Where'd you Go?

Underneath that cool exterior, Mr. K is actually a pretty sensitive guy. Once a hooman comes into his life and earns his love and trust, I'm not sure he ever really lets go. If he does, I know for sure it takes a good while. When I found him at the shelter in 2010, the boy was distraught. It took me at least 20 minutes of just sitting and looking at him from outside his crate for him to finally make eye contact. It was obvious, based on what shelter volunteers told me, that this little boy was confused as to why he was there and though his hoomans had given up on him, he hadn't yet given up on loving them.

His heart quickly opened up to me and, later that first summer, to a special dog-loving friend of mine who accepted Mr. K as his own dog and really helped to bring out Mr. K's personality. That summer, Mr. K found a best friend in my special friend. Like clock work, he knew when to expect his company and upon seeing him at the door, Mr. K would run to get a toy and meet him at the foot of the stairs. Mr. K was even granted boys' nights out at his best friend's house while Scottie Mom was away - a privilege not granted to just anybody in this Scottie Mom's life. And when I came back, I'd have one shiny-eyed, super smiley pup to greet me.

If you think breakups are hard, it is even worse seeing your dog go through it, too. For a few weeks, Mr. K would wait by the door every night after our dinner and walk just waiting for that doorbell to ring. It never did. And when we happened to bump into his long-lost best friend months later, Mr. K ducked behind Scottie Mom in attempts to evade any contact with him. From that day on, Mr. K was leery of any guy friends or dates that came by to pick Scottie Mom up. When Scottie Dad first came around, Mr. K got a little protective but, in time, he found a new buddy in Scottie Dad and has since adopted new favorite games to play. Now, the two men of the house rule the roost (or so they think...)!

Despite this, Scottie Dad's job often takes him away from us. Everytime he leaves, I notice Mr. K looking around corners in search of him the first few days. When Scottie Dad's away longer, I do my best to keep his spirits up and give him special privileges (can anyone say hooman bed?!). So far, I think this strategy is working and Mr. K has begun to realize that Scottie Dad really is coming back, even if he isn't with us everyday. I also like to think it helps him to know that no matter what happens, this Scottie Mom is here to stay, will always be someone he can count on and his precious, little heart will never be short on Scottie Love for the rest of his happy life!