Prison Pup

My sweet friend Tonia lost her dogs this year. Both of them within months of each other. These weren't just pets for her and her husband, they were family, her children.  So they were our family too.
She was determined that she would wait for awhile before getting a new pup. It was just too heartbreaking and they had plans and were they really ready to make this kind of commitment again?  And, and, and...

And then...

This is Zoey and she is in a medium security prison as part of the Death Row Dogs program.  DRD is a fantastic program that takes dogs in high kill shelters and places them with inmates for a twelve week training program. Once Tonia and David applied to adopt Zoey (after an interview process) she received the word that Zoey was HERS!

This is such great news, not only for Tonia, but also for this sweet girl, who was born in a shelter and has lived her entire life there, except for the 12 weeks she has been in prison!  And this puppy is sitting in a cell right now, not even knowing the awesome life she is about to begin.  She doesn't know that her new family is spending their time preparing for her to come home.  They are re-working their schedules to ensure that she has quality time with them, they are reading about how to introduce a new pup into their home, and they are making plans to go to jail on visiting days.  

They have been getting weekly reports from her inmate trainers on her progress.  "This week, Zoey has been working on her manners and leash behavior"  or "Zoey has trouble focusing this week" are some of the reports that she receives.  And when she is ready, she will graduate with a ceremony at the prison including cake, punch and doggie treats!

Tonia and her husband are nervous, so nervous.  They are worried that Zoey won't like them.  They are worried that they won't make a connection with her.  Although I know for a fact that Tonia's animals are better cared for than my children, the real proof is right here:  just look at this face

I don't think either of them have anything to worry about!

Buddy Bernard Boddeker

This is Buddy Bernard Boddeker.  He is evil.  Really, he is a vicious, mean chihuahua.  He bites small children.  He also chases them for as long as they will run.  He waits until adults have their backs turned and then attacks them.  He bites the tires of every car that comes in the driveway.  He barks incessantly at EVERYONE that comes to the door.  He often will sit right beside a visitor to stare and growl at them. 

There are some in the house that he will tolerate:

But this dog?  The one that is so evil? He LOVES me.  Sometimes he sits and just stares at me. For a long time.

He will protect me at all costs, from all things both real and imaginary.  Including you, if he feels that you may be a threat to me.  

When I come home from work, this beast is by far the happiest to see me, and that says a lot because although the teenagers don't really notice my arrival, the 6 year old is pretty super excited to see me. He wants nothing from me, he is just happy to sit next to me (or on me.)

And that, folks, is love.