Daisy - Inner Lab Found?

A winter walk.

It's been a while since I've written in Daisy's blog. Not because anything has happened to my dear Daisy  (In fact, she's laying on the couch next to me right now!), but because I just got busy with my other blog and found it hard to capture everything that has happened since I last wrote.

Instead of telling you all what Daisy has done in these past few months, I thought I would show you. She's really found her inner lab now and that makes me so very happy. I hope you enjoy the pics and video!

Daisy at the dog park.

July 2011 - Daisy and her brother Jasper. She jumped off this dock and into the water on her own. :)

The first time Daisy has actually swum in water! She usually just wades in just above her ankles.

A game of chase

Daisy and Jasper running through the fields

Daisy and her friend, Ella. Daisy is in front.

Love in Progression

It starts slowly at first. Very slowly.

Hanging out on the couch next to my sweet older girl, Aspen. Her lifeline. Being near me, this strange human, is too much at this time. But with Aspen as a buffer, she can cope with me being on the same couch with her.

When Aspen leaves us, we start again. She joins me on the couch but only if I pretend she is not there. Always, always at the other end of the couch as far away from me as is possible. Uncertain. Fearful. Alone in her own world.

If I leave the couch or the room, she is gone like a flash, with only the hint of a whisper. Silently. Ethereal. A ghost.

Over time, she discovers that an exposed belly can bring delightful touches. Belly rubs. Softly spoken words. Love.

When a new man enters our lives - a furry, curious, attention-seeking little guy. She discovers competition. Attention to be shared. With it brings little movements - a little scooch closer, and then a little more. And always, the exposed belly. Waiting. More belly rubs to be enjoyed.

As time passes, little movements progress into sideways glances and the thump, thump, thump of a tail. "Will you be my friend?" she seems to ask. The answer is "Yes. Always." And then, slowly, a nose to my cheek.

One day, there is the lick of a tongue and a yellow head on my shoulder and again that thump, thump, thump of a tail. Confidence. Happiness. Joy. A smile. A new light in her eyes.

Three years pass. Patient, loving, gentle years. Now there is the automatic entrance and leap onto the couch followed by the exposed belly and questioning look "Belly rub?" Me on my computer. Working. And, then it happens... the slow, steady scooching. Closer. Closer still. Thump, thump, thump. Sideways glances now coming with steady progression. Thump, thump, thump. A sigh from me and the moving of the computer to a side table. My hand comes up to pet her ears, her head and neck. A kiss to her cheek. Loving words.

Ahhhh. Sweet moments in time. Savored. Treasured. Enjoyed.

Love.

Daisy and Aaron: Two dogs with hope

In November, it will be 3 years since Daisy came to live with me. I sometimes find it hard to believe what Daisy was like before. She is such a different dog today.

Just this week she climbed onto the couch for a belly rub and turned and touched my nose with hers. A beautiful moment that I will never forget. And today, she turned her body to face me again and just cuddled up next to me and I laid my head on her and continued to pet her. Never did ever I expect this fearful dog to do something like that. It makes my heart swell with pride to see who she has become.

My one and only regret was not capturing her progress from Day 1. It's so easy to forget the small steps of progress when you are living it. That's why I love reading my friend Mary's blog. Her work with Aaron, her foster dog, who was rescued from a shelter and is fearful, like Daisy, has been amazing to follow. Not only is it inspiring and uplifting, but Mary's writing is both thoughtful and insightful. I am not over-exaggerating when I say it her words are like poetry. I hope that you will check it out. It might give you and idea of what Daisy and I went through in our first year before I started to blog about her progress.

Wordless Wednesday

Daisy My Heart Dog

Lately, I've been pondering over why I find it so hard to write Daisy's blog posts vs. the ones I write on my No Dog About It Blog, and then I saw this blog post today and I knew. Daisy is my heart dog. No. She's not gone - Thank God! But, writing about someone or something that is close to you can be so much harder than writing about a story, a video, a news story or topic.

Right now I've got 3 blog posts just waiting to be finished, but every time I start to write or edit or tweak (yes, I do a lot of that too) I find myself getting stuck. Not one of them captures her perfectly. Not one of them seems to do her justice. Not one of them can tell you what a very special dog she is to me and how much I am going to miss her when she is gone. Keeping one's emotions on the sidelines is a lot harder when writing about Daisy. But, I'll do my best.

Daisy's Special Visit

Over the past 2 1/2 years, Daisy and I (and now Jasper too) have made it almost a daily ritual to go to our favorite dog park. We used to have a nice little pack, humans and dogs alike, that hung out together, laughed together, walked together, and on occasion, ate brunch together. It was a wonderful group, and Daisy and I looked forward to getting up and meeting up with our friends.

But last summer, our group was broken up when Sasha (Daisy's friend) and Lynn and Sharon (her mom and dad) moved to Arizona to retire. Sasha's parents were the glue that held our group together. Everyone knew that no matter who couldn't make it out to the park that day, Lynn and Sharon would be there. They made everyone WANT to come to the park.

Daisy adored Lynn and Sharon (especially Lynn!) and loved Sasha, Brutus, Henry Carl, Turbo, Prince and Princess, and Splash. They were her friends, her pack. It really has not been the same since Lynn and Sharon left.

But, this week our old friends came back home to Minnesota for a visit. There was Lynn and Sharon and Sasha along with all our other old dog park friends! Everyone had made a special effort to come out to see them.

Daisy and Jasper seemed to recognize Sasha right away, but it was when Daisy went up to Lynn and Sharon that my heart swelled. She recognized them!

Right away they commented on how Daisy seemed more confident and happy (Daisy really has blossomed this year). She happily went to all her friends (dogs and humans alike) to say "Hi".  All of them had been there at the beginning, when I first started bringing Aspen and Daisy to the dog park. They knew Daisy when she was a less confident little girl. Oh how she has changed!

It has been great to reunite with everyone. Lynn, Sharon and Sasha have been here for a week (they leave on Thursday) and Daisy has been so happy. All her peeps are back together again!

But, what really has been fun to watch is Daisy's attachment to Lynn - even after all this time. She sidles up to him every day, just like she used to, as soon as he sits down at the picnic table. She will sit down next to him, look up at him adoringly, and smile. No kidding. One of our newer dog park friends was there to witness it and she commented on how different Daisy was with him. She said you could just tell she really liked him. Oh yes, she does.

But, then again, Daisy has always adored him. He was always very gentle with her from the very beginning and I think she remembers that. How nice that she can experience his loving touch and gentle words once again. Soon, Lynn, Sharon and Sasha will be gone again - off to Arizona, but for now this week has been a special one for both Daisy and I. Our friends are home.