Miss Thing

Today is Shelby's 15th birthday...or at least it's close enough.  We really have no idea when her actual birthday is.  We just know she was 8 weeks old when she came home with us and we calculated backwards to September 1st.  

I can't remember if I've share the story or not so here it is again just in case.  We had been talking about getting a dog for some time but could not get on the same page as to which breed.  He wanted a Rottweiller and while I love those big goofballs, we live in a small house with a small yard on a busy road.  Small spaces for a big dog just aren't fair and he/she would get out and that would be tragic

It was a Friday because David and I were leaving work to drive to the beach for festival weekend with the family.  We worked downtown in the same building.  My office was downstairs in a back corner and his was upstairs.  One of the women that worked for a different company upstairs came walking by David with a bundle in her arms and asked "You want to adopt a puppy?"  David looks at that little floof and says "do not take that dog down to see my wife."  And, of course, she bee-lined it to my office.  

I look up and she hands me this sweet little 1 pound furball who promptly snuggles up in my elbow to nap.  I never gave her back.  

(The story was that the woman got Shelby (then named Gracie) for her mom who then said she couldn't take care of her.  The woman couldn't keep her because she had big dogs so she brought her into work hoping someone could take her.)

So I message David and ask him what we're going to name our dog.  He said a word but he got over it pretty quickly.  I mean...look at this face.  How could you not take that home?

So, we left work early, went to the pet store and got all the dog stuff...bed, food, toys, leash, crate.

We discussed names until we got to Etc Crafts in Cary (now Cary Quilting Company) and while wandering around gathering quilting supplies, ladies were trying to help us come up with a name.  Someone said Shelby and it just fit.  No idea why she came up with it but it stuck.

She rode on my shoulder the whole way to the beach and hardly made a sound...until my nephews blew into the house.  One high BARK and that has set the tone for her relationship with them ever since.  

The crate...we tried.  We made it nice and nesty and put her in there when we were going to bed.  She whined and cried...we moved our heads to the foot of the bed so she could see us.  She whined and cried...and we put our hands near the door so she knew we were near.  She whined and cried...and I took her out and put her in the bed with us and that's where she has slept ever since.

She pretty much goes where I go.  She loves people (most people) and is not much on other dogs especially big dogs.

She is an expert beggar

and a professional napper

In the last couple of years, she's had to deal with surgery and crate rest and wearing the cone and new diets but she's stoic and brave and keeps on wagging and sassing.

It's amazing how one split second can change your whole life.  Had David not been walking down that hall...had I not been sitting at my desk...there's no telling what our lives would be.  They would not be as joy-filled.  I do know that.