Happy 2nd Birthday Angelbabies!

I'm a day early (December 17th) to wish Angel's babies a happy 2nd birthday. I will not have time to post tomorrow on their actual birthday, December 18th. Angel had 6 beautiful puppies and she was barely still a pup herself at the time she delivered. Poor girl. But from what everyone has said, she was an excellent mother, despite her many hardships leading up to this day.

This is a pic taken way before I adopted Angel. It's a bit bittersweet for me to look at.

That little pup under her arm is Yofi, now Marley. What a cutie patootie he was and still is!

There's Val (now Samba) with Marley, hugging so sweetly next to Mama.

Thank you Nancy for these pictures I found online! All credit to you for capturing these special moments for me to share.

Enjoy your lives, puppies....well, technically adults now! :) Angel loves you all.

Iowa?

I have a fairly new friend on Facebook, and it turns out she is really involved in animal rescue. She advocates and supports those who rescue, and has her own menagerie of pets she has rescued as well. A couple of days before Thanksgiving, she posted a picture of a beautiful fluffy white dog..the spitting image of Angel. Someone had dropped off this sweet 7 month old "maltese mix" at a rescue facility that she supports.  As soon as I saw the picture, it took me back to last year at this time when we were prepared to take another dog into our home. The dog reminded me so much of Angel. I showed it to Steve and he immediately said, "let's go get him"! I smiled...honey, he's in Iowa! And he said to me, "And that's a problem?" I can't believe he was willing to drive over 12 hours to rescue a dog just because it looked like Angel!

I had hopes that because of his cuteness, someone would take him, and that's exactly what happened! I was so happy, until I saw another photo come up of a similar dog, similar age, only it had been so matted that the vet had to shave him. His eyes were so sad, and again, he looked just like Angel. My heart went out again. This one said that if no facility or person would take him, he would be put down by December 2nd. And again Steve said, "let's go get him!".  This time I agreed. I have no idea why. :)

But by the end of the day, the scruffy, bedraggled, shaven puppy had found a home for Thanksgiving! And I was happy for two reasons. One for the family that gave him a home, and two for not having to drive all the way to Iowa for a puppy we don't really need right now!!

We celebrated the good news by shopping for Angel's Christmas presents. She has sure softened our hearts toward fuzzy little white dogs! Who knows where we'll end up if we keep seeing these dog profiles!

CSI: A Lamb Goes Down

 I turned the corner, and this is the crime scene I saw. A pile of scattered stuffing and one very unstuffed lamby.

 He even looks a little desperate in this photo

And there is our cute perp. Oh, Angel. Sometimes I wonder about you....

Tear Licker

Angel met some new kids on Friday and she did way better than I expected her to do! She settled down much faster than normal....oh, is there hope in sight? Maybe!!

She's loving the colder weather, but I'm afraid our bed isn't big enough for the three of us. Sorry, Steve, but you'll have to take the couch! Oh, that was Angel talking...not me. :)

I am very excited for some snow to come, as Angel just loves to play in snow. I will be sure to take some video and post that later on. She's pretty entertaining.

Natalie shared a dream she had the other night. She came downstairs teary-eyed and tried to tell us her dream. It didn't take me long to figure out what/who it was about. She had dreamed that our dear Sophie was still with us, running, jumping, and playing. It just broke her heart and it made her cry all over again. Yes, over 2 years later and the loss of Sophie is still hard to take.

And this is where sweet Angel comes in...I told Nat that Angel was the best tear-licker I'd ever met. She senses sadness, and she will plant herself in your lap when you're having one of those days. She has those eyes..those big almond-shaped milk dud eyes, that just look right through your soul. You can't help but be happy when she licks your face and climbs right up your chest. And that was just what she did when I placed her on Natalie's lap that morning.

There are so many ways an animal can heal your heart. They really deserve the best of us. Angel will always get the best of me and our family. She's just that special. Every day with her is a gift and we are so grateful for the many ways she loves us.

Doubts!

I've been doing a bit of thinking about this Angel and Angelbabies reunion I've proposed. Angel has issues, as you know. She is not just timid around people, she is downright loud. She does not warm up to people quickly at all. She is overwhelmed easily. She cannot be approached by strangers or it's mayhem! We can't invite friends over who have small children because she tends to scare them. She has never tried to bite anyone, but her growl is so fierce....I keep her at a distance just to ease their minds. Once she can smell someone on her own time, you'd think it would make it better, but she'll sniff, then jump back and begin barking all over again. Any quick movements really set her off. She does not like boys or men very much, except for the men in our lives. It really puts her through a lot of stress when anyone stops by, unless she's familiar with them. It IS possible for her to get used to people and love on them. It just takes many visits with her, which obviously doesn't happen with everyone we know.  She shakes terribly when she visits anywhere, even my parents home, because she's afraid of their dog, and probably afraid of being left there. She's a complicated sweetheart.

So, I can't really afford special training and I've been trying to manage it on my own. I think she's somewhat better than when we first got her, and I know she's capable of change, it's just a lot slower process than I had hoped to achieve.  I think I am more nervous about her reactions than the rest of you. I spend more time trying to hush her and get her under control than I do being able to visit when someone stops by. I've tried putting her in our room when she won't settle down, but she slams against the door and barks continually. It depends on who is here, but if we let her freely move around, she tends to settle down faster than if we restrained her. If kids are here, we can't do that, although she was great with my great-nieces, ages 3 and 5, so I don't think she wants to hurt the kids. I think she is afraid of them in general. I love kids and would never want them to feel afraid in my home. Kind of disappointing, because I would love to babysit. I'm a mother at heart. Maybe why I love Angel so much too!

Whoever had this dog in the early years of her life clearly did not socialize her. I knew this when we got her, had compassion for her, and took her on anyway. It has been a challenge, as we can't go on vacation unless we can find house sitters or take her with us. 

While this meeting in a way is very exciting, I am afraid of how she would react to a bunch of new people and her own puppies all at once. My new thinking is that maybe she could meet with them one at a time. Maybe the puppies could meet without her at some time as well. That would give us a bit more time to work with her and hope she outgrows some of this behavior. If I could find an affordable trainer that I trust, it would be worth giving up something else in order to get that help. I am truly nervous that she won't approach the puppies because there are people attached that she doesn't know! :)

This dear girl came into our lives for a reason. Last night she climbed right up in my face and gave me kisses. She then crawled right over to Steve and gave him some too. I said to her, "Did Sophie tell you to do that? Because you are taking such good care of us." And that's what it has been like. Our old dog's spirit is in Angel. Maybe not literally...but she's definitely got her sweet loving personality. I really hope you all get a chance to see the good side of her. I hope this meeting will actually take place. I'll keep working on it!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANGEL!!!

Guess who's 3 today??

Happy birthday, sweet Angel girl! You have brought immeasurable joy to our family since your arrival. We love you so much and count every day blessed to have an awesome dog like you!!

Angel Does the Laundry

 Is it laundry day or sleep in the laundry basket day? Just ask Angel! 

 What? I won't wrinkle anything! I'm keeping it warm!

 I'm just cute. No matter what I do.

I think I'll just stay here and sleep as long as I want.

Angel- A Toddler on Vacation

Eh, not the greatest picture of sweet Angel, but it will do. My husband and I were able to take a small weekend getaway together. Finally!! The girls stayed with grandparents, but because of Angel's, um, shall we say..., unique personality, we chose to take her with us. Did we really have a choice? I think not.

We drove up to the family cottage about an hour away, and while Angel loves to ride in the van, she must always ride on my lap. Sigh....We stopped about halfway up and bought her a plain McDouble from her favorite place. Hence, the extra weight she is carrying, I'm sure.

We arrived at the cottage around 8:00 ish Friday night. Angel seemed excited to be at the familiar place she had met over the summer. She was like a fish out of water as we attempted to unpack in the rain. Finally she made herself at home on the love seat while we tried to settle in.

At bedtime, we had her cozy little bed all ready on the floor. We even put her in said cozy bed...but she waited for us to climb in our own smaller-than-bed-at-home and then found her place right between our shoulders. Yes, we took a toddler on our vacation.

Angel, being Angel, could not be left at the cottage alone on Saturday when we decided to venture into nearby beautiful Petoskey. So, she went with us as we drove along the lakeshore, stopping at a lakeside park to let her run. And did she run!! She was energized by the sounds of the waves lapping the shore, and the wind blowing in her face. She was loving every minute. It wasn't until I reached down to pick her up for a picture together that I noticed her face. Somehow in her travels, she got a face full of little black thistle-like seeds.

So thus began the lengthy process of pulling out hundreds of little seeds from her long white hair. Again, we took a toddler on vacation! 

On Sunday we took a tour of every avaliable apple orchard/pumpkin farm we could find. And so did Angel. She didn't like being left in the car for short periods of time, but she eventually had to give in. We had to be strategic in parking nowhere near other people, as she just can't handle strangers getting within 100 feet of her. She let a few unsuspecting children know exactly what she thought of them. Poor kids.

For awhile we got her to ride in her own seat in the back, but she wasn't having it. She began whining and crying, something she rarely ever does. She kept jumping up on the fixed window, expecting it to open. So finally I allowed her back up front where she happily stuck her head out of my window....in 45 degree weather. Yes, we love our dog.

And so it is with Angel, our "special needs" rescue dog. I hate to label her, but let's face it, she has issues. And because she has them, so will we. We had a fun weekend. I don't know if Angel did, but she doesn't care what she's doing as long as she's doing it with her family.

Bed Hog

So, it's getting cold at night..and we don't want to turn the heat on just yet....and "someone" is getting cold at night too...so......Angel has been sneaking into our bed every night! Stinker! We try to put her back in her cozy little bed, and she slinks right back in! She does look a little guilty, but she's so cute...I just let her stay.

It's going to get old soon. She's a squirmer. I reach down to pat her and she's flat on her back, feet up in the air, nose buried in the blanket. What a doll, our Angel girl! And what a bed hog....

Video: Angel in the Leaves

Angel Loves the Leaves!

Do we really need words here? She was a blast today playing in the leaf pile I made for her. She loves to chase apples, so we kept tossing them into the middle of the pile. She cracked us all up watching her play.....what a joy!

A Love Like Mine

I finally did it. I finally broke down and watched the old videos of Angel and her 4 surviving puppies. I also found and looked at the pictures of her and her pups the day they were born. It was bittersweet! I really didn't want to see her that way-a young pup herself with 6 little ones. It just brought back to mind the difficult existence she has had so far.

Somehow I had to make myself see this part of her, and with my daughter beside me, we watched. And smiled...

What a beautiful, protective, full of mischief puppy mom she was! It just makes me love her more.  Those puppies were so adorable, with those chubby little butts! They look just like their mama.

I have such a special connection with Angel. I don't know if it's her background or mine...but we mesh together perfectly. She's still my little shadow. My stalker even! She's ever at my feet, my side, my back. Protective, needy, clingy...both a puppy and a mama. And I let her care for me and be cared for...whatever she needs that day...whatever I need that day...

My Angel. My love!

Angel Walk

Angel loves our daily exploring. Today she discovered one of the girls' old "hideouts".

She loves to investigate! There was a small hole here, and she sniffed like crazy.

Just some health updates for Angel

Miss Angel had her annual checkup at the vet last Saturday. She's as healthy as can be! I'm sure that's good news to all the puppy moms. Her heart and lungs are good, no signs of any fleas, infections, injuries, sickness, etc.. Her joints are fine, and she has just a little tartar on a couple of teeth. She does not care for the vet or his staff, but they do a great job trying to make her comfortable. She shakes pitifully the whole time. Maybe the smell of the office reminds her of shelters? Although it doesn't smell bad, maybe it brings back thoughts of being left behind? It is sad, and we always do our best to comfort her and reassure her we're not going anywhere. Ever!

The only thing we were told is that she is at her maximum weight! Could be from all the treats we give her when new people come over. We just have to cut back her food intake just a bit and make sure she gets a chance to run. She runs faster than any dog I've ever seen. She'll be fit as a fiddle in no time at all.

Her tail became matted to the point that we had to trim it back just to get at the tangles. It looks a bit stubby now, but is already starting to fill back in. We don't claim to be dog groomers...just trying to keep up. She really needs to be brushed daily. It's sometimes hard to do, but it is important and we are doing better with her. She doesn't like to be brushed on her head. She runs and hides when the brush comes out. I've tried to make it a gentle experience with lots of treats and petting. She'll get there, I'm sure.

The vet recommended a groomer near his office that he thought would do well with her anti-people personality. We may call and give her a try. Angel is an absolutely gorgeous dog and deserves to have a beautiful coat too.

She'll be three years old on October 29th. She still acts like a puppy! I hope she never loses her happy puppy personality.  Although new people are her least favorite experience, I really hope we can pull off this puppy reunion with some success. I am really looking forward to it!

Calling all Angel Babies...well, two of them anyway

So far, I am in personal contact with two of Angel's puppy Mama's- Gina, mama of Marley, and Judy, mama of Samba!!  This has been so amazing to not only follow the lives of these pups, but to meet their amazing moms and families. It has been a rewarding experience in a way that I never could have imagined. Who would have thought....humans united through puppies?? It's usually the other way around!

So, my plea is this: If you are the owners of the remaining two puppies, please contact me or Gina over at her blog, "A Family Blessing". We are trying to put together a mom/babies reunion in a public park soon. I would love to wait for all of us to be able to meet, so if you are following because you have one of these amazing dogs, please comment, leave your email address (I will not publish personal info), and we will include you on all the details!!

Thanks! I really hope to hear from you soon.

Laps of Love

Angel is clearly in love with her daddy! He doesn't even have to coax her to sit with him anymore. Steve had just relaxed on the couch when she decided to join him. She curled up in his legs and stayed there for a long time.

It is so cool to see how far she has come. From barking and growling at Steve for her first 6 weeks here to now following him around and jumping on his lap, sleeping next to him in bed, and going crazy when she hears his car.

Everyone deserves this kind of unconditional, loyal, puppy love. Whoever gave her up is sure missing out on a lifetime of love. But, whoever you are, thank you....

Angel, sweet Angel

Angel is so obsessed with finding chipmunks that she has dug us a hole to China in the backyard. Not only that, but she dug another hole under my garden phlox by the house! I kept wondering why her feet were so muddy when she came in...then I caught her under the flowers, digging away. Her breed instinct is a "rat" chaser. Maybe she thinks the chipmunks are rats?

If she hears or sees one, she begins to whine. It's terrible that we won't let her just run and chase them, I guess. They make her completely crazy, and she won't listen to us when she's on the hunt. So, she has to "chase" them on her tie out leash. Oh well....

Angel is still a complete joy to have around. As the weather turns cooler at night, she is making her way back into our bed and snuggling right up between us. In the morning, she crawls up beside my face and curls up next to me, making her little happy grunts that say, "good morning".

I can't say enough that this dog has brought us joy each and every day! The girls absolutely love her playfulness and mischievousness! If they don't close their bedroom doors all the way, Angel is certain to visit their rooms and find a treasure to bring downstairs for herself! It's pretty cute, except for the day we found a shredded bath pouf on the living room floor. It was actually pretty funny.  I don't know why I'm such a softie with Angel. Everything she does is cute! I can't get after her for anything!

I think someone previously disciplined her severely, because if I even say something a little sharply, she will cower. It's so sad. I then have to baby her to convince her she's not in trouble at all. I don't know..maybe she's playing me. She is pretty smart. And when it comes to her, I'm just mush!

Either way, I love her to pieces, and hope one day she will stop sounding so vicious when company comes over. It's so contrary to her actual loving personality!

Garden Girl

Angel likes to accompany me to the vegetable garden to pick whatever is ready. It's fenced in, so she's allowed to run and explore all she wants. The garden is full of grasshoppers and toads, so she has plenty of entertainment! She seems to ignore the many bees, thankfully!

Yesterday as I was picking the green beans, I found some that had been forgotten and were way too big to eat. I snapped them in a few pieces and tossed them, knowing Angel would enjoy the chase. She loved the challenge of following the sound of a bean landing somewhere and trying to hunt it down!

She is a joy to watch as she discovers anything new. She has learned the word, "chipmunk" too. All I have to do is say, "where are the chipmunks?" and she runs to the door where she sees them all the time. She'll whine at them and beg to go out and hunt them down. She's quite the hunter, but when she encounters something she doesn't recognize, she's tentative and careful, tilting her head until I tell her, "it's just a leaf, Ang!" or a toadstool, or anything she's never seen before. 

I so enjoy this little dog. More than I ever thought I would. I'm sure I enjoyed Sophie(our beardie) in this same way when she was young, but I worked full time and didn't spend my days with her. Then we had little ones come along. So, in a way, Angel is the new "baby", and I spend my days with her, pretty much involving her in all I do in a day!

Pretty soon the garden will be tilled under and Angel will get her big space to run again. She'll run top speed around that garden, flipping up dirt on the turns. Her hair will fly back off her face and she'll be smiling....can't wait to till the garden under! :) that and I'm sick of picking beans....

"Cotton Ball"

Angel is a whole new dog, apparently! Gina, Marley's owner, decided to have Marley (a.k.a. "Yofi" to some) DNA tested to learn more about his breed.  At the time I obtained Angel, her breed was a good guess-- part Maltese, part American Eskimo, according to her traits. We were told that  Angel was impregnated by a Maltese at the Ohio shelter, but that's all the information that was available at the time.

I had no idea that dogs could be tested for DNA! So, I was pretty surprised to hear from Gina that Marley tested positive for only 2 breeds. 1 being a Maltese, and 1 being a Coton De Tulear. Yep, you guessed it right! Angel would be that Coton de Tulear!  What was more surprising, and perhaps a little curious was the fact that both parents are purebreds, according to Marley's test. Not only that, but Marley came from 3 generations of purebreds. Now, figure that out. It's a little strange, don't you agree? How did a purebred end up in a shelter, impregnated by another purebred? That's another mystery.

Gina and I have been exchanging emails over this exciting news. We've both been combing the internet for information on the traits of these breeds. Angel fits the Coton to a tee! When I looked up images, it was basically her face! 
 
She may come from royalty, but to us, she's just the same old dog who once in awhile gets in the trash or recycling, chases chipmunks, and drinks out of puddles. She may be a purebred, but since she has been spayed, her value is in making her humans happy, not making more pups! 

Her newest nickname is now "Cotton Ball", since Coton de Tulear is french for cotton ball. Daddy thought now that she had "moved up in the world" that she should be served like royalty. So last night he served her some vanilla ice cream in a crystal pedestal dish! 

Check out Marley's story over on Gina's blog, "A Family Blessing".

Interception!

Angel "intercepted" the football we were tossing at the beach, and quickly made mincemeat out of it! She just can't help herself when it comes to balls. She loves to chase them, pop them, and run off with the pieces with the rest of us in pursuit! Such a stinker sometimes, but still so much fun!

Have Angel, Will Travel

Angel went up to our family cottage with us last Friday and we just got home today. There were 15 of us there, some of whom she had never met. She did surprisingly well, even seeming like she enjoyed all the people and chaos! She barked a bit at first when people came near, but once she was able to say "hello", she calmed down. She was also happy to be running off her leash for most of the time! She chased apples running top speed! She walked to the end of the dock, slept in a tent with us, and even went to Torch Lake and Traverse City.  She's getting better about walking in public, but is still pretty nervous, so we take things slowly.

At night, she curled up on my lap in front of the fire. By day, she was my little shadow. She watched the fireworks without so much as a flinch! (I covered her ears) What a great little dog and an adventurous one at that! 

Happy Dog Days

 Angel was off her leash for awhile the other day. This is how she chose to celebrate her freedom...lying on her back in the grass with a big smile on her face!

She's getting really good about coming when she's called and not taking off into the woods. Now...if a chipmunk teases her, there are no guarantees! She's a blast to have outside with us and will follow us anywhere, top speed, smiling all the way!

Lap Dog

Natalie can't lift 10 pounds or more, so we have to put Angel on her lap. No protesting from Angel at all! She loves to sit on Natalie's lap just like a human...on her tushie! Too cute! She is probably about 20 pounds or so now and right now she's sporting a very bad mommy hair cut. Sigh...I just can't get the hang of this dog grooming thing! She absolutely can't stand being brushed, trimmed, bathed, etc...and acts like she's being punished when you try! The result is a very bad-looking grooming job, a pouty dog, and an exhausted me! Oh well....she really is worth all the trouble! Even if she looks like a shelter dog when I'm done! :)

Angel: Dog Who Heals

 It has been an incredibly busy month or so. Sorry I haven't been updating about our dear Angel girl. Our daughter Natalie (seen with Angel on her lap) underwent major spinal surgery on June 17th. This photo was the last day before leaving for the hospital. Angel seemed to know something was about to happen. She was all over Natalie! It was incredibly hard to leave Angel behind with our nieces who were house sitting, but she did great with them, despite my worry and tears. Oh, did I say "tears"? I meant fears....:)

Here is one of the first pics of when we brought Natalie home. She spent 6 days in the hospital over 2 hours away. Angel was so gentle with her, sneaking slowly into her bed and making her way up to bathe her face in sweet kisses.  Every chance Angel had, she was by Natalie's side, keeping her company or licking her IV bruised hands. It was amazing to see Natalie's spirits lift whenever Angel spent this special time with her. Angel could get the most smiles and the most laughter out of Natalie! She said to me one day, as Angel sat in her bed beside her, "Every time Angel licks me, I get 1% better!" It must have worked, because we're almost to the 5 week post surgery mark, and Natalie is doing great!

Dog Thoughts

Sometimes I wonder what that pup is thinking as she stares out the window! She doesn't bark at anything...chipmunks, squirrels, deer, turkeys, rabbits....she just watches them intently.

Maybe she's like me when she's inside...contemplative and relaxed, but when she gets into the great outdoors, she's on alert, excited, and ready to go!

Either way, she seems to appreciate doing whatever she feels like doing! And that makes me ever so happy for her.

love my girl

We've been rearranging some rooms in our house and I now have my office back!! Even more happy about that is Angel, who loves that it has carpeting! I love that she has been sitting at my feet, snoozing away sweetly as I do some writing. She is my muse, my furry love!

We went for a nice long walk again today and she came home pooped! It didn't stop her from wanting to be outside even more. She really is an outdoorsy girl...just like me!

love that girl...just love her...

Who Rescued Who One Year Ago Today?

Today marks one year to the day we adopted Angel! One thing that sticks out in my mind was how hesitant I was to get another dog after losing our Sophie. I swore I wouldn't want to get close to her. That lasted about 3 minutes- the moment I saw her face walk through the door I changed my mind. I thought I was going to cry when I touched her, but I didn't. For one thing, she wouldn't let me touch her! Maybe it was a God thing....he helped the transition by giving us both the time we needed.  She was scared to death of us and I was scared of getting close to her, but she needed me. I had no choice. I had to pick her up, comfort her and speak sweet words to her. Sophie was the last one I had done that for. I didn't think I could do it again.  Who knew that it was exactly what I needed to heal my own broken heart. God is so good.

I cleaned out my file cabinet today and found the vet records for Sophie. I tearfully went through them, kept a few memorable pieces and hesitated just a moment before letting the rest slip into the trash. I can't believe I can still cry so easily just thinking of her. I took one last look at Sophie's name printed on the folder, then replaced it with Angel's name. I looked over Angel's paperwork from the last two shelters and wanted to cry again!  Her file is now in the family file cabinet where it belongs! And Sophie is still where she belongs...firmly in my heart.

These years, however many we may get with Angel, will go fast. I can't stress enough that because it goes so fast, these animals in shelters need families now. And believe it or not, a part of us needs them even more....

Angel Makes a "Friend"

Angel loves living in the woods, and now with Spring sort of here, she has a lot of wildlife to watch! She is most excited by rabbits and chipmunks, but today she met someone new...

I'm not sure who surprised me more...the deer staring but not running away, or Angel simply quietly studying her without one flinch! They were eye to eye for a few moments, then the deer went back to snacking without a care.

Angel loves to hear new words. She tilts her head so cute when you say something she's never heard. Today I wanted to get a cute picture of her, so I took this one....

And then I said some words she hasn't heard before...."Do you want some pizza?" And she gave me this cute little look...

And now you can see why our home revolves around Angel! Could you say no to that face?

Adoption Anniversary

This is the sad little Angel face we first saw on the screen when we went looking for a dog on Petfinder a year ago. Is it any wonder that I couldn't stop thinking about that face? Steve would show me other dogs and I just couldn't stop thinking of Angel.  As they say in the movies, it was "love at first sight".

Of course, by the time we met her, she looked like this....

She was just a baby herself when she had that little cutie behind her. That's Yofi, now known as "Marley", and that was Angel's adoption day.She wasn't so sure about us then.

She's looking even a little better now....

She's definitely fatter! Her hair is a bit longer, and though she's not "smiling" in this picture, she "smiles" all the time now! She is quite happy. As I said to Natalie this morning, "that dog has not had one bad day in almost a whole year. Pretty good for a shelter dog!" She agreed that life would not be the same without our Angel and it has been a blessing to love her. Angel has become a "daddy's girl"as well, climbing right over me to get to her daddy each morning! Such a change from the first 6 weeks she spent being afraid and hiding from him!

We will be hugging her extra tight on April 26th, the anniversary of  her adoption day! We can't believe a whole year has gone by already. I actually found a picture of Angel on Pinterest, but could not get it to load here. It was a petfinder ad for the adoption of her puppies. Angel looked like a puppy herself. Natalie has also put a picture of Angel on Pinterest, so if you're out there, look her up sometime! (as if you need to see more pictures!)

Thanks again, Angel followers and "aunties". It's been nice to share these times with you!

Angel Bunny

Is it the Easter bunny? The Easter Beagle? Close...it's the Easter Maltese mix, giving out kisses instead of eggs! Angel takes every opportunity to love on her "sissies"!

Diggin' Our Dog

 Last week Angel found a tiny hole in the yard. She kept sticking her nose in it and looking like she could see something in there. I didn't think about the small hole when I put her on her tie out later that day, and this is what Natalie found when she went to check on her!

I think she's actually smiling here!

Hello? Mr. Chipmunk? Can you come out and play?

She had gotten a pretty good size hole dug out, so her feet were all black and she had a black muzzle to match! The girls immediately took her to the tub for a bath. Angel is not a fan of baths...I think she regretted her digging pretty quickly!

She hasn't gone back to finish off the hole so far, so hopefully she got it out of her system!  Well, at least for now....

How Much is that Doggie on the Staircase?

 No, Angel's not in a cage! She likes to sit on the first landing of the staircase while I'm on the computer. She likes to stick her feet through until I come up and put my face up to her.

Then she sticks her nose through so I can give her a smooch.
She loves to play this game over and over. It's pretty cute. She likes to sit up there with her bone and look out the window too.


I'd say she has a pretty good life here. We still enjoy her today as much as we did almost a year ago when she came to live with us!

Please Bring Spring....Love, Angel

Whew! I took a nice long break from posting! Angel is doing great, as usual, but I think the poor girl is so tired of the lack of spring. She doesn't like the mud, the mushy grass....much like the rest of us! I think she's ready to get out and run like the wind. Me too!

We're getting close to her 1 year adoption anniversary with us, and the honeymoon is officially over. She loves being here and is into a great routine. She still doesn't like to be alone and will follow me around the house. She doesn't like it when we do projects all day. It's like she's begging for me to sit down so she can have some normalcy!  She still loves to sleep in our bed, but for the most part prefers her own. She wakes me between 5:30 and 7:00 each day just to snuggle. It's my favorite part of the day!

We brought a drum set home the other day and guess what? She hates them! No surprise. She is not into loud noises whatsoever.  She looked at us like we were crazy, and she's right. We are! Oh well, she'll just have to adapt to us. I heard that recently that you should not adapt to your dog, they have to adapt to you! We've had that a little backwards! We also heard that dogs forget their pasts. Um...I'm not sure I believe that entirely. I sure hope it's true.

I will post some cute new pics later. I don't have time right now! Just wanted to let you know we're still here!

Be Vewy Quiet...I'm hunting Chipmunks

Oh great...the chipmunks are back in full swing! This means every time we take Angel outside, she goes on alert. Watching...waiting....anticipating...the glimpse, the smell, the squeak....of her favorite animal, the chipmunk!!

I don't mind that she's obsessed with them, I just wish she'd do her business first before trying to hunt them down! It's been cold and windy lately, and all she wants to do is investigate every nook and cranny. She's hilarious when she does it, really. I keep trying to tell her she's fast, but there's no way she's ever going to catch one. I don't know if she'd know what to do if she did.

She pulls the stuffing out of all her squeaky toys...I'd hate to think what she'd do to a real one. Let's hope we don't find out any time soon!

People Walker

I think Angel has been feeling a little cooped up lately. The snow has been really hard and crunchy, making going for walks impossible. She follows me all over the house, just giving me "big eyes", not really knowing what she wants from me. So today, since the snow was much softer, we did our normal long walk in the woods. Actually, she walks me, since I go wherever she wants me to!

She just loves the woods, exploring every nook and cranny, running the entire time! It's good for me too, as it is a great workout! It was a fairly warm and sunny day, with no wind at all. Just hearing the snow under our feet and the birds singing all around. It was very relaxing, and she slept the rest of the day, giving me a break from all the following around!

What a great day to be a dog! And a great day to be walked by a dog too!

Mom! Look!

The girls are always trying to win Angel over, but let's face it, I'm the favorite around here! The girls try to sneak her up to bed at night, but it's not long and she's running back down the stairs to find me. It drives them crazy! On movie night, Angel sits on a pillow on my lap and gets all hunkered down. The girls have tried the pillow thing to no avail. It's just not the same without mommy apparently! She will sit or lay anywhere I go, but the girls have to coax her with treats to get her to jump on the couch with them or sit anywhere else with them for that matter.

Well, the other day Natalie was tired out and was resting on the couch. I had been sitting in the kitchen, Angel at my feet. Suddenly, she calls out, "Mom! Look!" I turned to see such a cute little sight. Angel had decided Natalie looked pretty cozy and curled up beside her on the couch! She didn't just stay for a few minutes like usual. She stayed for a really long time, making Natalie so very happy.

I do enjoy being the favorite, of course. I love that Angel will go out of her way to find me, even searching from room to room at top speed. I love that of all the laps in the house, she chooses mine. I love that no matter what I'm doing, she will make herself a part of it somehow. She is my constant loyal companion and I just adore her.

But hearing "Mom! Look!" warmed my heart as well, and I hope with time Angel will choose them just a little bit more. Just maybe not too much. :)

Life: Angel Style

Angel enjoys all of this snow way too much! She wants to be outside about every half hour. Hey, I don't mind giving in once in awhile, but I've been trying to get some work done around here! :) When I take her out, she runs immediately to the many snow banks around her play area. We've started calling her "Billy goat", since she likes to get as high up as she can, then jumps off like the goofball she is! She's also taken to digging as many holes as possible, "pretending" there's something in the hole and pouncing on it. Of course all it does is fill her face with snow, and I swear she is smiling when this happens! The other day she snuck up on an oak leaf blowing around, pounced on it, then carried it around awhile. I'm not sure where she gets her hunting instinct, but it's a blast to watch her.

Angel reminds me to have fun in the middle of my busy day. Her insisting to go outside only gets me out for a breather and a bit of fresh air when I need it most. She encourages me to run down the driveway to get the mail, then take an off-road way back to the house just for fun! She reminds me to play more often, and embrace whatever comes my way. It gets annoying sometimes when I would rather not take her out at that moment, but those eyes...I just can't tell her no! And so we go, climbing snow banks, chasing leaves, and taking time to play.

A Dog Groomer I am Not

Ok, so still no pics of sweet Angel girl. Well, that haircut I gave her warranted a trip to the store for some dog grooming tools. Don't judge! :) We are trying to get her over her fear of the buzz of the clippers, so for now we are letting her hear and sniff them before we do the big event. Yes, a trip to a groomer would have been lovely. All nice and even, looking every bit the beauty she is meant to be. However, Angel is not so fond of strangers and we don't want to traumatize her in this way. So, today I am a dog groomer....well, after I watch the instructional DVD that is! :) Oh, and after I finally get the nerve to actually touch her with the clippers while it is on! And as soon as I can find some solid time to do it....ok, might be awhile until you see the new pictures. Ya know, she looks pretty darn cute with long hair...yeah, I think she's meant to be a long-haired dog after all!

Angel Notes

Miss Angel got a trim and a bath yesterday. No, I can't post a pic just yet....I cut her myself! This means I have to even her up a bit before I take pics! Protecting her reputation of the cutest dog ever, you know?

Not a big post today. That one was saved for my personal blog, which features a very special Angel story. If you'd like to check it out, just click on the "Mrs. Rogers' Neighborhood" link under "my other blog".

I just didn't think this was the place for such a long post. I hope though, that you will take the time to read and comment. It was hard to write, but I felt it would be helpful to share. Hope you think so too.

Blessings from a happy dog owner!

We're all Spoiled Now

Angel's got a pretty rough life here. She comes in from the cold, lays under the table on my white rug, and I turn on her space heater. She loves to be warm! Whether it's stretched out in front of that heater or curled up in a chair (or in our bed), she is always looking to be warm and cuddly.

I used to be a perfectionist about my furniture, not allowing the dog to jump on it without a blanket at least. Well, Angel pretty much owns any piece of furniture she wants! She also gets lots of car rides and my pocket is always full of treats on our rides. She's always curled up on my lap or in the seat beside me, sometimes rolling on her back. Really? A belly rub now? I'm driving! Somehow, she always gets what she wants!!

And getting her was exactly what all of us wanted! Looks like we all made out pretty darn good!

A Walk in the Snow with Angel

We took Angel for a nice walk in the woods yesterday. She ran for most of our 1 mile trip! I made Steve hold on to her lead, as we were trudging along behind her and I was afraid of her getting too far ahead. She was so happy the entire time. It's a joy to watch her run and investigate!

When we got back, she stretched out in front of her little space heater (yes, she is spoiled!) and went to sleep on the rug. Awhile later she joined us for a nice nap! It's fun sharing the day with Angel! 

Big Girl

 

 

 

We are so proud of Angel! We had Natalie's birthday celebration tonight with the grandparents and she behaved herself like the little lady we know she is!

 Saying Hello to Grammy L

Whatcha doin' Gram and Gramp R?

 

She is finally getting on to this "company" stuff. She still barks a little, but settles down with some treats after awhile.  I just love to see Angel happy in situations that would ordinarily make her nervous and scared. Such a relief to know she's feeling relaxed and happy!! It makes me feel that way too!



My Angel Baby

 On Saturday morning, Angel was snoozing on a sunny patch of the couch. Natalie thought it would be funny to stick her bone under her nose to see if she'd wake up....

 She woke up, covered the bone with her paws sleepily, then decided it just took too much energy...

and went back to sleep, her bone safely tucked beneath her chin. Sweet dreams, my Angel baby!

Snow Dog II

I have never seen Angel this crazy. Insane, in fact, if that is possible for dogs! The snow started late yesterday, so she played in it last night while we only had a few inches. She was crazy then. But this morning....she went nuts! I think we got close to 12", so it's much higher than her back. Steve blazed some trails for her with the snowblower, but after awhile, it was no trails for her! She shifted into 4 wheel (leg) drive and went off road!

 Go Angel Go!

 Love this one!

 She's sort of smiling in this one! I think she was definitely smiling inside...

Every now and then she'd stop running and stuff her face right in the snow! I just ran with her and laughed like a maniac. She makes us so happy!