Welcome Back to a Beloved Little Shy Friend

Well its been a while since I posted as the dog situation around here has been pretty placid. Just enjoying the serenity of two dogs I know well and the familiar routine we've gotten into, and not at all sure I wanted to mess with that tranquility by bringing another foster dog into the mix. 

Occasionally there was--as there always has been--that nagging feeling of not doing enough, that this was just too damn easy. 

But--well, I know you're not supposed to talk politics with people you don't know really well, but it's hard to avoid a topic when it consumes your entire soul. I've been putting all the energy that used to go toward foster dogs, toward electing the most compassionate, progressive, honest, and solidly good presidential candidate I have ever known--Bernie Sanders. 

But, maybe the universe knew that my love of Bernie Sanders cannot be exclusive of my love of dogs, and in fact they are one and the same. So when I got a call from Marshal's adopter that his anxiety seemed to be increasing and they were going to bring him back to the shelter, and when I got a call from the shelter that they didn't feel comfortable putting him up for adoption but would adopt him to me, Florian and I went right down there and got him.  

He was a stiff, trembling mess when he came out. I can only imagine the terror he experienced spending another night there. But I had a really great conversation with my friend at the shelter who processed the adoption, and who waived the adoption fee because she told me everyone at the shelter really loved Marshall and was happy I was taking him. 

He was still stiff and scared in the car driving up, though about halfway through he came up and climbed on my lap and stayed there the rest of the way. 









During the drive I thought about how to introduce him back, and I was determined to do it the right way--slowly, with the dogs separated at first and able to sniff each other, at least for the first few hours. So I brought Marshal up to the door and was going to let him sniff, and Fozzie was right there, and the minute I opened the door and Marshal saw Fozzie his whole body went loose and his mouth opened in a big smile and his tail went swishing all over.  

And I knew it would be fine. These pictures are from about five minutes after I opened my front door. 












Dahlia and Marshal both seem so happy to be back together. I'm not sure if Fozzie is ecstatic about it, but he is being spared the butt-nipping Dahlia normally subjects him to as she is too busy rolling around with Marshal. 

I feel so happy to have Marshal back, safe and sound with us, where he can relax and make T. Rex noises all he wants!