Tails and Tidings: Eight Puppies are One

Today is many things. It is the seventh of December, one week into the last month of 2012. The small print on today's square inch of your nearest calendar will tell you that it is also Pearl Harbor Day, a significant day in United States history. Seventy one years ago today, a U.S. Naval Base in Hawaii was bombed, setting off U.S. involvement in what was our planet's second World War.

One year ago today, history was made here at the BU. Our house was puppy-bombed, and I met this lovely lady.

Zelda, our youngest, biggest dog, was born in our living room one year ago, along with her seven brothers and sisters. Their mom was a shelter dog in need of a foster home with room for nine, as she was abandoned while pregnant. We loved her right away, named her Holly, and did our best to take care of her. There was even a time when we thought she might stay with us after her puppies left, but it didn't work out that way. She needed us for a short time only, and now lives near Portland. I contacted her new humans back when she went to live there, and she seemed to settle in right away.

 PUPDATE:

Jimmy, one of the two boys, is living it up a few miles north of me, at the Sea Haven Motel & Guest House, with his devoted parents, and big brother, DJ. He is a lucky boy who runs on the beach and meets new people regularly.

Judy, the firstborn, made a big move to New Mexico, where she is making me jealous, getting to spend so much time with my friend forever, Leah, and her magical wonderful family of beautiful interesting people. Also, of the pups, Judy probably enjoys the most sunshine.

The following pupdate about Maggie Mae is lifted from Maureen's (who adopted Jimmy) comment below.

"Maggie Mae is happy, safe and living the ubber urban life in PDX with her owners, Sue & Rich, and their complement of cats. She has traveled to the San Juan Islands and other points north, alas, still staying in the cooler, less sunshiny, NW."

 I appreciate the information she can provide, as close friends with Maggie's adoptive parents. It was delightful to meet Sue and Rich, and feel so good about a puppy's future.

Zelda stayed here and has proven herself to be smart, sweet, and able to fold herself into a flattened dogpacket so that she may will herself through the centimeter of space under the fabric of a pig wire fence. I need to find a use for that talent of hers.

Good thing she is abundantly charming; always coming when called, even when liberated from leash or backyard. She is brilliant, and can access that intelligence for quick learning, even though her brain has been a clanging storm of puppy for the last year. I love her dearly, and feel fortunate that she came into existence in our home, like two of my kids.

I also marvel at her size and strength. It's been said before, but what hasn't? They grow so fast.

The remaining pups:

Unfortunately, two of the female puppies are not still with their adoptive homes. They were returned to the care of the shelter. As much as I would have loved for it to work out, I have been in the position to have to return a dog to the place from whence it was adopted. I hated myself too much in those moments to bring up judgment for those people who had to admit that they could not own their puppy forever. At least they didn't just leave it somewhere.

And the other two, (a female and a male) I have no idea about. I wish them well, and hope they have a happier than usual day today. Perhaps they were adopted by someone who knows they were born on Pearl Harbor day, and will toss an extra scrap their way.

I think about Holly most of all. At the time, it was very difficult to admit that she could not stay here, and when I see her in Zelda, I feel a twinge of something.

It's not really sadness, because who knows how things are supposed to happen? It's a feeling of awe at having touched that flow of time and matter we call birth. She reminds me so much of her mother, but there's something else there. The genes of another dog, and her new personality, having known only this family as her people, and our dogs as her pack.

Alright, I'm putting on the puppy-dog face for some shameless begging, so watch out:

For some of us, this time of year is for acting on good intentions. If you live in a fairly clean and safe neighborhood, chances are, you have your local animal shelter, in part, to thank for it. Not only did our Tillamook Animal Shelter take in a pregnant dog and find us to care for her and her puppies, they provide a valuable service for our town, daily, nightly, no matter what it demands of them. And they are always in the mood for a contribution. Volunteering, fostering, donations, sharing animal postings from a shelter's Facebook page: animal shelters rely on the generosity of their community, as do the animals in their care, as do all of us who don't have to contend with stray pigs in the streets. So, if you love animals, or if you hate them and hope never to encounter a stray one, show some love to your favorite local shelter. Do it because it's a holiday. Do it because you get that giving really is better than receiving. Do it for all the puppies.

And that business about giving beating the pants off of receiving isn't just a bunch of puppy piddle. Being there for Holly and her puppies brought our family a strong feeling of harmony. Through all of the ups and downs, we as a family pulled together and never felt the burden wasn't being paid off exponentially. We'll never forget the Christmas when we hosted a litter of chocolatey sweet puppies, and when we look at Zelda, there is proof that all of that wasn't just some slobbering stinking dream.