November 14, 2011

White Dog, The Other White Dog, Still Another White Dog, and Yet Another White Dog have a special message for White Dog Army member, Another White Dog, Nuka Angel Marie Sehi-Smith: Happy First Gotcha Day, Little Sister!

It was this day last year when our shaved to bare skin, scared, deaf girl completed her 1750 mile journey from Florida to Albuquerque to join the WDA, which then was just White Dog and TOWD. She was crabby, tired from three days of travelling and not at all sure she wanted to live in the desert. We got home and wrestled her from the car and went inside to read her "profile." WD and TOWD looked at us with "what have we done" eyes.

Angel, as she was called before we added Nuka (which means Little Sister), had an entire page of caveats about things which made her mad. There was another page of things that she simply would not allow...like baths...or brushing...or being held. She reinforced her reputation by rolling back her lip in a snarl to reveal her 8 remaining teeth (which she used effectively the next day to rip open my thumb as I tried to take off her collar to add her new tags).
But slowly she settled in and Quinn was a gentle mentor. WD was her taskmaster, letting her know the house rules and eventually getting tired of Nuka's yips to come back inside (she used the dog door for out but would not come in alone)... WD spent an afternoon taunting and practicing with her until she got it right.

The family grew quickly as Puff joined us just one week later and YoYoMa in the summer. Suddenly she was part of a real pack! She became referee and assistant boss yipping out commands and body blocking poor Puff into compliance. She herded Michael and howled during mailman alerts with the rest evn though she could not hear them.

AWD discovered she loved dressing up...and bubble baths...and even being cuddled. Our girl now allows us to trim her nails and owl feet as well as clean her ears (she has only had one infection since arriving and these used to be chronic). She rolled over a few weeks ago to allow Steve a belly rub. We are proud of her continuing progress.

Just last week she nosed a toy that Yo had been playing with; this was her first interest at all in the toys strewn all over and we all delighted at her curiosity. To recount her blossoming over the past twelve months would require more space than we have here; most of you have witnessed and shared the events as they happened.

Being deaf, Nuka has learned some special hand signals (that only she responds to). If you hold out your hand as for a handshake and wiggle the fingers like a fish tail swimming that means "I Love You!" So for Nuka, for her day, to make her very happy, the WDA asks you send the sign of the swimming fish. Happy Gotcha Day, Nukers! --{ --{ --{


Nuka Angel Marie, Another White Dog, requested we make a donation to her rescue, Eskie Rescuers United, to celebrate her forever home day. The WDA and Michael generously honored her request to help other pups in the Florida area find the same happiness she has.