Olive's Story

Olive came to live with us on January 30, 2010. We weren't looking for a dog. Just two weeks before we lost our beloved Scully. My heart was still heavy with sadness at her passing. We decided that we would look for another dog in the Spring and that in the meantime we would start researching breeds, temperments and sizes as a base when we started looking.

Now, I know that I was probably setting myself up by even looking at websites devoted to rescued animals. But I looked at hundreds of dogs and lots of black labs/lab mixes and didn't even experience a twinge of interest.

Then there was Olive. There she was and her story of losing her front leg and her family all in her first year. I was drawn in and went home that night and asked Kevin if when we started looking at dogs we might consider a three-legged dog. His first reaction was no, but then I pulled up her profile and he felt it too. She was the dog for us!

Two days later she came to our house for a "meeting" and she lavished us in love and treated our other dog, Bisou, like a rockstar. The cats she simply sniffed and left alone.

She teaches me something everyday about loving with abandon, trusting without hesititation, and playing with gusto! We haven't found anything that she can't do yet ... she runs, plays, runs up and down the stairs without any problem. She is great with Bisou (they play all the time) and leaves the cats alone. She did eat a library book while we were at work today, but she is new and a puppy so we are just working with her to learn commands (which she takes to really well). Her most favorite thing to do is cuddle. She'd be laying across us all the time if we let her. Most of all I feel the sadness as losing Scully lessening with the love of this incredible dog.

Monday, March 1, 2010

The Pack


I've always had just one dog. I first experienced the special qualities that dogs bring out in each other when they are part of a pack when I brought my dear Scully over to my boyfriend’s house to play with his dog, Bisou, when we first started dating. Scully had never been a big fan of other dogs. In Bisou though, she found a helpmate and companion in her last year. She found a renewed enthusiasm and energy for the simple things and in that I believe we had her with us for a several extra months. Bisou helped lead the way bringing her outside, making mealtime exciting, and walking, while she could, a family event.

After Scully passed away in January, we decided it would be best to wait until Spring to get a new dog. Getting another dog was never in question. I couldn’t be without a dog to call my own and Bisou was clearly depressed being left with only a pack of felines to hang with. But soon it was clear all of us couldn’t wait that long and then there was Olive.

The bond that these two have is something that heartens me everyday. While Bisou gently asserted herself as the alpha dog, she is something of a friend and big sis to Olive. She shows her the way … how to ask to go outside, how to eat ice cubes, how to listen to mom and dad, how to guard the house, how to chase the cats. Olive has brought out Bisou’s playful side. They wrestle gently each morning on Olive’s bed while they wait for us to get up, relish in playing tug with the rope toy, and chasing each other round the back yard or playing ball at the dog park. Bisou is entirely accommodating of Olive, just as she was with Scully. Olive is easily tipped off balance while playing tug, so Olive just lies on the dog bed or the floor and Bisou is happy to tow her around the house. Bisou lets Olive lay down across the entire back see on car trips and is carefully not to knock her over when then run around the dog park.

It is an example of community we all can learn from.
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