Naturally, the first comment I generally get when people see her is "oh my God, she's so cute with her tongue hanging out." I always take the time to explain why her tongue hangs out and soon people are horrified - many have promised to never buy from a pet store again or to tell others about Poppy's story. She has become a poster puppy (Poppy?) for rescue and anti-puppy mills; I am so proud of her. (But you'd never have guessed that right?)
I hope all is well with you and your family. I've no doubt that, in the past year, you've saved many other wonderful and deserving (though aren't they all?) dogs. I am enjoying fostering. Not so much the giving the dogs up but I love having three Chis. My current foster is a permanent placement from Hopeful Hearts. In early April I was asked to take Libby in as a short-term foster as she only had days to live; she has a grade IV heart murmur and, sadly, was in a final stage of renal failure. After a heart breaking first week where I thought I was going to lose her every day, I got her on the right medications and she suddenly blossomed. Almost three months later, she is as healthy as she'll ever be. She has gained almost 1kg, eats 3x a day and runs everywhere. Libby has geriatric vestibular disease so is very funny looking with her crooked head and imbalance issues. I tell you, Donna, between my three Chihuahuas, I couldn't cobble together on healthy dog! LOL. I gotta admit, I have a soft spot for the older special needs girls. There's just something special about them, isn't there?
Please keep in touch, Donna. If you're ever in the Ottawa area, and have time to stop by, I would be thrilled to show Poppy off and I know she'd be over the moon to see you again.
Caroline
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| Apollonia (Poppy) just days before leaving us for her forever home |
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| Poppy with her big adoptive sister, Eva, another lucky rescue dog that was adopted and saved! |
Hi Donna,
I just wanted to drop you a quick line to let you know that there was a big celebration at our house today to mark Poppy's one year adoption day! Tim Bits for all!
I can't tell you what a great adventure this last year has been. Poppy has just blossomed. She is still very, very timid around new people but no longer shies away as much as she used to. She has several Chihuahua friends and an "inner people circle" she likes (not that she'd admit it!). Poppy is so wonderfully affectionate with me; nobody has ever loved me as much as she does. She snuggles up close to me every night and, first thing every morning, she pokes her little head out from under the sheets, dusts the cobwebs on her big bat ears with a vigorous headshake and immediately gives me a big kiss. Then she sighs heavily and snuggles back under the blankets until it is "up time". I love our morning ritual.
Overall, her health is great (as confirmed by her vet). The Littles spend a great deal of time in the backyard or out on walks where Poppy gets to express her dog joy; I just love that expression. She loves nothing more than to run as far as her little legs with let her and then runs back to me just as quickly. The Littles are hardly ever on leash because they are so well mannered. Let's see, she adores car rides and going to Oma & Opa's house where she doesn't get spoiled rotten. My neighbours also spoil all of the girls so she has an extended family who think she's the cat's meow.
She looooooves her food, a bit too much (she is her mother's daughter) so we watch our weight. While I monitor the kibble intake, I sometimes get muscled out of popcorn or Cheerios. Really, how can you say no to those big, beautiful brown eyes and that sad look??
Poppy, Eva and Libby - my current foster (also a Chi) - get along beautifully. Poppy and Libby sometimes get a bit jealous of one another and a hiss & spit erupts but ends just as quickly. Eva is too dignified to ever engage in a spat with anyone - though she is sometimes the victim because she is so passive.
Donna, as always, thank you for having taken such good care of my Poppy. Thanks to you, she has become the wonderful happy little girl she was always meant to be and I can't tell you how much I adore her and how thrilled I am to be on this journey with her next to me.
Take care.
Hugs.
Caroline
