January 20, 2012

White Dog left Steve in the Army's capable paws and went to the spa for a much needed grooming. I let her borrow my cell "just in case." Even though this was our "Friday-Is-Saturday" all the pups knew Steve was still under the weather and that it would probably not be a very active day. There were no complaints and the White Dog nurses continued the excellent care and supervision they have been providing. As Puff said, "There is no point thinking you are well like you did a couple weeks ago only to have it come back around later. Today you must rest, dad!"

White Dog returned at lunch time and resumed command. The WDA received her highest praise when she complimented how thorough a job they had done and asked for extra jerky rations all around as a reward. After lunch it was nap and quiet time.

Nuka, our senior deaf girl, has never been interested in toys of any kind: no stuffies, no balls, no tug toys (little wonder with only 8 teeth). She has watched White Dog and Puff and YoYoMa play without any interest or even curiosity about the toybox overflowing with toy temptations.

This Christmas the White Ones each received a handmade stuffie toy from our heart family in California; the boys got blue bones and the girls red hearts. Possession has switched and changed and been stolen and hidden so many times that it is no longer clear whose toy is whose. Nuka's and Quinn's stuffies were claimed right after the holidays by the trio of players and have been rotated into play along with the rest.

Today during quiet time, Nuka settled comfortably at the hearth sort of half awake/daydreaming; the other White Ones and Steve napped. One of the heart stuffies lay in the middle of the floor (she had stepped over it to get to her blanket).

Suddenly Another White Dog got up and walked over to the toy. She sniffed it.Walked around it. Sniffed other parts. She gave it a lick. Then she pushed it with her foot. I got very excited.

Nuka was trying to play with the heart!

I wanted to wake everyone to share the thrill of watching her push it across the floor closer to me and to see her smile as she looked up. But this was our moment. For a change I actually had the camera sitting next to me and snapped a photo before she turned her back to me and settled down to lie next to the heart...not quite touching it, but claiming ownership.

One of the most rewarding times of owning a rescue dog is when some invisible guard dissolves and a spark of puppyhood denied shines through. This was one of those events. Who knows if she will ever be interested in the toy again but for an instant, Nuka played! And it made me cry with joy.