A Knock at the Door

If you read my last post then you know I left you hanging when I didn't tell you who was knocking at my door on Monday night.  I was on the phone with an old friend when I heard a knock, and then another (apparently I wasn't fast enough) next thing I know someone is trying to open the door.  Good Army wife that I am, I have it dead bolted, but at this point I know it's my mom or my sister.  They are the only one's who would try to open the door.  Low and behold, I unlock the door to find both of them standing there....holding a shivering white mess of fur.  The first words out of my mouth were "Is that for me?!"  Then I told my friend I would have to call him back.  Mom and Kate came in and the mess of white fur that was a dog came running up to me like it had known me forever.  It was as friendly as could be, and it was a Maltese, so Gunnar wouldn't be allergic.  I agreed to keep it since mom couldn't bring it back to her house because of Luke (that's why why she brought it to me in the first place).


This poor dog was so matted.  If you don't know anything about a Maltese, they are considered hypoallergenic dogs (that's why Gunnar is not allergic).  They have hair instead of fur, which means that they do not have pet dander.  This also means that they get matted or knots just like human hair, and this dog was covered in them!  So Gunnar and I went to the store for some baby shampoo so I could bathe this poor dog, that's when I realized just how bad these mattes were.  I tried to brush some out, but it was no use.  The poor thing was pretty much one big knot.


By this time we already started calling it Princess, and even Bella.  We just assumed it was a girl.  Yeah I know I should have checked in the bath, but it wasn't exactly the first thing on my mind.  I did noticed that it peed like a boy, but I didn't think much of it, we were pretty sure it was a girl by this time.  So "Princess Bella" seemed to be at home.  Eating out of Gunnar's hand, really, that was the only way we could get the dog to eat was out of one of our hands.  It was curling up on the couch and had already claimed my bed for sleeping, and I don't mean the foot of the bed, I mean curled up by Curt's pillow or in the crick of my side.


So it was determined, the dog had found a new home.  I promised I would check for signs of a lost dog in the neighborhood and on Craigslist, but due to the neglectful way we found the dog I refused to post that it had been found.  I don't believe in returning this animal to a home that has been neglecting it.  If they are willing to put the effort into looking for it, that is different, then it may have been missing for longer than we believe, but I think it has been neglected for some time.  


My first task was to find a groomer who didn't require shot records.  This lead me to mobile groomers.  I have one coming after work on Monday.  I'm sure this is going to cost a pretty penny, but is needs to be done, and if I could have gotten the groomer there sooner, I would have believe me!  Next was finding low cost shots since I am somewhat certain shots of some sort have been given, but I still need to have record.  So I had to go get some essentials last night, like a halter, leash, and dog food that isn't meant for a 50lb Luke.  So I headed to Pet's Mart and was lucky enough to get a tip about a low cost clinic for shots in my area, so I made an appointment for that on the 17th.


Now I'm sure most of you have picked up on the fact that I keep referring to this dog as "it".  As I said, we assumed it was a she in the beginning, but by Tuesday night "she" rolled over on my bed for a belly rub while I was talking to my mom on the phone and I gave a yelp and told mom that Bella had a winkie!  To which Gunnar immediately starts laughing uncontrollably.  We realize at this point that girl dog is a BOY and Bella is not a suitable name.  So after a round of Name That Dog we came up with SSG Sill, or Sergeant for short.


Here is a picture:

Meet the newest member of the Osborne Family, SSG Sill.  Bad teeth and all!  He's so ugly he's cute, I just cannot get enough of him.  I can't wait until he gets groomed on Monday so he looks more presentable AND so the poor guy doesn't have those mattes anymore.  I'll be sure to post an updated picture of him when he's all cleaned up.  Oh, by the way, this picture was taken after his bath!


As if having this cutie on my bed wasn't enough to melt my heart, I was getting ready to go to bed when I found this on my night stand :

Then I opened it to find this:

I teared up right then and there!  Gunnar had been sleeping for about a hour by this time, so all I could do was sneak in and kiss his sweet sleeping head and think about how much he is like his Daddy.  What 6 year old do you know who could pull this off and not say anything?  Sneaky little devil...with a heart of gold.

Now you know who was knocking at my door...and the great joy that simple knock has brought me.  However, if I got a turtle the first time Curt left, and now I have a dog.  This has got to stop!  I am NOT running a zoo, and I cannot take in a stray every time my husband leaves!  He is in the Army, he is going to be leaving A LOT...that it WAY TOO MANY ANIMALS!  So let's be clear...it stops with Sergeant.  I love George my turtle, and I love SSG, but enough now.  It's in writing, so if any one of you plans on knocking at the door the next time Curt has to leave and you have a stray, just pick a different house, because this zoo is closed for business!  :-)