Monday, January 30, 2012

Happy Gotcha Day, Luna

It has been 6 years now that we made the trek to Hollywood Florida to fetch Luna from her captors. Just kidding. But this day 6 years ago, we did rescue her. We refer to this day as her Gotcha Day since we don't know exactly when her birthday is, this is the day we celebrate her new life with us in her forever home.

As this day approached this year, I took some time to reflect on what we knew about Luna that first day (which was almost nothing) to what we have learned about her and how she has grown (and matured).

Luna was a 2 year pooch when we met her. She had chronic dry eye, was rail thin, her fur was patchy and course, her breath stank to the highest heavens, her face was dark, her little boobies sagged from post birth nursing and she had an extremely nervous personality.

Now, her dry eye is manageable, she's beefed up a bit in the weight department, her fur is soft with far less bald spots, her breath isn't minty fresh but is doggie appropriate, her face has become a soft shade of silver, her tiny breasts perked with age (and really, who can say that?) and while she still has a feisty personality, it is not due to paranoia or fear. It's because we'd all better hail to her as she has been diva-afied.

So, those are some of the basics of how Luna has changed from a 2 year old rescue dog into the 8 year old little miss that she is today. But on to some of the finer points about what Luna has taught us.

Luna has shown us that as long as someone loves you, you can be and do anything you want to do. Luna slept standing up the first night home. So, obviously she did not come to us really ready to trust anyone. And honestly, it probably was not until about a full year later that she truly believed that she was in her forever home and could embrace both her humans, 2 pug brothers and even her sissy the cat. As she learned to depend on the routine, know that her needs were going to met, and discover what it meant to be spoiled she came around even if this was a slow process. As she learned this, that little girl then developed the same embarrassing sense of entitlement that the other silver spoon chewing pugs had. She got demanding. Which we didn't mind at all because then that meant that she knew she could not only depend on us but that we would cater to her because she knew she was loved. And that is all we ever wanted her to know is that we love her and she can feel safe with us forever. She is so comfortable with us now, that if she could snap her fingers to beckon us, she surely would. So, see, with love you surround yourself with the respect and honor you deserve.

Luna has also taught us to pay attention! Again, on Luna's first day, we stopped at McDonald's on the way home for dinner and offered her a French fry. She turned her nose up at it as the boys chowed on their tasty potato. I remember thinking that there was a serious possibility that Luna may not have teeth. I thought this since her breath was awful and now she couldn't eat a French fry. It had to have been because she was toothless. Oh, I have to laugh at myself now. She had teeth, of course. But Luna has helped me to realize that we aren't all carbohydrate lovers. Luna is a serious carnivore. That girl loves her meat! Even to this day, unlike the boys who will happily gobble a cheerio or cheese cracker, she just tells me to save it and give her a piece of ham or turkey or chicken or hamburger instead. Any meat. She is not that picky about her proteins but she warns me to not forget that meat is her favorite. Ever since that first day, I have always teased her about the fact that she really just wanted a Big Mac and that I am still sorry that I still have never delivered on the promise that someday I will get her one. (I guess now that it is 6 years later, I should follow through sometime soon.)

The last lesson Luna has helped us take to heart is to be patient and don't rush perfection. Again, since she didn't trust us, she would never submit to us by allowing us to put her on her back (which meant she missed out on many a belly rub). Well, it took a bit of time, but now she loves to be on her back to get her tummy massaged. And we all consider it worth the wait. So, to quote Diana Ross, "You Can't Hurry Love."

It has most definitely been a wonderful experience rescuing Little Looney. She's 8 now. We've had her 6 of those 8 years. Happy Gotcha Day baby girl. We love you.