A Doogleversary

Yes, we adopted Dakota two years ago today.* Hard to believe. Haven't we had him forever? He is camera shy most of the time, looking away just as I'm about to click...

But sometimes, I get his attention just long enough to get a pic in, and it's all worth it.

That face! This is the face B and I first fell in love with, as soon as we saw him at the Bill Foundation's adoption fair just over two years ago. And this is the face that continues to "speak to us," make us laugh, and love us back.

The poor guy will probably always have at least some residual issues from his previous life on the streets and, we suspect, an abusive environment before that. He is still cautious of new people and new surroundings, not to mention certain noises and objects that are put near him. But he has come a long way. He obeys commands, always sits before going out or in a door until we give the OK, and never ever touches anything that doesn't belong to him. Ours is far from being a tidy house, yet we never have to worry about him getting into things or making a mess. And he is super sweet and cuddly. He loves being petted and laying either balled up right up against us, or with his head on B's lap. He also loves sleeping on our bed. We start him off in his own bed at night, but much like a small child, he climbs into our bed somewhere in the middle of the night. We don't mind. We still struggle with certain things that scare him, and I don't think nail-cutting time will ever be fun for any of the parties involved, but we're all coming along. He is a great dog to us, enriching our lives in countless ways and we strive to be great people to him. Two years, really? I can hardly remember what life was like without him...nor do I want to.

Happy Anniversary, Doogles!

* If you or someone you know is interested in getting a dog, I highly recommend adopting. There are so many rescued dogs out there that need good, loving homes. I also highly recommend contacting the Bill Foundation if you are in the Southern California area. They are good people doing good things. I can't say enough.