STELLA'S D-MAIL!

A letter to Stella from one of her very best pals, Shado

Dear Stella,

Your pal Shado here. I like your blog from Saturday. You sure are pretty (you look like me!), and since we both are rescue dogs, I think you are even cooler!

 

I bet you were lonely and worried for the three months you were in the shelter. I wish we could have been buds at that time.
I was in the shelter once and got adopted out to a woman. She wasn't very nice to me, but I was only 5 months old. What did I know? She complained that I tugged to much. You know what? She got tired of my tuggin, and she took me to a Petsmart to dump me. FORTUNATELY, there was a rescue group at that store, and they had a crate they could put me in. I was headed to an uncertain future. BUT, Mr. E and Miss B walked into the store, and Mr. E took one look at me and said, "I want him!." He meant ME!!!

Miss B had the checkbook. She also had experience with dogs. She told Mr. E to walk me around the store on a leash. I tugged and tugged and tried to run out the store's front doors. But Mr. E kept saying "Slow down, Shado. I want him! I want him!". And so Miss B wrote a check. She explained to Mr. E that I would be a project, a work in progress for awhile. I don't know what that means, do you?

Anyway, I came home with Mr E and Miss B. They already had one dog, Toby. He was just my age! We played together and ran and ran and barked and barked - it was so fun! Mr. E showed me the doggy door, but Toby is one who taught me to run in and out it.
Well, 5 years have passed. I am soon going to be SIX YEARS OLD! I still tug when I am walked, but Miss B works with me almost every day. She makes me wear a gentle leader, but I don't mind. She walks me --- just me! --- over a mile a day. I tug. But she makes we walk close to her. And whenever we come to an intersection, she makes me sit and wait. If I don't sit, she makes me walk around her and approach the intersection again, and tells me to stop and sit. Usually I get it right the first time, but sometimes I forget.

And she takes me hiking out in the mountains. Sure, it is just desert hills, but it is pretty and exciting! We have seen turtles and snakes. I love to hike, but I stay real close to Miss B. I don't want to lose her out there!

I don't beg for food, nor do I chew anything. Every evening, I love to sleep by Mr. E on the couch while he reads. And at night? I sleep by Miss B on the bed. Often I claim her pillow and sleep right across it. She doesn't mind - she just lays her head on my belly. Pretty cool, isn't it???

Just think, from pound to this life! And our family has grown - now we have two more rescued dogs, Sophie and Gus. Four of us in all! I am the smallest at 65 lbs. I am also the most loyal, the best behaved (haha! you knew I'd say that!), and I am the most handsome. By far, the most handsome. I look just like you but with boy parts.

And every day, Mr. E and Miss B hug me and tell me how lucky they are that they have me in their lives. I lick their faces and let them know that I agree!

love,

Shado

left to right:Toby, Sophie,Shado, and Gus   Backrow, Cousin Vinny, a visitor

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