Love at First Bark
It was almost 15 years ago when I flew to Texas to pick her up. Nicknamed "the pistol," by her breeder, she was the runt of the litter Just four ounces at birth. My friend nursed her every two hours like a baby, and thankfully she survived.
This little runt was just four pounds at eight months old. My friend told me she was too small to show and too small to breed, so I should come and pick her up. Which I did. It had to be done in one day as I had another dog in kidney failure on fluids.
I arrived after two plane rides and an hour-and-a-half car ride. She jumped in my lap, though I had no idea which dog she was. They all looked alike!
She has lived up to her name, Chispa. Chispa means sparkle. She truly is a sparkle. Although we changed her name to Gracie, I still remember this.
She turned out to be a wonderful dog and companion. Truly the smartest dog I've ever had. Feisty and quick, she would easily outsmart her sisters. It was fun to watch. With her sweet ways, she easily melted everyone's heart she met.
I would put her in the crate for a few hours only to fall asleep and find her in my bed. Guess who would take her out? You got it! Richard. She wormed her way into his heart too. My bed became her crate. This is something a dog lover gets.
As I write this, she will be 15 in just a few weeks. Being so small, she has her share of health issues. Chronic pancreatits and a heart murmer. Vet put her on Vetmedin a couple of years ago for her heart, which was a wonder drug. She was like a puppy again. She now had kidney insufficiency. We are doing IV fluids and meds for her stomach.
She is happy. She is playful but sleeps a lot. She plays with her toys and will even still play tug with me. She likes to go for walks and bounces down the street. Her quality of life is good.
I know the inevitable, but I am hoping for a miracle. I'm a realist, so I'm just praying she enjoys the time she has left and that it's longer than shorter.
She has been a blessing in so many ways. So very, very special I have had many dogs but she is truly different. If I went to the dentist, when I walked in she would immediately smell my mouth. When I had surgery for carpal tunnel, unlike most dogs who just hang out with you because they know you're sick, she would smell my wrists. Uncanny in a word. Smart. Very smart.
It's hard to imagine a world without her. And I don't want to.
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