By now I am sure you all know that I love animals (cats check, chickens check) and I cannot wait until the day we can get a puppy. Nathan has promised me that this will happen after our wedding…to me this means the day we arrive home from our honeymoon! However this does not stop me from looking here, there and everywhere for potential puppies.
A few weeks ago I was in our local pet shop buying a cat collar for a friend and as I was walking out I perused the notice board to see if there was anything of interest and to my surprise there was. Now this was not a little King Charles Cavalier Spaniel, but in fact a Shih Tzu. As I read the advert describing the most adorable little 16 month old boy looking for a loving home due to the owners ill health, a light bulb went off and I instantly knew who would be able to provide this little one with a loving, comforting and happy home…Nathan’s parents! They are experienced owners and lovers of Rough Collies which they have kept for over 30 years. This is a photo of three of their doggies that was taken in 1981. The tri-colour was called Shadow, the sable and white was called Lassie and the blue merle was called Bluey!
This is a photo of Nathan on his little BMX playing with Shadow, which was taken in 1988 on the coastal path that Sherry now walks on everyday. In the foggy horizon you can see The Isle of Wight less than a mile away.
Their current girl Sherry is in the winter of her life and she loves companionship…especially from little dogs. We have been discussing the prospect of another, yet smaller dog for quite some time and now seemed the perfect moment to embrace the opportunity right in front of my eyes. I took a note of all the details and immediately called Nathan to set the wheels of operation Shih Tzu into motion. Later that night I asked Nathan about his mum’s reaction and said that it was good, but she does have a habit of procrastinating with things like this, so we hatched a plan that we would take to see him if she didn’t take the leap herself.
The very next day at about 4pm I got a phone call from Nathan jubilantly telling me the most wonderful news…that his mum bought the little doggy! Thrilled to bits I wished away the minutes until 5.30pm and then sped to their house to be greeted by this little munchkin, Monty!
Isn’t he the bees knees! I love him very much indeed and I am feeling very proud of myself for finding this handsome little boy. Even better than seeing him walk on his back legs like a living teddy bear or an Ewok and seeing him smile, is to see him and Sherry adoring each other like brother and sister. I am so proud of Sherry for being brave and loving and embracing Monty into her home and her heart, especially when Nathan and I have a very grumpy little Millie puss who has done no such thing with ‘brother’ Sylvester!
It has been three weeks and he has settled in brilliantly. He can be a bit of a scamp and he has driven Nathan to laughter and distraction with his incessant jumping at the back door of the family pub (where he spends his days playing in the garden whilst his mummy and daddy work), he looks as though he is on a trampoline! He has so much infectious energy that even Sherry seems as though she has been given a new lease of life. Unfortunately I have not yet been able to take a photo of Monty and Sherry together as they play at different speeds so this is a photo of Sherry that I took on a walk in early summer on the same path that Nathan played on with Shadow in the above photo.
I have to say that this new experience has made my puppy broodiness even stronger (worse as Nathan would put it!), but it is all good practice for when we do have a puppy of our own and it is nice to know that they will all be doggy friends together 🙂
Happy weekend everyone xo
Oh my goodness he's so cute!! I love dogs (and cats and all animals really) SO much, don't know what we'd do without Alice. My youngest sister had to have her poor Ethel put to sleep yesterday, I was feeling so sad this morning and then read this! Gorgeous pictures too. Also noticed we've both chosen the same GH wreath to decorate our blogs!! Kindred spirits indeed! xoxo
I love dogs too! Hope you could have your own one very soon! Have a great Sunday!
Ah, this is a lovely, heart-warming story indeed! Monty is so adorable, and Sherry is such an elegant lady.
You will be a wonderful puppy mommy when you get your little one next year!
LOVE LOVE LOVE this..what a heartwarming story..all the doggys are just beautiful..Monty looks like a little doll..
Me too ! LOVE animals..they are my LIFE ! My sweet little 14 year old blind red toy poodle..Butterscotch..we call him Buddy..have had him since he was 8 weeks old…and the love of our life… our world revolves around him…I stay at home to take care of him…he needs hand feeding and hand watering and walks…so I stay with him…oh, and 5 cats too….
You are going to be so happy when you finally get your new puppy……
I'll check back later,
Kary and Buddy and all the kittys too
xxx
I'm more of a cat person myself (albeit a sadly allergic one) but you've got to hand it to dogs, they have personality in spades that cats sometimes lack.
Love the Christmas decorations!
Congrats on your success! Very kind of you to follow through…
Molly
Organic Spark
Thanks girlies and fellow animal lovers, you are all wonderful and it is lovely to hear from you 🙂
Morwenna xoxoxo
He IS cute! Looks like a fiesty little stinker!