| Brookline Labrador Retriever Rescue Helping Labs Find Their Fur-Ever Homes |
| Ranger |
Now that I have gone through my formal adoption Mom tells me that I may use the computer to update my blog which she now calls
my almost success story. When the two of you first brought me here I thought I was just visiting here. But then, even on that first day
when I was so nervous I began to feel love touch me. Mom and Dad encouraged me not to be nervous, to make new friends, to allow
others to greet and touch me and I began to show my true colors. By now my tail is more often out from between my legs and
wagging, my head is up and I am receptive to smells. Just like the story of the velveteen rabbit, I am becoming real because of the
love everyone has for me.
Just to set you straight, I am not perfect and as my family says, I am a work in progress. At first I trusted only Mom because she was
like my foster Mom and I really, really love her. Then, as time passed I began to see that my new Dad is a great guy who loves me
every bit as much as Mom. Don't get me started on his great hands that are so wonderful for petting and scratching as well as for
belly rubs which I dearly love. Dad calls me a Mommy boy since I always have to know where Mom is and I never want her out of my
sight. I have a tendency to circle both of my people just so they don't try to get away. I am slowly starting to be able to circle a little less
and to take walks while only looking over my shoulder to see where Mom is. At first I did not even want to go for a walk unless she
was along.
Then one day I happened to be outside with Mom when I saw and heard a hot air balloon and boy was I scared. I managed to drag
her right back into the house for her safety. Oh well, if I am really being honest, the dragging inside was for me. I was scared. I was
so scared that I could not even go out of the house for four days. Mom and Dad had to ask Margaret to come and bring Dakota and
they were able to help me to be brave again. (How amazing what a bag of baloney chunks and Margaret could do!) Even now I don't
go out of the house quite as easily for Mom since, after all, she was the one who showed me that noisy balloon.
We even have a cat named Barney and he and I are friends. It's kind of funny because he is more scared of some things than I am
which makes me feel pretty brave. He's my bud and when one of us greets the other we often sniff to make sure that it is really the
right one. There are fun times when we nap near each other and then we both feel secure.
I do have some issues that we are still working on. I already told you that sometimes I am scared by outside noises like balloons but
my worst issue is that I still have seperation anxiety. There are pills that my doctor prescribes for me and they help some as do my
T-touch. You see, here is the problem. Sometimes both of my people have to be away at once and then I get very, very upset. I circle
and circle and bark and then pretty soon I have accidents. We even tried a crate but that made it worse because the accidents still
happened and then I would continue to circle and pretty soon the crate , the walls, the floor and I were a mess. Now I have the run of
the house and know to have any accidents in only one place. Now when Mom gets home she says, "Oh Ranger, not again." Then
she cleans up. Mom even washes my face because my chin and neck get all slobbery from so much barking. I love that she does not
yell at me.
We have a big dog park right near our home but I do not go inside as that would, for sure scare me. That said, I love to walk by the
dog park and sniff all the smells of those other dogs. I have even greeted them through the fence. Even the ones who bark at me
don't scare me too much because I always know that Mom and Dad are right there. I make sure that I exercise them at least twice a
day. Afterall, a handsome boy like me sure does not want his people to gain too much weight.
Mom says that I have quite a fan club cheering for me as I try to get over my seperation anxiety. Let's see- - -Mom, Dad, Margaret and
all the others from Brookline, our neighbors, friends and relatives. And then there are all the people we meet on our walks that get to
hear about Brookline and the work they do. The people at my vets office and at the pharmacy also cheer for me and wish me well. I'll
admit it, I have a great life now and show my people daily just how much I love them.
A few days ago I took another step toward being a real labbie. I never get people food so I pretty much ignore it. Then one day Dad
laid his ham and cheese sandwich down by his chair and went to the kitchen to get something else. When he returned it was to find
that I had helped myself to some of his ham and cheese. I did not take the bread since that might cause me to get fat. That time Dad
told me I was not such a good boy and said I was not to do that again. Later they laughed at me for taking the sandwich. They did not
think I heard them laughing but they forgot what good ears I have.
Have I told you that I love it here and have pretty much trained Mom and Dad the way I want them to be? I even have my own
sheepskin for bed and when they put that down on the floor I know it is time for sleep. Both tell me what a good boy I am at night and
give me hugs and a bedtime bone to eat. Each morning I awake happy and secure that the ones I love are with me. Mom and Dad
both call me Sunshine but I'm not sure if that is because of my yellow color or because of my sparkling personality. I'm voting for the
personality.
Then one day they began to talk of adopting me and I did not know what that meant. Should I worry or not? I mean, after all, I had
already chosen this home to live in and these people to always love me. What more could adoption do for me? Anyway, Jen came
and wrote on a paper and Dad gave her a little piece of paper. When Jen left, Mom said that now this is really my furrever home.
Golly, I already thought it was. I had made my choice and I sure do not know what took them so long. Maybe it was that I still have
accidents. Who knows?
Anyway, to make a long story shorter, they love me a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck and I sure love them. Jen and
Margaret will always come to see me and might even bring a friend. All of us thank Brookline for finding and saving me and then for
saving me for Mom and Dad. We can never thank them for all the help they have given and continue to give to us. Thanks Margaret
and Jen. Now I should go and get another tummy rub or a neck scratch. Let's see, should I get a scratch first or should I have a little
nap? So much to decide. I have things to do.
More later, Ranger Rick Robinson
my almost success story. When the two of you first brought me here I thought I was just visiting here. But then, even on that first day
when I was so nervous I began to feel love touch me. Mom and Dad encouraged me not to be nervous, to make new friends, to allow
others to greet and touch me and I began to show my true colors. By now my tail is more often out from between my legs and
wagging, my head is up and I am receptive to smells. Just like the story of the velveteen rabbit, I am becoming real because of the
love everyone has for me.
Just to set you straight, I am not perfect and as my family says, I am a work in progress. At first I trusted only Mom because she was
like my foster Mom and I really, really love her. Then, as time passed I began to see that my new Dad is a great guy who loves me
every bit as much as Mom. Don't get me started on his great hands that are so wonderful for petting and scratching as well as for
belly rubs which I dearly love. Dad calls me a Mommy boy since I always have to know where Mom is and I never want her out of my
sight. I have a tendency to circle both of my people just so they don't try to get away. I am slowly starting to be able to circle a little less
and to take walks while only looking over my shoulder to see where Mom is. At first I did not even want to go for a walk unless she
was along.
Then one day I happened to be outside with Mom when I saw and heard a hot air balloon and boy was I scared. I managed to drag
her right back into the house for her safety. Oh well, if I am really being honest, the dragging inside was for me. I was scared. I was
so scared that I could not even go out of the house for four days. Mom and Dad had to ask Margaret to come and bring Dakota and
they were able to help me to be brave again. (How amazing what a bag of baloney chunks and Margaret could do!) Even now I don't
go out of the house quite as easily for Mom since, after all, she was the one who showed me that noisy balloon.
We even have a cat named Barney and he and I are friends. It's kind of funny because he is more scared of some things than I am
which makes me feel pretty brave. He's my bud and when one of us greets the other we often sniff to make sure that it is really the
right one. There are fun times when we nap near each other and then we both feel secure.
I do have some issues that we are still working on. I already told you that sometimes I am scared by outside noises like balloons but
my worst issue is that I still have seperation anxiety. There are pills that my doctor prescribes for me and they help some as do my
T-touch. You see, here is the problem. Sometimes both of my people have to be away at once and then I get very, very upset. I circle
and circle and bark and then pretty soon I have accidents. We even tried a crate but that made it worse because the accidents still
happened and then I would continue to circle and pretty soon the crate , the walls, the floor and I were a mess. Now I have the run of
the house and know to have any accidents in only one place. Now when Mom gets home she says, "Oh Ranger, not again." Then
she cleans up. Mom even washes my face because my chin and neck get all slobbery from so much barking. I love that she does not
yell at me.
We have a big dog park right near our home but I do not go inside as that would, for sure scare me. That said, I love to walk by the
dog park and sniff all the smells of those other dogs. I have even greeted them through the fence. Even the ones who bark at me
don't scare me too much because I always know that Mom and Dad are right there. I make sure that I exercise them at least twice a
day. Afterall, a handsome boy like me sure does not want his people to gain too much weight.
Mom says that I have quite a fan club cheering for me as I try to get over my seperation anxiety. Let's see- - -Mom, Dad, Margaret and
all the others from Brookline, our neighbors, friends and relatives. And then there are all the people we meet on our walks that get to
hear about Brookline and the work they do. The people at my vets office and at the pharmacy also cheer for me and wish me well. I'll
admit it, I have a great life now and show my people daily just how much I love them.
A few days ago I took another step toward being a real labbie. I never get people food so I pretty much ignore it. Then one day Dad
laid his ham and cheese sandwich down by his chair and went to the kitchen to get something else. When he returned it was to find
that I had helped myself to some of his ham and cheese. I did not take the bread since that might cause me to get fat. That time Dad
told me I was not such a good boy and said I was not to do that again. Later they laughed at me for taking the sandwich. They did not
think I heard them laughing but they forgot what good ears I have.
Have I told you that I love it here and have pretty much trained Mom and Dad the way I want them to be? I even have my own
sheepskin for bed and when they put that down on the floor I know it is time for sleep. Both tell me what a good boy I am at night and
give me hugs and a bedtime bone to eat. Each morning I awake happy and secure that the ones I love are with me. Mom and Dad
both call me Sunshine but I'm not sure if that is because of my yellow color or because of my sparkling personality. I'm voting for the
personality.
Then one day they began to talk of adopting me and I did not know what that meant. Should I worry or not? I mean, after all, I had
already chosen this home to live in and these people to always love me. What more could adoption do for me? Anyway, Jen came
and wrote on a paper and Dad gave her a little piece of paper. When Jen left, Mom said that now this is really my furrever home.
Golly, I already thought it was. I had made my choice and I sure do not know what took them so long. Maybe it was that I still have
accidents. Who knows?
Anyway, to make a long story shorter, they love me a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck and I sure love them. Jen and
Margaret will always come to see me and might even bring a friend. All of us thank Brookline for finding and saving me and then for
saving me for Mom and Dad. We can never thank them for all the help they have given and continue to give to us. Thanks Margaret
and Jen. Now I should go and get another tummy rub or a neck scratch. Let's see, should I get a scratch first or should I have a little
nap? So much to decide. I have things to do.
More later, Ranger Rick Robinson