I have to thank my new friend, Bea, for this entry. Her latest entry at her site got me all excited. (See my list of fav blogs in the column on the left & you'll find her.) She wrote about her dogs & the affect they have had in their family's lives. Here is how we came by OUR girls & little guy. Bea's a doggie lover after my own heart!
We belong to Bay Area Greyhound Adoption (BAGA) here in Tampa. We adopted all three of our dogs this past year...yes, in ONE YEAR...from our organization. 'Cause, as the saying goes, you never can stop at just one! (Lays' Potato Chips.)April 1st was our one year anniversary when we started with Kia.
Kia is a beautiful red fawn greyhound with a black mask, who was timid & never wished to race. We had asked to foster to adopt a grey that would get along with cats. We have one indoor cat who is declawed. (Boo the Cat is another story in the making!) But the day we picked up Kia was the day that BAGA was having their semi-annual picnic in Al Lopez Park. I recall when we got her, I kept asking Linda, our BAGA president, if it was indeed ok to walk her around with me. She said, "Sure, go ahead, she's yours." See, that felt funny to me because we'd just had a home inspection for the adoption. It was done by one of my student's parents, Stacy, who is a BAGA mom & member herself. So I couldn't really believe we were being "allowed" to adopt this wonderful, graceful creature, and that I could move around with her!
When it came time to go home, Keith & I walked across the park. A birthday was going on at a picnic shelter. Balloons started whipping in the wind. Kia bolted, but fortunately was leashed. She was the most shy & skittish dog I'd known up to then. Kia didn't know what to make of our mini-van. She didn't know how to get up in it. I had to gently lift her front paws up, then her back paws. I rode in the back with her while Keith drove. She just leaned against me more & more with each turn we made. I just held her & talked softly to her, calling her "my girl". And from that day forward, she has been MY girl. Oh, she loves "Daddy", but won my heart first, thanks to that ride home together. Her ears go up & she turns her head anytime I speak. She has always been jealous for my attention, & when we adopted our other dogs, she insisted on continuing to be the "top dog". Her proudest achievement? It just happened about a week ago. She finally gotover her timidity & learned how to open the screen door with her nose to come back in. She was bursting with pride! Instead of walking in, she bolted in, hopping up & down & wagging her tail as if to say, "Look at me! Look at me! I finally did it!" Then, of course, she expected her favorite treat times two for THAT accomplishment!
Next...sometime in June... came Krissy who'd been adopted a year prior by a very young girl (teens or twenties) who didn't want her when it came time to move to California. So she returned Krissy to BAGA. When Krissy was returned to BAGA, she was too skinny & afraid of other dogs, especially small dogs. Our youngest son whispered to me, insisting we had to take her home. Our friends, Emily & Lynn, were slated to be her foster moms. But our son said we HAD to have Krissy to help her. He felt so sorry for her. He didn't like how skinny she looked & he has a big caretaker's heart. Emily was so sweet & told us we could have her if we wanted her. After Krissy had her vet visit, they gave her to us. Our girl's search for a new home stopped. She'd won our hearts already.
Now Krissy's our tomboy...racing along the doggy beach at Davis Islands. Her spirit is back. A "Born Free" dog. She WAS a racing dog & two years since being sent to BAGA, she still has the love of racing in her heart. She's a fawn also, but she is a true light brown fawn. (I prefer to think of both girls as blondes since I am! ha!) The first time we took Krissy to the doggy beach...and a few more times afterward...she would freeze & not move on the beach when we entered the gate. "Daddy" would have to coax her. Now she knows that the beach means finding her friends that like to race her. She knows it means getting to swim in the water when she starts to get hot. "Daddy" has filmed her several times while she's racing. She looks like a regal princess, head held high & looking as if she could take on the world!
"Daddy" also takes them to a smaller neighborhood doggy park every day of the work week. It's the funniest thing! Krissy can't wait for me to get out the door in the mornings when I leave to teach. I swear that if she were able, she'd dress me herself, shove my books in my arm, hand me my coffee, and butt me out the door. The best she can do is roo at me to leave AND butt me with her head as if to say, "Would you get out of here already???!!" You should see the disappointment on her face..the resignation...when it's a day she can't go. Boy, does she pout when "Daddy" has to travel. She'll even challenge the rainy days!
Come November, last but not the tiniest bit least (yes, pun intended...)...
Lenny was a fluke. He's an Italian greyhound (IG--Iggy). A blue & white one. BAGA doesn't adopt out Iggys as a rule. Someone just asked our organization to take him. Jonathan & Sharon were his foster parents. Jonathan hoped that it wasn't just anyone who got him. He & Sharon still hoped to see him now & then, so they were excited when we took him. It was Kathy's fault, really! She's one of our other volunteers, and so much like our "PTA mom of the clothes closet". She makes coats for our greys, as well as some bandanas. Kathy walked up with Lenny in her arms that day & I just know she did it on purpose, of course. (HA!) I recall teasing her one time & telling her not to show me any other dogs!
Iggys have energy & they are compared to cats--curious, mischievous. Lenny made himself at home. He found the stuffing in the couch pillow. He discovered "Daddy's" peanut butter energy bars he used for marathons. And we couldn't say a thing to blame him! Don't you know that pillows are the equivalent of squeaky doggy toys?? And don't you know how much doggies loooove peanut butter?? It all made perfect sense, of course to all of us.
We were told a man who was one of his previous owners or had been around him had kicked him. They also had him bungy-corded to the sofa so he couldn't get into anything. Due to kicking, it was felt Lenny might not take to men. Let me tell ya...he's Keith's buddy through & through. When Keith goes out of town, he chews his nails & cuddles up with me. He sits in "Daddy's" space on the couch & sits up & cries. He sneaks in to sleep with me. Any other night you'd find him curled up in his little round bed on top of the Lazyboy seat. Oh...and you certainly can't forget the most important thing of all...Lenny must be covered up at night! He loves his blankie. And Heaven forbid he get up to get a drink of water because then "Mommy" is expected to get up & cover him up again! Gee...what a lovin' hoot he is! When I told Kathy,she made me laugh when she told me we've created our own little monster, spoiled as he is! Do I really care to be awakened? Not in the least. It took him a bit to trust us. He still doesn't entirely like having to get into his crate before we go somewhere. He used to stay outdoors after "doing his business", seated just out of grasp, not willing to come in. Now if he decides to have a stubborn day, he just waits for us & then rolls over on his back. We have to sometimes wonder if this is related to his fear of being kicked or punished for something. There are still times when he's skittish or runs to hide behind the chair when he's done something wrong. Like the time Keith came into the living room to find my knitting yarn wrapped all around the dining room & across the living room, so tangled beyond repair that I had to throw it all away. "Daddy" just said, "Oh, boy! Just wait until Mom gets home!" Then he left it just like that for me to see when I walked in the door. It really looked too funny to be mad. Lenny's never been yelled at or punished by us. In return we get the most picture-perfect moments of snuggles & loads of love pouring from those puppy eyes. My favorite pictures are of Keith & Lenny asleep, nose to nose. One is where they are lying down on the couch, Lenny cuddled up in Dad's arms. The other is on the bed with both of them laid out full length...but still nose to nose. Two buddies who have a bond...an understanding.
Our sons always want to know about every funny thing our greys do when they're not home. Every story is relished, no matter how small. And when the boys come in the door, they are given an enthusiastic welcome....all 12 paws-worth!
We started out with it in mind to rescue some greys...our girls & boy.
Instead, they rescued US!
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