It's A Boy! Atticus joins The Pack!

I've been working at a dog training/boarding/day care business for six months.  It has been a busy busy six months including a lot of doggy slobber and snuggles.  Everyone has her favorites that bring excitement and happiness to the day, and then we say goodbye.  Twice per year, a group of shelter dogs lives at the kennel while they participate in an 8-week obedience program called Teacher's Pet.  Through Teacher's Pet, shelter dogs are matched with school-aged children who work with their dogs two days per week.  The children gain confidence, compassion and school credit, and the shelter dogs become more adoptable upon completion of the obedience training.

The shelter dogs usually come soon after school starts in September.  In late September, I wondered why the dogs had not yet arrived.  We learned that we would have to select the dogs and they would arrive in mid-October.  Five adorable dogs arrived, and we loved them all.  So sweet. So cute.  Great diversity.  Just adorable.

I am asked in a number of ways at least 40 times per year if I want another dog, know someone who wants a dog, if I can foster a dog just until someone finds a new place to live, gets through a divorce, settles into a new state or job, etc., etc., etc.  I have no problem saying, "No."  I know when to say, "No."

I took care of the shelter dogs for weeks without feeling any unusual connection.  Two "Big Dogs," and three "Puppies."  Each sweet and showing its individuality, but no connection felt, until one day...  I walked into the "Big Dog" room and though I had interacted with "Harlan" many many times, we truly saw each other for the first time.  We literally locked eyes and he said to me, "My name is Atticus.  I belong to you."  As we continued to look to each other, I said out loud to all the other Big Dogs around us, "Did you guys just feel that?"  It was truly tangible.  I tried to ignore it.  Our foursome felt perfect, but I had noticed that it also felt as if someone was missing.  I had said our family wasn't full; I thought I was missing Koko and Satchel, but that kind of missing feels differently.  I tried to talk myself out of it.  He stayed on my mind.

My name is Atticus.  I belong to you.

I asked a co-worker to take a picture so I could talk to J about him.

He was so strongly on my mind, I talked to J about him.  Every concern I brought up, J made evaporate.  Every co-worker I talked to about him saw him with completely different eyes.  The efforts to deny Atticus' place in our family were weak.  He was ours.  The Pack has expanded.  We are now a Family of Five.

Seatbelted and on his way HOME!

On our first walk as The Pack