One yr in the past at present, you got here house and adjusted our lives together with your light presence. You introduced with you scars–actually and metaphorically–and a smooth, regular demeanor a lot appreciated in our family.
It’s humorous how I’ve forgotten sure particulars, just like the scabs that dotted your face and ears. I’d forgotten that it seemed such as you’d solely just lately completed nursing. Wanting again via footage I took in December and January, I’d forgotten, too, how low to the bottom you saved your physique, how rigorously you moved via area. I’ve forgotten it in opposition to the backdrop of progress–you might be doing superb!
I do bear in mind how a lot you slept that first month. I believe you bought right here and realized you have been lastly protected, and your physique simply caved in on itself. After an intensive checkup on the vet, she suggested us to allow you to take as a lot time as you wanted to relaxation and get better out of your trauma. And relaxation you probably did! Then, a number of weeks later, you awoke and ventured out.
Penny, you might be one quirky lady. I wrote in my calendar on January 7, “Penny realized to stroll from the bed room to the lounge and again all on her personal!” Sure, it took you two whole weeks to determine find out how to stroll from one finish of the home to the opposite. It was an enormous achievement that we celebrated. And, Penny, sometime, should you ever determine to deal with the hallway from the again of the home to the entrance, we’ll have a good time that, too! (For actual, you actually CAN go down that hallway, however we’re solely a yr in… I assume you want extra time…)
However, regardless of the scary hallway (and I received’t even point out the eating room, laundry room, or toilet that you simply nonetheless received’t enter as a result of, who actually cares because you don’t want to enter these areas) by the center of February you have been taking a coaching class with me, occurring each day walks within the park, and even hanging out at Lowe’s! You have been nonetheless tremendous hesitant to stroll within the neighborhood, however the trails have been your blissful place. It took us one other couple months to get you cozy doing a full circuit of our neighborhood, however now, a yr later, you’re a professional and even have neighborhood mates you cease to go to with in your each day rounds.
For the longest time, we struggled with your greatest battle: You have been afraid of getting hit or kicked. I bear in mind Violet startling you in the future and also you flinched and cowered. She crouched down and stroked your head and mentioned, “Penny, we are going to by no means hit you. You’re protected right here.” Tears streamed down her face when she requested me, “Mother, why do folks hit canines?” After all there’s no reply. However all of us felt brokenhearted every time you cowered from us after we tossed a ball or tied our sneakers or every other seemingly benign motion.
Now? These moments are uncommon. Very, very occasionally do you’ve got a flinch-and-cower second, and we’ve realized it’s extra associated to your imaginative and prescient and the way you don’t see so effectively within the sunshine. When a shadow unexpectedly crosses your field of regard, you startle. There’s not a lot we are able to do to “work on” that, apart from proceed to point out you ways protected, cherished, and safe you might be.
It took a very long time for us to get you to go to your walks. First, we aimed to get to the tip of our driveway, then the tip of our entrance yard, then so far as the neighbor’s driveway, and so forth. You incrementally expanded your world, and so long as nothing wildly uncommon or sudden occurred–like a site visitors cone on the street or the rubbish cans lined up for trash day or a bizarre gust of wind–you have been cool. Over time, these sudden issues turned background noise, and now you may stroll anyplace and hardly have these fearful moments anymore. However, if you do, I’m pleased with you since you merely flip again in the direction of house and begin strolling me again. You don’t flee or cower anymore. You simply return to your protected area.
Amongst your different quirks on the one-year mark: You place your paw in your canine dish each time you’re consuming. It’s a reasonably intelligent manner of preserving it from sliding round. You additionally like to chew up pens, pencils, and markers, and have solely in the previous couple of weeks found you can bounce up onto the chairs and seize meals off the desk. We’re all having to extend our watchfulness now that you simply’ve realized this one! You’re fearful of Ripley however so desperately need Newt to play with you. (She received’t.) You like to stroll within the woods; your tail wags actually your entire stroll. You don’t know find out how to chase a toy or fetch something, which I believe has extra to do together with your imaginative and prescient than the rest as a result of, holy moly, you’ve got a playful aspect that has emerged in these previous couple months. Actually, Penny, I’m fairly certain you need your self slightly canine to play with. You attempt to play bow and skitter with all of the canines within the neighborhood, so we’ve determined as a household to search for one other unicorn canine in 2025 (good with canines, cats, and children… and the ladies actually need one other deaf canine).
You’re a pleasure and a delight. You’re a go-anywhere, do-anything canine. You LOVE Violet and Astrid and can spend all of your time cuddling them in the event that they’ll provide the likelihood. You like to stroll, although you favor to go tremendous slowly and absorb all of the smells at your individual tempo. (Severely, Penny, you’re clocking a few 45-minute mile proper now. Can we decide up the tempo only a smidge? Perhaps a 30-minute mile within the new yr?)
You like assembly new folks and new canines. You lean in opposition to anybody who reaches out to pet you. You have got adoring followers at Lowe’s, our neighborhood, Whole Wine, ISD, and in every single place else you’re allowed to go.
Within the new yr we must always do remedy canine coaching collectively.
Truthfully, Penny, I’m unsure what we did to deserve you.
You’re the sweetest, gentlest, most loving canine. Pleasure follows you wherever you go. Up to now yr, you’ve overcome a lot worry and apprehension, and now you face new adventures with a wagging tail and open thoughts. Whenever you do get scared, we’re heartened that you simply flip to us and also you flip to house for reassurance.
We’re a group, Penny, and I’m so honored I get to stroll alongside you in your journey.
Pleased anniversary, my love. I’m so fortunate I get to be your particular person.
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