Happy Trails, Skippy!

Today was an emotional one. The dog I have been fostering, Snowey, has been in limbo over the past week. On one hand, he's a licky, lovey, hoppy puppy who loves playing with Bill and cuddling with me. Just this morning he was zooming around Dry Creek at the pace of a race car challenging my little boy at every turn.

On the other hand, he nips everyone who walks through the door. It's not really his fault; he clearly has been abused. He's terrified of hands, especially the ones attached to men. Everyone who walks through the door goes "Awwww...so cute...come here little guy..." and puts their hands out, even when I tell them not to (you know who you are!). This doesn't change the fact that he shouldn't be biting people though, and it especially makes him difficult to rehome.

Well, a few days ago I got in touch with the greatest guy who told me he had similar issues with his dog and was able to work through them. He said he would like to do the same for Snowey. OMG, I couldn't believe what I was hearing! Snowey was going to have a home! This is especially wonderful because the alternative was looking kind of grim.

Anyhoo, today Bill, Snowey and I piled into the car and headed down to meet Snowey's new dad Rick and "brother," a Boston Bulldogge named "Wally." We met up at a baseball field to give them a neutral space to get to know each other. Rick and I sat and chatted while the boys worked out their differences with Bill as the referee.

Wally didn't want Snowey going near his daddy at first. They started out with hair standing on end and some very "toothy" attempts at "play." The introduction of a big plastic donut made the hair go down and the teeth refocus on the donut instead of each other. Things were definitely on the up and up from there.

The other exciting development was that Snowey actually let Rick pet him. That is, until it was time for the leash to go on. That wasn't happening so I helped Rick get it on and put Snowey in the crate in the car. I figured that once I was out of the picture Snowey would start clinging on to Rick and forget about me. Regardless, I chewed my nails for the rest of the day.

This evening I got the call which made it to me in the form of voicemail. It was Rick, and it started out kind of rocky as he recapped the first few hours. My husband actually commented on the horrified look on my face. However, by the end of the message it sounded like things were actually going pretty well! Snowey had eaten his food, allowed Rick to put him out to potty and even began playing with toys!

Friends, the impossible is possible when luck and opportunity collide. I think that Rick found himself the perfect dog and I was happy to be the conduit. Snowey is now Skippy, and I believe he's not only off to a better name but also to a better life. Happy trails, Skippy! Bill and I will miss you!

Now the big question is, who will touch our lives next?