Norman

It's a nice evening.  I'm sitting in my cozy living room.  It's chilly again outside but inside it's full of the warmth of the flickering fireplace.  A glass of Shiraz adds to the relaxed contentment. 

And I'm thinking Norman deserves his very own post! :-)

This dog is a lot of fun.  He gives so much affection and love.  He is a goof and makes me laugh every day.   I rescued him from his life of being shuffled from home after home, never quite experiencing stability. When I first brought him home, he was quite the free spirit!  He still is but he's learned some things that little doggies need to know if they are going to cohabit in forever homes with their doggie owners knowing they BELONG and feeling a sense of ownership.

The first thing I did the day he finally belonged to me was to give him a bath.  It was the first of many, since he likes to find the dirtiest place in the yard!   His little paws are mud magnets!  

When he first came home he didn't really care if the doorbell rang.  He didn't know who was meant to be in the home and who wasn't.  Now he knows when an extended family member comes to visit.  He welcomes them with happy whimpers and joyful kisses.   But he barks at people he's never seen before who clearly aren't part of the pack!

He didn't care who was in the neighboring yard when he first came home with me.   He didn't think he had any authority to protect anything.  He didn't feel like anybody.  After all, he didn't know what a sense of ownership felt like.  Not yet anyway... Now he barks at people in the neighboring yards who seem like they may not belong. 

I like that he doesn't panic anymore if I go into the house without him, leaving him outside by himself.  He realizes now that he will be able to come back inside when he wants to come and won't be left alone for long.  He knows from experience that he'll be let in... and he has a home.

He's rarely aggressive anymore as he leaps for the treat I offer him in my hand.  He takes it much more gently, being careful not to nip at me as he grasps the treat.

He has his own bed, his own blankets, his own places he knows are his.  He has treats and regular mealtimes and a routine that makes him feel secure and comfortable.

He follows me everywhere.  Even if he is warm and comfortable and sound asleep next to me, if I get up he has to come too.  When the pack is on the move, he wants to move with it.  Not a bad way to live really.  It's good to stick together.  There is strength and security in numbers!  No one is as safe being a lone ranger!

I don't think he has a mean bone in his body... although he chases squirrels in the yard like nobody's business.  He growls like crazy if I try to take his toy to throw it and let him retrieve it... but he'll beg me to try to take it again and again... to repeat the game over and over ....

He is growing every day into a wonderful dog.  So full of unconditional love.

I knew he would from the first time I set eyes on him.

His name was... and still is.. Norman.