She Saves Me
Sometimes I honestly think it *might* have been a mistake to rescue Sophie...in a very self-centered way.
Jack Russells have an unbelievably high return rate to dog pounds....mostly because of their unbelievably high rate of energy, incredible intelligence (which gets them into lots of sticky situations...and trouble), and pretty crazy demeanor at times.
That's also the reason that at most shelters/pounds you can't adopt a JRT without previous experience. (You have to know what you're getting into.)
My friends all say she's cute...but I know they're happy when we leave, too. She's got unbeatable energy...the dog rarely stops. And she doesn't always have the best of manners. She chases Roommate's cats. She eats other dogs' food, and occasionally she lets out tiny-turds, to "claim" a room. I'm proud, when people at the dog park marvel at how fast she runs...and I even smile when she gets right into the middle of a dog-toussle, yammering on at the dogs. Her real intention is to divert the attention onto her...even if it means they "pick on" her.
And she does the FUNNIEST things.
Like lastnight when she couldn't judge the muddy distance between the street and the grass...so she took a jump (jesus the dog can jump)... You know how when cats jump up and their body BOINGS? They jump from all fours...and they land on all fours? That's what Sophie did lastnight on our 'before bed walk.' ... only she was moving forward. It wasn't an "in stride" jump - it was...like one of those plastic toys with a "sucker" on the bottom of it that releases and jumps a good foot in the air.
And after she poops? She does "post-poo-kicks." She doesn't kick her poo, but stands to the side and really gets going, kicking up grass. Then she stands there, still as can be...makes long eye contact with me...and then does this funny shake, and TAKES OFF right toward me. She does this little "fake out" and runs as fast as she can in another direction. I can ALMOST hear her yell "WHEEEEE MAMA!"
And when we go for car rides. The dog CHASES cars at night (oh who am I kidding, she does it all the time.) She'll start by standing in the backseat, with her two paws on the frontseat arm-rest. She'll let some go by...and then pick her prey. She barks this outrageous, ear-splitting scream, follows it right past the back window...and manytimes right up into the rear window. She'll jump right up there and while I can see the whizzz of her in my rearview mirror, I can almost always hear the "TONK" of her nose or forehead hitting the glass. When she's sure she's scared the crap out of that particular vehicle and they're not going to be messing with HER anymore, she'll come around back for more.
She's patient, giving, attentive, pure comedy, and sweet love. She's the reason I get out of bed in the mornings. She's amazing, annoying, forgiving, and hungry. She's sweet poetry, beautiful, soft, loud, pushy and SO affectionate. She's quiet, dorky, pure emotion, all heart.
I miss her when I'm at work. I miss her when she's not with me. Sometimes I don't do other things...just so I can spend time with her. It seriously doesn't matter how stressful work was, how horrible the weather, how treacherous the traffic - when she greets me at the door with her sleepy eyes, her downward dog stretch, having just left the warm spot on the top of the couch cushion, nothing else matters.
And no matter how bad the day...she always asks to come under the covers and curls up against me all night - in the crook of my knee, the bend of my hips by my belly, or spooning right up against me, between my arms. In the mornings she snuggles out long against my body, her head up by my chest. She lays there with her head still down and lets me rub her belly for as long as I want. She kisses me quick and then gets a good zoom in before going downstairs to go outside.
And I still think that sometimes it was a mistake to rescue her - because, as much as she adds to my life now...how in the world would I EVER be able to endure LOSING her? How would I EVER get over that loss? She's 3 1/2 now...and she's already too old. I miss her when I'm at work, I ache for her! How in the world will I ever be able to watch her get old? This...after a year and a half of loving her...how can I stave off losing her? Sophie really is like the closest thing to me...and while I'm fairly certain I'll outlive her...I don't know that I'll be able to endure that loss.
It was the best decision I've ever made, to rescue her...I know it really wasn't a mistake...and she's rescued me every single day since... The dog adds value and so much to every thing in my life.
Jack Russells have an unbelievably high return rate to dog pounds....mostly because of their unbelievably high rate of energy, incredible intelligence (which gets them into lots of sticky situations...and trouble), and pretty crazy demeanor at times.
That's also the reason that at most shelters/pounds you can't adopt a JRT without previous experience. (You have to know what you're getting into.)
My friends all say she's cute...but I know they're happy when we leave, too. She's got unbeatable energy...the dog rarely stops. And she doesn't always have the best of manners. She chases Roommate's cats. She eats other dogs' food, and occasionally she lets out tiny-turds, to "claim" a room. I'm proud, when people at the dog park marvel at how fast she runs...and I even smile when she gets right into the middle of a dog-toussle, yammering on at the dogs. Her real intention is to divert the attention onto her...even if it means they "pick on" her.
And she does the FUNNIEST things.
Like lastnight when she couldn't judge the muddy distance between the street and the grass...so she took a jump (jesus the dog can jump)... You know how when cats jump up and their body BOINGS? They jump from all fours...and they land on all fours? That's what Sophie did lastnight on our 'before bed walk.' ... only she was moving forward. It wasn't an "in stride" jump - it was...like one of those plastic toys with a "sucker" on the bottom of it that releases and jumps a good foot in the air.
And after she poops? She does "post-poo-kicks." She doesn't kick her poo, but stands to the side and really gets going, kicking up grass. Then she stands there, still as can be...makes long eye contact with me...and then does this funny shake, and TAKES OFF right toward me. She does this little "fake out" and runs as fast as she can in another direction. I can ALMOST hear her yell "WHEEEEE MAMA!"
And when we go for car rides. The dog CHASES cars at night (oh who am I kidding, she does it all the time.) She'll start by standing in the backseat, with her two paws on the frontseat arm-rest. She'll let some go by...and then pick her prey. She barks this outrageous, ear-splitting scream, follows it right past the back window...and manytimes right up into the rear window. She'll jump right up there and while I can see the whizzz of her in my rearview mirror, I can almost always hear the "TONK" of her nose or forehead hitting the glass. When she's sure she's scared the crap out of that particular vehicle and they're not going to be messing with HER anymore, she'll come around back for more.
She's patient, giving, attentive, pure comedy, and sweet love. She's the reason I get out of bed in the mornings. She's amazing, annoying, forgiving, and hungry. She's sweet poetry, beautiful, soft, loud, pushy and SO affectionate. She's quiet, dorky, pure emotion, all heart.
I miss her when I'm at work. I miss her when she's not with me. Sometimes I don't do other things...just so I can spend time with her. It seriously doesn't matter how stressful work was, how horrible the weather, how treacherous the traffic - when she greets me at the door with her sleepy eyes, her downward dog stretch, having just left the warm spot on the top of the couch cushion, nothing else matters.
And no matter how bad the day...she always asks to come under the covers and curls up against me all night - in the crook of my knee, the bend of my hips by my belly, or spooning right up against me, between my arms. In the mornings she snuggles out long against my body, her head up by my chest. She lays there with her head still down and lets me rub her belly for as long as I want. She kisses me quick and then gets a good zoom in before going downstairs to go outside.
And I still think that sometimes it was a mistake to rescue her - because, as much as she adds to my life now...how in the world would I EVER be able to endure LOSING her? How would I EVER get over that loss? She's 3 1/2 now...and she's already too old. I miss her when I'm at work, I ache for her! How in the world will I ever be able to watch her get old? This...after a year and a half of loving her...how can I stave off losing her? Sophie really is like the closest thing to me...and while I'm fairly certain I'll outlive her...I don't know that I'll be able to endure that loss.
It was the best decision I've ever made, to rescue her...I know it really wasn't a mistake...and she's rescued me every single day since... The dog adds value and so much to every thing in my life.