Today is a Birthday!

Today is Ollie's "birthday." One year ago today, I picked Ollie up from Montgomery County Animal Control. He was the first dog we ever "rescued."

He was a smelly, flea infested, sore covered, skinny dog who was shy about making eye contact with me. I slipped a lead on him and took him outside and he was ready to take off. I let him sniff and relieve himself. He peed for like ten mintues (or it seemed like it). I put him in the crate in my car and headed for home. It wasn't until I arrived nearly an hour later that I realized he'd quietly been vomitting all the way there.

Oh you should have seen the fleas that foamed off of him when I gave him a flea bath! And, just thinking about his shredded ears and abraded paws makes me weepy even now.

He was a sick and sad boy. It took days to convince him to eat more than a few dog biscuits from my hand. In fact, it wasn't until I cooked him some chicken that he actually ate on his own accord. It took only two days for him to break out of his puppy pen and sneak upstairs so he could sleep on the floor next to our bed. And it took me only about twenty seconds to know that Ollie was part of our family and that he was "home."

Today D is going to make him (and all the other pups) some Ollie style birthday treats (he requested chicken and apple, his two favourite foods). We are thankful for having Ollie in our lives.

Here are just a few reasons why I love Ollie:
1. I almost named him Seamus or Louie. And, he would have let me even though he knew his name was Ollie.
2. He is a big scaredy cat, but is serious about guarding Damien and I. Even if he's terrified. Yesterday he sat outside with me as a thundershower rolled in, even though he was almost passing out with fear from the thunder.
3. When he gets into a crazy puppy mood he runs around wit his bum tucked uner and his lips pulled back and looks absolutely unco and ridiculous.
4. He lets out a huge contented groan when he lays down at night after a long day of napping and patrolling the kitchen.
5. He adores D and I. Seriously, he thinks we hung the moon.
6. He loves Ruby and Bess. They are his family and nobody is allowed to mess with them.
7. He has the most silly "aroo" in the world....all deep and chesty and bellowy.
8. He knows stuff. He always knows when I'm sad or happy or mad. He also knows when our latest rescue is sick. He is very empathetic and intuitive. The day my dad died, Ollie sat down next to me and put his paw on my chest (right about where I felt my heart breaking) and looked into my eyes before curling up with his head in my lap. I think he's almost human.

Oh and I could go on and on about things like his tiny little white mustache, and his beatiful dark rimmed eyes. Or the way he will bury his head into your chest when you are hugging him...and and and.

Happy Birthday Olls....we are so glad you are part of our family.