Another Helping Paw...meet Bella

One of the most beneficial and valuable gifts

 we can give to ourselves in this life,

 is allowing ourselves to be surprised.

A few weeks ago we were graced with a visitor on our back deck. Thirsty, skinny and desperate for companionship this puppy stood by our back door for an entire afternoon and well into the evening. Our dogs smudged noses with the puppy between the glass door and the puppy scratched to be let in. I was really hoping she would go back to her home but late that night she was still here.

Hi! Can I come in please?

I made her a comfortable bed in the garage and vowed to search for her owner in the morning. We took her to the vet to see if she had a micro chip and have her looked at. No micro chip to be found and other than being skinny (you could count her ribs with your fingers) she was fine. I proceeded to contact all the area vets, the Humane Societies in all the surrounding counties, Facebook, Craigslist, local grocery stores and post offices and left her photo and information. Do you know what kind of response we got?...

NONE. How disheartening! This sweet puppy was not wanted. My thought was that if I had a dog missing I would be searching high and low for him/her. So, after a week and a half, and no one claimed her we decided to keep her in our home. 

What...you mean I can stay?!

After all, she gets along great with Sasha and Biscuit. She is still learning her place in the pack but that is normal stuff. 

Bella and Sasha

Bella and Biscuit

She plays beautifully with the kids too. And, is incredibly affectionate and oh so sweet!

We had her fully vetted and addressed some tummy trouble which the vet has sorted out now with special (read: expensive) dog food and some antibiotics. The vet estimates she is about 6 months old and boy does she have some big paws on her! 

She has fast become a member of our family.

Yippee! Kickin' my paws up to find new friends!

I never thought we would be owners of three [big] dogs but life is full of surprises and sometimes we just need to embrace the gifts that are put before us! Now, I just need to teach her not to eat the plants, dig in my pots or make holes in the ground...