New Beginning

Our little foster dog, Bubba, came to live with us about six weeks ago. He was originally a stray in a nearby county and was picked up by animal control. He was labeled 'unadoptable' when he tested positive for heartworms...so he came to live with us and recover while we worked on finding him a forever home.

Bubba was scared of everything, but learned very quickly that I could be trusted. So he became my shadow. If I was sitting on the couch, he was on my lap. If I went to the mailbox, he barked at the door until I came back. If I went to the bathroom, he cried outside the door until I came out. He had been abandoned once, and I think he wanted to make sure it did not happen again.

Pretty much every other foster dog we have had has found our basket of dog toys almost immediately after walking in the door. Not Bubba. He had no idea what dog toys were or what to do with them. I would show him one, squeak it, throw it, etc., trying to get him to play. Nothing.

But Bubba was also the sweetest dog we've ever fostered. He gave kisses to everyone he met (including other dogs and even cats). He eventually came to realize that me going into another room didn't mean I was going to abandon him. And despite the fact that it made a huge mess, I was so happy the day I watched him go to the toy basket and pull each toy out to play with. He came such a long way in six short weeks.

Today, Good Friday, Bubba went to his forever home. He met a nice couple (in their late 40s, no kids--just one other Golden) a few weeks ago and of course they fell in love with him and wanted to adopt him just as soon as his heartworm treatment was complete. So today was the day. All day yesterday, I had that pit in my stomach that you get when you're just dreading something. It did not go away during the drive out to Keller to hand Bubba over to his new family.

But they were SO excited to see Bubba and to take him home. They already had a collar and new tag for him, engraved with his new name: Samson. (I like it and am glad they're changing it. Bubba was the name he was given at the animal shelter, so it will be nice to have a new name for his new home.) They are total dog people and it was obvious they already love Bubba, and he took to them right away. When we left, he was surrounded by his new family. And I mean that literally: he was surrounded by not only the couple adopting him, but a set of their parents, one of their brothers, and his three kids. They were all thrilled to be adding him to the family and I was happy that Bubba found such a wonderful forever home.

That does not mean, however, that I didn't start crying the minute I got the car door shut to head home. Or that I didn't cry when I got to my parents' house to pick Bailey up and told my mom about his new family. Or that I didn't get teary again when I got home and noticed his food dish in the kitchen. The house feels empty without my little shadow, and it's odd to be sitting on the couch without him sitting on top of me. But I know he is with a great family and is probably being showered with attention at this very minute. I will miss little Bubba, but I am so happy that he got his new beginning.

Bubba in his favorite spot. Bailey trying to ignore him.