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| Mika
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Hello everyone, First, let me start by saying a special thank you to Jennifer, Alain and all the volunteers who took such good care of me during my three months' stay at the SPCA. I was in pretty bad shape when I was rescued by the SPCA last August, but thanks to all the medical attention and loving care I got from the staff and the volunteers, I was finally put up for adoption in October 2008.
My life drastically changed on Saturday, October 25, 2008, the day I was adopted. The whole experience was nerve wracking. When I first got to my new home I didn’t know how to behave. I had never been in a house before. Other than my stay at the SPCA, my 7–8 years of life had been restricted to a cage in a barn. With all the new smells and noises of my new home, I was very afraid at first and I stayed in my little corner trying to take as little space as possible. If I could have dug a hole in the ground to hide, that is what I would have done. I was doing my best to avoid everybody’s company and would change spots to be left alone. It also took a lot of coaxing from my new mom to eat. It took me a long time to make my place and feel comfortable in my new home.
Now, six months later, I hear people say that I am a different dog. I have definitely gained a few pounds. Food is delicious and I am, after all, a voracious eater. The menu varies all the time … my favourite meal is beef tripe. I eat as much and as fast as Kimo – my 12 year old husky companion. I am also a lot more interested in people and now go and greet visitors. Not only that, I love to go and get petted by my mom when she tries to work on her computer. Sometimes, she will get the brush out and I get a real treat.
I get along well with Kimo. He can be a bit grumpy at times … but I guess that is to be expected with old age. He shows me everything I need to know. When in doubt, I can always rely on Kimo. I also spend time with my feline housemates, Anatole and Ursule. I especially enjoy Anatole’s company, a 13 year old cat. Anatole is the king of the neighbourhood. When he’s not out hunting, you can find us sleeping side by side on the deck’s doormat in the backyard. At first, I did not want to leave the house and would try to escape from the backyard. I was even called Miss Houdini for a short while. Now that the weather is nice, I do not want to leave the backyard. I really enjoy digging and chasing squirrels. Kimo is a great audience since he finds me very entertaining.
I can’t get over how busy I have become. Every morning Kimo and I go to the park where we meet Sammy, a big Bernese Mountain Dog for play. Then at night we go for another walk on the riverside, or I will go running with my mom. I feel much stronger than before. I am now confident enough to show off my tail when I walk. I no longer keep it tucked as far down below my legs as possible. I have become a great listener so my mom lets me run off leash. I never go far and do not want to let her out of my sight. Overall, it has been a great winter. I was initiated to cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. I really enjoy pulling and look very good in my harness. Now I keep hearing people talk about going to the cottage. I have never been there but can’t wait since I hear it is a lot of fun. I will send you some more pictures soon. Who knows, I might surprise myself and go for a swim … With love, Truffles (now Mika)
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