Marley and I headed out on our long morning walk yesterday morning as usual, but for some reason I decided to go a completely different route than the one we habitually take. Suddenly, in the corner of my eye I saw a white flash bounding toward us; a large Great Pyrenees mix grinning and wagging up a storm. The sweetest and most gentle animal I’ve met in a long time- next to our precious Marley, of course.
The dog was incredibly friendly with me and Marley and I loved on the pup trying to find a collar, but no luck. I walk three or more miles a day around our neighborhood and despite Birmingham’s leash law, I can’t tell you how often I see dogs running free…many not nearly as sweet as this dog. It’s frustrating to see this, especially in the cold of winter- and with all of the traffic that whizzes by.
The dog walked with us for about five minutes and then kept us in eyesight for a good while before disappearing. I felt a real connection with this animal and if I’d had any type of extra leash with me I would have brought it home to keep it safe until we could find its owner. I would have adopted that sweet furry beast in a heartbeat. Marley was all in, too.
I went home and told Dan that I almost brought a dog home, to which he replied, “But you can’t bring a dog home, Honey.” (We have a ‘deal’ in place; one dog and one cat at a time.) That is until I described the dog’s sweet personality and showed him the photos I’d taken. In the space of about five minutes, he was telling me to be on the lookout for ‘Snowball’ and bring him/her home. That’s my sweet and loving husband!
A big consideration is our crazy Tortie, Shiva. It takes a special dog to live with our whacky feline, whose personality changes so fast it makes our heads spin. Marley is a saint, patiently allowing Shiva to shadow box her and Kung Fu her as she streaks by. Shiva adores Marley, but Shiva is definitely the queen of the house. We worry that it will be difficult to find another dog with Marley’s temperament.
I posted the information on Facebook and Nextdoor, and it seems the owner was identified pretty quickly. I hope he’ll do a better job of keeping his gorgeous, gentle dog safe. We would have welcomed the dog with loving arms, soft beds, and good food. It all stirred up my hope to have two dogs in our lives again. I miss the extra chaos- and peace- of having two dogs and their antics and companionship in our home.
I have a thing with love at first sight. Sometimes it gets me into trouble, but it has also brought wonderful animals into our lives- and an amazing husband, too. It’s a superpower, albeit a fallible one. I remember Guinness, Murphy, Bailey, Coops, Kasey, and Sophie; all animals that I knew instantly were meant to be in our lives. They brought such joy and love to us. I knew the moment that I met Dan that I would marry him. I’m also like that with Christmas trees, though that’s not quite as romantic.
I have to admit that I’ll be on the lookout for ‘Snowball’ just in case he/she needs a good home. It seems the universe sends us angels wrapped in fur when we need them most, and I plan to be open and ready to receive that gift if it comes. I believe in serendipity and that things happen for a reason. I’m not yet sure what the meaning of meeting that beautiful dog was, but I’m going to keep my eyes and heart open just in case. It reminded me that I’m always ready for another canine adventure. Our home has so much love to give.
The View from Here 