"To love someone deeply gives you strength. Being loved by someone deeply gives you courage."

It seems as if the last couple months have unintentionally brought on this hiatus from blogging.  It's been a busy time in my life... between work and pets and the rescue and dock dogs and taking on new responsibilities that allow a lot less time for anything else.  I'm not complaining... especially since I choose to take on all of these tasks... but I am attempting to offer an explanation for my lack of blogging!  I love blogging.  As most of you know, I love to write.  I can write a lot better than I can speak.  In what I cannot say out loud, I can certainly put into words on a computer or on a piece of paper.  So... I'm back.  I'll push the writer's block aside and make an attempt at writing again.

We left off with Hallie just joining my pack.  Believe it or not, just a couple months after welcoming her into my life, a family mourning the loss of their dog came across her picture.  It was love at first sight, though I was skeptical of what they would think when they actually met my shy foster dog.  Shy dogs are difficult... because while they might come out of their shell in their foster homes after being there for a couple of months, they revert back to their almost feral self in any new situation.  It's like starting all over again in anyplace other than where and whom they are used to.  However, Hallie's savior was right around the corner.  A mother of three, whose husband was currently deployed, was on the search for a new canine companion to fill the void of the beloved dog she had recently lost.

We dotted the i's and crossed the t's and did a home visit as soon as we could.  We were concerned that Hallie would be in a home with three young children and as the only dog.  Shy dogs learn how to act from other dogs.  We weren't sure how she'd do without the guidance of other canines.  We were pleasantly surprised to find that Mom knew exactly how to treat a shy dog.  The children did as they were told and didn't even get up from the table when we came into the house with Hallie.  I'm not sure if I could have that much restraint with a new dog in the house... even as an adult!  Mom even noticed that the ceiling fan was making Hallie nervous, even before any of us did, and she quickly got up to turn it off and make Hallie a little more comfortable.

Before we knew it, the papers were signed... and Hallie joined her new family with a new name of "Roxy".  I've kept in touch with her new family, and I love seeing pictures of her in her forever home.  They've had their struggles... but that's expected with such an under socialized dog.  However, Roxy's family has worked hard and has done an amazing job striving towards having a strong bond between them.  I couldn't be happier that I get to see her on occasion and that her family is willing to work so hard to make their relationships stronger.

I'm still not caught up, though.  I still have to write about the dogs that followed this brindle beauty.  I'd combine it all into one post if I could... but there's far too much to write about.  Because between Hallie's story and now... there was/is Trixie, Pager, and Paige.  For now, I'll leave you with this story of a shy dog finding her forever home... something that probably would have never been possible if she had never left the shelter.  Shy dogs are good dogs... just misunderstood.  I'm so glad that I've been able to  contribute to the lives of a handful of a few shy dogs... and have been a piece of their journey to finding their forever homes.

Peace, Love, and Paw Prints... Emily