Guest Blogger: Patty Gongaware
It was a mutual frigidness black dark inwards Jan 2012. Potty breaks were all done, thus I decided to process myself to some "puppy cuddling". Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 litter of three-month-old collie-husky mix puppies had come upwardly inwards that day, as well as they were such sad, scared, unsocialized piddling ones. I got comfortable on the Karunda bed amongst iii of them on my lap, but struggled to acquire the fourth, a fuzzy gilded as well as white girl, to come upwardly to me. Finally, reluctantly, she settled inwards amongst her siblings every bit I held them as well as told them stories of the loving families that they would shortly last business office of. This is my start retention of the puppy named Karma.
A few days later, an electronic mail went out bespeak for a foster abode for the piddling gilded as well as white puppy. The other pups were coming some cheers to the attending volunteers were giving them, but Karma was nonetheless real scared as well as shutting down. I forthwith said that we'd accept her for a few weeks. One of our Labs had been a real shy puppy, thus nosotros had sense amongst that. And I knew that beingness some our ii gentle, older Labs would assist her too.
The start few weeks amongst Karma were alternately challenging as well as rewarding.
She e'er tried to run as well as shroud when nosotros approached, ears downward as well as fluffy tail tucked, never making oculus contact. We hand-fed her each morning time as well as evening. She'd come upwardly to our outstretched hand, select grip of 1 slice of kibble, thus run away to consume it...feeding oft took almost an hour! (However she had no work chewing our shoes as well as socks when they were left inwards her reach.) As the weeks passed Karma remained wary of us, but eventually trusted us plenty to selection her up, as well as hug as well as pet her. She relaxed as well as cruel asleep when nosotros rubbed her belly. We could tell that she was real smart. Karma chop-chop learned basic commands, enjoyed beingness inwards a crate, as well as house-trained easily. I fifty-fifty taught her to band a bell on the door when she had to acquire out. She enjoyed playing inwards the snowfall as well as learned how to think a stick, although she preferred playing keep-away from the Labs.
After a calendar month amongst us, Karma had made lots of progress. She was nonetheless cautious some people but was acting similar a happy puppy - curious, playful, as well as sometimes fifty-fifty soliciting attending from us. She became real vocal, almost similar she was talking, a collie trait called "singing." Scott tapped into her husky side as well as taught her to howl, too! And she had stolen my heart. When the electronic mail came bespeak if she was produce to come upwardly dorsum as well as notice her forever home, I knew that she already had. On Feb 29, 2012 (Leap Day) nosotros became "foster failures" as well as adopted our Karma; as well as nosotros fifty-fifty kept the lift she had been given at because it simply seemed perfect for her.
Karma became to a greater extent than confident as well as outgoing amongst time. Like all collies, she is real intelligent as well as observant. And similar most collies, she needed a "job."
We got inwards the habit of taking her to catch my father-in-law at his assisted living facility. We noticed that she was real comfortable inwards that atmosphere. I decided to accept her to preparation classes amongst a finish of taking the Canine Good Citizen as well as Therapy Dog International tests. We started amongst basic obedience (sit, down, stay, heel, come, leave of absence it, etc.) as well as also worked on how to approach people inwards bicycle chairs, walk calmly through a crowd, as well as non startle if something was dropped. Karma learned chop-chop as well as inwards August 2013 she passed her tests! I was thus proud of her!
Now Karma as well as I are a therapy team. We catch a local nursing abode several times each month, as well as it's e'er a rewarding experience. The residents actually await frontward to seeing Karma, petting her soft fur, shaking her gently offered paw, as well as getting kisses. They marvel at how friendly as well as calm she is, as well as how sweet. They tell me stories most the dogs that they've had as well as how much our visits hateful to them. Karma is real empathetic as well as e'er knows which someone to acquire to, who volition taste her the most at that time. Some of the residents can't speak, but their smiles tell it all. Karma has also provided some much needed stress relief to college students during finals week! Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 totally unlike atmosphere as well as historic menses grouping than the nursing home, but the comfort of petting a domestic dog is something that benefits people of whatever age.
Karma has come upwardly thus far....from a scared, shy puppy to a friendly, playful, outgoing domestic dog who loves adults as well as children. She enjoys making novel doggie friends at the park; going on hikes as well as swimming; as well as she's the official greeter for our Christmas tree farm each December. She gives comfort to her senior friends at the nursing home; to her Lab "sisters" when they are afraid of thunderstorms; to me as well as Scott when we've had a bad day. She's grown from a domestic dog that ran from human contact to 1 that insistently pushes her olfactory organ nether a manus for fifty-fifty to a greater extent than petting. With lots of patience, agreement as well as love, her personality has genuinely blossomed. She's such a particular daughter as well as we're thus glad that she's business office of our family! Her flush is unique but non unusual. There are many dogs out at that topographic point simply waiting for the correct identify unit of measurement to select out their best qualities if you're willing to give them a chance.
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