New Beginnings
Mostly, January serves as a symbol for new beginnings, because it is a time to reflect on old habits and start new ones. For me, 2023 will be a year of starting over with my newest fur baby, Bellaluna. It is a different twist, but the comparison still stands.
Allow me to properly introduce the newest member of the family. Her name is Bellaluna and I adopted her on June 10, 2022. She was surrendered to the Fresno Bully Rescue and only spent a few days there before she found her forever home with me. It was all in the timing and I truly believe it was meant to be.
I call her my little marshmallow. She is soft, pure white, and very petite - even though she is built like a bully. I probably will not get her DNA tested, but I feel she is a mixture of American bully, Dogo Argentino, and possibly Staffordshire terrier. Her ears were cropped, which I would never do. However, I have always said it would not prevent me from adopting a dog if his or her ears were cropped.
Truthfully, I kind of forgot how much work it is to have a puppy. The first night, she slept in her crate, but on night two, she cried and I caved. Ever since then, she has been sleeping in bed with me. She’s a great companion who absolutely loves human touch. In fact, she loves to sit either on my lap or as close as she can get to me. Sometimes she falls asleep with her head on my shoulder. She’s just the sweetest thing. We’ve completed a training class. I found out that she is very treat motivated and I have decided that I will never take her for a walk without bringing treats for training. She tends to pull, so my trainer recommended a prong collar, which I also support using in dogs who pull. There is nothing more frustrating than hearing a dog gag and cough because they are pulling a regular collar. The prong collar allows her to breathe easier and allows me to make corrections much easier. So far we have been out of town a few times and stayed at pet friendly hotels. These are the best! It is actually cheaper than paying for boarding, and I don’t feel guilty for leaving her somewhere without me.
And speaking of new beginnings, I am working on a 4th childrens’ book about Jessie and her role in Bellaluna’s adoption. Ideas are swirling around on my computer and in my head. There will surely be lots of tears, but I will try to keep a light feeling throughout.
