April 30, 2017

White Dog smiled at the sight of Bella pushing her way to the front of the crowd to ask Steve for attention. Bella Bee, has always been incredibly shy and it taken a long time for her to not rush to my side or to hide under the chair whenever Steve got too close.

For years she slowly allowed small advances, like going out for bedtime walks, but always on her terms. She does not volunteer but lets Steve pick her up to be leashed for the walk as long as she is right next to me at the computer  and I tell her it will be all right and to hurry home; then she flies back to my side the second she returns. She amazed us last week when she just came up to Steve on her own accord and sat waiting to be harnessed.

That seemed to be the beginning of new steps toward trust.

It is hard for those who do not live with fur kids who have been victimized in their past to understand the lifelong process it is to overcome and trust. Bella E. Premurosa  (Beautiful and Caring) was a mill dog breeder who had never walked on grass or been cuddled until she was rescued and she came to live with us. In the almost four years she has been a member of the White Dog Army, Bella has progressed so far as to actually be a mentor for helping Opal (another mill dog) learn the ropes when she arrived. But there are still things...

Watching my Tiny Dancer wiggle her way through the crowd up to Steve's knee and to stand on hind legs and paw for attention, made our hearts sing, And she stayed under his gentle touch for quite some time...it was not just a tag and run moment.

I heard White Dog's quiet "YES!" next to me and I reached up to stroke her neck. "It is these times," I said to her, "that every single second of not being an only child is worthwhile, isn't it? Every member of the White Dog Army owes their chance to become...to you."