Happy Gotcha Day, Annie!

One year ago today this cutie was dropped off in a basket on my doorstep and forever changed life as I knew it! Okay, she wasn’t in a basket…actually she came in a car with her adoring entourage of Elise, Calvin, Stacie and Jesse Price who not only brought Annie, but all her toys, her bed, her food and everything I would need to be Annie’s new mom. Annie fit right into my life’s adventures–she went running with me, we went to the park together, and off we went on trips in the car.

We hit a little (ok BIG) bump in the road when she was diagnosed with Addison’s disease just over a month later. Not only did I have a brand new to me dog, but she was sick and not just a little, but please-don’t-die-on-me kind of sick. After a week of sleepless nights and lots of trips to the emergency vet clinic, the Annie that arrived on my doorstep started to reappear. Although the slightest sign of something wrong had this first time (fur)mom back at the vet who would reassure me everything was going to be ok.

We became regulars at the dog park on the weekends and started going to doggie day camp during the week. I now had to plan my life around someone else and run home for lunch or not go straight to workout after work to let her out and feed her. She needed me. I had been waiting for someone to need me my whole life, so I relished the role of (fur)mom.

Annie has learned to answer to many different names over the past 12 months. She is Annie Bananie, Shakin’ Bacon (which we normally just shorten to Bacon), Crazy Annie (bestowed upon her by her counselors at day camp), Dirty Paws, Bubby…just to name a few. She can out swim and out run me, but I still have her on the bike! We have traveled to Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi. We have “hunted” (with no formal training) ducks, birds, squirrels, bunnies and mice. We still can’t fetch all that well, but we are learning to rollover on command. She is the sweetest dog at the dog park and will walk from human to human smiling and giving kisses to everyone but would rather romp around in the water than play with the other dogs.

I know I will never take the place of the Prices (Annie’s original family who are now in Singapore on their own adventure) who we are reminded of when we hear kids playing on the playground or drive by their old house on Franklin Street, but I hope that the adventures we share and the love that is lavished upon her more than make up for her having to stay stateside with me.

Someone early on in my life with Annie said to me about his rescue animals that he’s not sure who saved who–him or his animals…and I have to say the same about Annie…while I may have given her a home, she gave me a family.

Love you to pieces, my sweet Annie!

And a big thank you to Stacie and Jesse for trusting me with your sweet puppy. Know that we think of you often and with much love.

To keep updated on our adventures follow Annie on Instagram at @anniethepointer!