Happy Birthday Finn

Most people have known someone or have something in their life they cannot live without. It ranges from the ordinary to the irreplaceable but ask most people what they can't live without and they can usually come up with an answer fairly quickly. I'm lucky enough to consider a lot of things in my life that I cannot live without.

However there is one irreplaceable thing I cannot live without and the sad truth of the matter is - one day I will have to. If life is good to me I will outlive him by many many years. So for every year he grows older we will celebrate him and cherish him.

Our dog, Finn.

If you have a dog it's easy to know they make a certain fold in your family that can never be undone. The loyalty, the companionship, the hair -- it all seems to never go away. He is more than "just a dog" (who ever came up with that saying clearly never had a dog) he is family. He could never fully understand how much of my heart is wrapped up into his. How he has sheltered and protected my own many times over.

One of my absolute favorite sayings about a pet dog is this - no matter how long they live it is never long enough.

Happy 6th Birthday to my heart of gold rescue. You are irreplaceable in every way possible.

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My Rescue

I can never quite articulate the amount of joy that Finn has brought into our lives. He is a constant companion, an explosion of fur, a tailless wonder. I can still remember the day I drove to Stockton to pick him up after David found him on Petfinder.

I was nervous.

Would he like me? Would I know right away? What on earth was I getting myself into?

When I put my hand on that chain link fence and he put his paw to mine - it was sealed. I didn't even need to hold him, play with him or simply interact with him.

He was ours and more importantly we were his.

Happy 5 years together buddy - to many, many more.

xo
mama

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That Time Finn was in People Magazine

Rave about your dog link-up? I'm in! I am linking up with Adriana and Katie for their Tall Tails Roundup!

 

So if you're new around here you should probably know I have a slight full blown obsession with my dog Finnley, Finn for short. You know, for when he is in trouble and needs a longer name to know just how mad I am at him? If you haven't read how I became his mama go here.

 

Soon after we rescued Teddy B. Finn we knew we had a ridiculously cute pup on our hands.

So one day at work, one of my building engineers encouraged me to enter him in a contest to be the next Dentastix model. You know...this dog?

So I submitted him a couple weeks after we got him and then didn't think about it again. The contest was to put teeth on your dog and then have them say something clever. (To which I sadly cannot recall what I wrote him saying). This was his entry.

One day I received an e-mail stating that we were a semi-finalist! I had forgotten all about the contest since it was three months ago and was super excited.

 

And after some waiting we found out that Finnley had beat out over 9,000 entries to be crowned the Denture Your Dog Contest winner! We were thrilled!

 

So after a photo shoot in the city with a video crew, trainer (the same trainer who trained Marcel from Friends!) and photographer(s). Our little rescue was having his shining moment!

Pedigree Photo shoot

 

And win big we did! We received a years worth's of Dentastix and a full page ad in People Magazine back in September 2010! Look there we are right next to Britney Spears! :)

 So the saying is true...

 All you need is love...and a dog...and a baby. Yeah I am going to need one of those soon too. Until then Finn gets all the lovin'!

 

 

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My Rescue(er)

 

 

If you're coming over to read my blog, one thing you should know right away is that I am obsessed super in love with my dog, Finnley. He brings me joy in a way that is hard to describe and a love that is unconditional.

 

Our story...

 

I grew up with a purebred Australian Shepherd named Shelby. She was perfect. She herded me as a child, ate my scrunchies (yes, I am an 80's baby!) and her hair was everywhere. But boy, oh boy, did we love her.

 

When my sister moved from the Bay Area to Orange County she took Shelby with her. It was hard to not have her at home but I was away at college in San Diego so I could see her anytime I wanted. She lived 15 long years and had a wonderful life.

 

I knew around the time that she was getting older that I wanted to get a dog to make Shelby's eventual crossing into Rainbow Bridge a little easier to take. So David began to search PetFinder for our perfect match.

 

I only had two criteria: 

1. He/she had to be a rescue

2. He/she had to have some Australian Shepherd in them

 

So we looked for a bit, not very seriously and then we saw him.

 



His name was Teddy B. and he was in Stockton, CA - about an hour and a half from the Bay Area. Part Aussie part Chow Chow and he was 3 months old waiting for his forever home. Which we hoped was our home.

David filled out the application and we waited to hear back. Not long after, we found out he was scheduled to be adopted by another family. I was devastated. Our search was placed on hold so I could get over the "loss" of Teddy B.

 

And then on April Fools I got a call from David telling me that Teddy was ours if we wanted him. I told him not to play such an evil April Fools joke on me, I wasn't in the mood. Turns out he wasn't joking, the other family had passed him up because of his coat (double coat) and because he was Chow Chow.

 

foolish people

 

David was out of town the weekend I was to go see him. So my friend, Kerri, and I packed up my car at 7am and began the drive so we could be there as soon as the shelter opened. I waited outside of the gate like a nervous parent. The whole time thinking "What am I doing?!"

 

We were led over to his cage and even though all the other dogs were barking he remained calm. He sauntered over to the chain link fencing and put his paw against my hand. Our fate was sealed.

 

"I'll take him"

 

I didn't even interact with him or hold him. I just knew that we were meant to be.

 

He has changed my life in so many ways. In a great way I believe he is prepping me for motherhood. I like taking care of him. Making sure he has the best care and the best life. Anything to erase whatever happened to him in his first three months of life. He's a smile when I come home, an exercise partner, a companion, a listener, a soother, a confidant. Heck he's even a baby pacifier (for now!)

 

And 3.5 years later he is still the best decision we have ever made. I cannot put a price on the joy he has brought to our lives.

 

Which is where this whole post is going...

 

This weekend, June 1-2, your dog and cat adoption fees will be paid by Maddie's Fund at hundreds of locations across the U.S., as part of the country's largest FREE pet adoption event! There are more than 200 shelters and 8 rescue groups from around the nation participating. Click below for a link of participating shelters and rescue organizations.

 

Maddie's Fund Participants

 

I know we all have a choice when it comes to how we choose our animals. However the animals at the shelters don't have a choice when it comes to waiting to be adopted. A sad fact is that most only have about 72 hours...

 

We rescued Teddy B. and we renamed him Finnley - which means "light haired courageous one" because he deserved another chance.

 

If you're looking to add to your family please consider pet adoption, your rescue may just end up rescuing you.

 

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