It’s been a while since I posted a blog. I apologize for that. I have been busy tending to the illness of my beloved Emma Nani my soul mate Labrador Retriever who passed over the Rainbow Bridge on March 30th, 2016.
This was one of the most difficult times in my life for so many reasons. If you’ve read my book you will know why.
It particularly affected our seven year old Shih Tzu Mak who was Emma’s constant companion. So devastated by the loss he stopped eating. We knew we had to act fast while still mourning our beloved Emma. Looking at all possibilities our first choice was to rescue a dog from the local Hawaii Island Humane Society, however, after looking at all the beautiful souls, none really felt like they’d fit into our home situation. Then the very next day we looked again and sitting quietly in the last pet run was LOLA, the name the Humane Society gave her. She had been abandoned one week prior, left in a pen at the front gate in the middle of the night with no note. Estimated age, one year old. Forty pounds, fully grown Black Lab/Shar Pei mix. Mostly Lab with a cute Shar Pei head. It was love at first sight for Janet and I. She was riddled with flea bites on her back, had scars on her legs and her coat looked dull.
We brought Mak to meet her outside at the Humane Society. It did not go well for either one of them. Growling and bad energy at first. Understandable for Mak, he missing Emma and LOLA acted like she was afraid of him. Janet and I decided to try fostering her first to see if Mak and she bonded. Putting her on new food, medicated baths and omegas we started to see a change in her skin and coat. We bought her a beautiful Hawaiian Dog collar.
I’m pleased to announce after one week Mak and she are best of friends and Mak is eating well. We named her Bella Rose. I started training immediately as she clearly had none. She is so smart she knows how to sit, down, knows her name, and her re-call is getting much better. She tells you if she has to go pee or poop if you pay attention to the subtly. So much progress in just two weeks. She didn’t know what a house was, carpeting, a toilet, cars, birds, shopping carts, noises all were new to her. We can’t imagine what her first year of life was like. The fact that she is so loving and willing to please it truly a miracle.
On April 18th, 2016 we officially adopted Bella Rose. When I was standing at the counter at the Humane Society signing the adoption papers, it was very busy with other people close by. Bella was in a perfect sit-stay gazing up at me with excitement. It was like she was saying, ” Look everyone. I’m getting adopted!”
New children never replace the ones you’ve lost. Another chamber of your heart magically finds its way open to allow another soul in that needs you as much as you need them.
