Where Oh Where Did My Little Dog go?

For those of you that truly know me, you know I have a few passions in my life: cooking and creating new dishes, my children, and my animals. On any given day I feel like the astronomical amount I spend on my children (via clothes, school, sports and activities) is matched by the amount I end up spending on the animals. My dogs mean the world to me, and we’ve had two of them for quite some time now




Suave (13-14 y/o), our Golden Chow mix, has been with me since a week after High school graduation, The day before I graduated, I lost my dog, Bailey. I was so heartbroken, I even put a picture of him next to my graduation speech, so I could see him as I was speaking. A week later, Ms.P, my high school band teacher, showed up at our house with a dog she got from the rescue! He is quite easily the greatest gift I have ever received. She had him groomed, vaccinated, and neutered, lucky boy! He was beautiful! I made him fat and mine in no time. When I got married, he came with me. He slept in my bed with me and always kept me safe and company. He is the greatest dog in the world.



Lucy(11 y/o), the Saint Bernard, is a bossy bitch! She runs the show and no one messes with her. She came to us a month before we were married. I knew Pete had always wanted a Saint Bernard, and I was willing to oblige his dream of a wet messy canine. He specifically asked for a male puppy with short hair and dry mouth, so he could name him Jeb……wtf, I know. We have a strict rescue only policy between the two of us, so I began my search. I eventually ended up placing an ad on petfinder.com. I was contacted by a woman who has a 1.5 y/o Saint Bernard, female, long hair, and not dry! Her name was Lucy, and she was gorgeous! We drove 2 hours in a storm to get her.. and she was perfect!!!



Next up is the absolutely naughty Eli Manning (3 y/o), golden husky mix. When we picked him up from the shelter, he was in a cage, and when he barked, they sprayed him with a water bottle. Maybe not a huge deal, but Eli is an extremely timid and sensitive dog and he’s afraid of everything. We did our trial run with him when he was 6months old, he stayed in his kennel, even if we put it outside, all day and all night….it was his comfort zone….so we took the kennel away from him, to get him to explore..did he ever……….in 2 years, the little shit has cause us probably $3,000 worth of damage…..from chewing. He even chewed up a tiny bathroom, trim, door, and all! He still chews, he can’t be trusted with anything, but he’s the first to snuggle in your lap and he’s attentive to unhappy babies. Chewing and all he’s a keeper!



With this knowledge of the dogs, the rest of the story is understandable:



I recently posted on FB that Lucy had gone missing from the yard and I couldn’t find her. I didn’t have a car at home because my mom, Pete, and I have been sharing 2 cars. I went outside, I tracked in the woods, no Lucy! I was afraid she went off to die on her own, since she is getting so old and having serious problems with hearing and sight. I was calling, yelling, screaming for her…..she didn’t come back. For 2.5 hours I was sick to my stomach and in tears. I was snapping at the kids, pacing, and my heart was racing. What happened if I found her in the woods? Where would I bury her? How would I bury her? What if I bury her in a place that we won’t be forever, the she’ll be alone and dead in the ground, and I can’t plant flowers for her etc...Finally, I found her alive…..



Laying down in Kaidence’s room, the whole entire time!



I must have let her out, and in all the chaos, let her back in and didn’t know. Isn’t that just splendid. I was so relieved to find her! What a relief! Because I was so happy that she was safe and alive, I had no problem letting my friends know that I found her………in the house, after hours of worryingJ I’m a dipshit, I know. And I’m okay with the snickering and the embarrassment…………Because Lucy is alive!