Who rescued who...
Sunday, January 1, 2012 at 1:00 AM My Rescuer
It was time to find a new four-footed friend. Wicket had been gone for about 5 years. I probably could have loved a new friend sooner but my farm-boy husband and this city girl could not agree. He saw a medium outside dog and I am a total small dog on the bed person. Suddenly one day he gave in and I started looking. I thought a recued dog would be the answer to making this work for all of us rather than starting from scratch with a puppy.
I found some darling dogs online offered by Indigo Rescue. They were going to be showing the dogs at a pet store that weekend and I saw one precious golden Papillion- looking guy. I got my daughter and off we went.
The golden little angel was there, looking just like he did online, but it turned out there were complications. His foster mom might be keeping him and he did not like men. I was told he had been returned to the rescue several times for nipping husbands. Not a good idea for me and my not-feeling-up-to-snuff hubby.
As I looked around at the other adoptables, Indigo’s leader, Heather Hines, pointed out a little black Chihuahua standing with several other dogs. She said, “If you want to do something nice, think about her; no one wants her because she’s on medication for a pretty major heart condition.” I leaned down, let her smell my hand, and picked her up. While holding her and talking with the person showing her I softly pet her head, she relaxed and closed her eyes. Somehow I knew and she knew we were both done looking.
Her name was Cosetta, but the nickname Cookie had been used at her foster home. It was a week before she was brought to my home — a long week! Before she could be mine I had to get a collar and ID that included her medical info. I was impressed by the precautions Indigo required in Cookie’s best interests. I had all the required items plus toys by the time she arrived.
Cookie settled in quickly, loved her backyard jungle, and most of all loved the people she had picked. Little by little she let more of her personality come out, winding us around her little paw. Surprisingly she was extremely well trained, something I do not excel at. I have tried hard not to mess it up and she has taught me a lot.
A month after Cookie came into our lives my wonderful husband was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Through the next 10 months while I worked Cookie stayed home with Thomas. I would find them on the deck napping, Cookie in his lap, tucked into his robe on cool days. We moved in August 2010 to a one-story home. Unfortunately Thomas was only there for 3 weeks when we had to let him go to a nursing facility.
Cookie is not able to stay home alone all day due to her meds, and besides, that would be a lonely existence. So Cookie is now a working girl. Every morning she goes with me to work. At lunch and after work we would visit Thomas. Cookie quickly became the darling of all, with people waiting in wheelchairs at hall intersections to greet her. Thomas died on his fourth day there, the last thing he did was pet Cookie.
Cookie and I live in the safe house Thomas picked out for us. It has a big deck looking over a lake with geese, ducks and a swan. Every day Cookie goes to work — and pretty much everywhere — with me. She hates getting up in the morning, preferring to sleep in till 8:30. When that alarm sounds at 6:30 she ignores me till I tap her bowl signaling “breakfast is ready,” which is her alarm. She likes soft blankets and has four, one in each of her napping spots . . . the bed, the couch, the car and in an office chair. She likes her comfort!
People in our office building know Cookie and stop by to visit her. Many don’t know me. They say, “Hi Cookie, hi Cookie’s Mom.”
The thing about Cookie is she looks after me, checking on me if I sneeze too much and sticking close on the occasional sad day. She is my Rescuer. Beyond the meds she can just be herself. We play on the floor every evening. She has a toybox and sometimes takes all her things out and lays them across the floor. We take lots of walks during the work day. I have been warned that Cookie will not have a long life but I will make sure she has the best life I can give her!
Milwaukie, Oregon
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