Katie |
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Canadian Champion Evalill Ember Kathleen, otherwise known as Katie Kid, Kiddo, and Katie Bug, among other things. :) Katie came to us in September of 2010 at just under 5 years of age, as one of two dogs (her and Olivia) that we took on a moments notice to help Eva so she would not lose them to the authorities for keeping too many dogs in unsatisfactory conditions at the time. Katie was to have one litter for us, and she was then due to be spayed, retired and placed in a loving forever home to live out her glory days in luxury. That was the plan. Well as fate would have it, Katie kind of grew under my (Diane's) skin very quickly. I think I grew under hers as well. This 5 year old not outwardly attention seeking at all dog came into my life and stole my heart in about a minute. She was very reserved, neither shy nor aggressive, but just sort of there, sort of emotionally closed off. She was not about to open up to just anyone in a second. It became my mission to open her up and see who she was. She slept in bed with us from the very first night she arrived, and she seemed very happy to be there, but still kept to herself for a while. Her quiet reserved ways were her mainstay for several months with the occasional little signs of who was really in there, which just made me want more from her. Seeing as we are her 3rd home, I suppose it is not unepxected for her to not be quite as forthcoming with her affections unless she figures it was worth her while. But such a quiet unemotional mini I had never met, and my heart went out to her, I wanted to get to know the real Katie! It took quite a while before she started demonstrating some of her little Katiebug antics, such as sneaking up early before the other dogs in bed awoke, to stand and stare at my face until I opened my eyes to look at her and whisper to her and rub her little cropped ears. That scenario led to one of her first soft tiny kisses to me which are VERY few and far between, which makes them treasured 100 times as much when I do get them! She graduated from simply staring, to having to snuggle ever closer night after night, always on my right side, moving gradually from the foot of the bed up to being near my chest/head area every night. Now she has come to a new morning ritual, she rubs her head on my face and neck, claiming me as her own, lol, then she flips over onto her back and curls her head into my neck for her morning belly rub, and when she sees that I am about to get up, she jumps off the bed and does what can only be called the Katie dance, it is a little bunny hopping dance of joy that is uniquely Katie, and she does it when I return home after being away also. On weekends when Daddy does not go to work EARLY but is still in bed when we awaken for the day, she will crawl across my chest slowly and sort of stare at him, waiting for him to say hi. She has decided that he is also worth getting to know and is actively seeking him out as well. I am sure that as time passes there is so much more Katie in there, and we will love her enough so that she feels safe enough to express herself, every little bit more that she gives is such a joy and a treasure. Katie had her beautiful litter of 3 for us on January 28th 2011, and she was a perfect mama, taking great care to do it all just right, needing no coaxing to be with and love and care for her babies. But you could easily tell she was VERY happy when it was time to come back to bed with us when her litter weaned. She now takes great pleasure as she carefully digs around and makes *her* bed so that it is comfy where she wants to be :) Update: After some considerable thought and discussion, we allowed Katie to go to her new loving forever home where she has one big sister dog and where she has a barn of her own where she can sniff and chase after mice, rats etc., she thinks she has gone to heaven! |