Peanut AKA Ember – Adopted July 2014
“Dear Wag
Today is the 15th of July 2015. It is exactly one year ago today that I came to this place I now call home and thought you might like a little update.
I’ve got to admit – for the first little while it was a real struggle for me, having to learn a whole new social paradigm and all. I was so used to fending for myself and being my own man I wasn’t really sure I liked having someone looking over my shoulder all the time, telling me what I could and couldn’t do. I’ve ALWAYS been the alpha and didn’t want to let ANYBODY take that from me. One night I even decided to run away and snuck out through the (6.5” square) cat door. How was I to know she would haul her tired whatzit out of bed in the middle of the night and come looking for me. I mean really!!!!! Who does that???? My mom I guess – kinda surprised me actually – nobody ever did that for me before. She did find me about a mile away from home and had some liver treats with her so I came back.
Other than that – I was on the hook for a long time when we went out for walkies. It took about 3 months of learning how to meet and greeting ALL doggies, no matter what they looked or smelled like, in a socially acceptable manner before she trusted me enough to let me walk on my own.
She was really hard on me – didn’t let me get away with ANYTHING!! It took me a while to figure out that the more I learned the less she controlled.
It really was tough love, but yano, there was a lot of fun love too, and treats love and my very very FAVORITE, snuggly love.
Today I am a very different guy. I have learned SOOOO MUCH!!!!!!! I Know that kitty cats are NOT a blood sport, I know how to chase sticks and balls, I know how to ride in the car, I know how to snuggle (and that is the BEST lesson I ever learned) and I know how to be a nice guy on the trail. If another doggie comes along who is aggressive or intrusive I don’t get mad but stay calm and stand there. I know if it gets to be a problem my mom will step in and deal with it – I don’t have to be a tough guy any more and I LIKE that. My mom says I’m a softie through and through and had to be tough just to survive but that part of my life is over and done with. I can now be the marshmallow I was always meant to be.
I Love going to the lake every day, I love going in the car with mom, I love being inside, warm and cozy, on a cold and nasty winter night, I love EVERYBODY I meet and they all tell my mom what a nice boy I am and I ESPECIALLY love snuggling up with my mom.
These days my mom tells me ALL THE TIME what a good boy I am, how handsome I am, how proud she is of me and best of all – how much she loves me.
When I first came here I had NO IDEA how GOOD life could be.
Thank you Wag.
Love from Ember (aka peanut)”
