I’ve always been afraid of dogs (well, if I’m being perfectly honest, I’ve always been afraid of all animals) but then life has a funny way of working out and I started working at Found Animals Foundation.  Now I have a sweet little puppy whom I adopted from the North Central Shelter on our annual Adopt-a-Thon day.

It all started with an email from a co-worker about a little puppy that just needed to be fostered until his broken foot healed …

The picture that started it all...

I don’t know what it was about that little face, but I immediately knew that I was going to take him.  After getting the ok from my roommates to “foster” him for a few weeks I let the shelter know that I was going to take him.

When I showed up at the shelter to fill out the paperwork, one of the shelter workers tried to hand me the 4lb 10oz puppy so that I could hold and meet him.  I practically had a panic attack.  I told her it was ok and she could just hold him for me.  I was trying really hard not to appear like a total freak who was afraid of a tiny little puppy with broken toes and a pink cast, but I’m pretty sure they saw through me… I was sent home empty handed since the little guy had to be neutered, but I filled out all the adoption and microchip paperwork and was starting to get really excited and nervous all at the same time. In retrospect, I’m grateful for the waiting period because I was able to get an ID tag made and buy some puppy starter supplies like poop bags, toys and treats for my new furry friend.

A few days later I went to pick up my foster puppy from the spay neuter clinic armed with a carrier and hand sanitizer.  The people at the clinic pretty much shoved the little guy into my hands after looking at me like a crazy person when I asked them to put him in the carrier for me.  Poor Snickers was so scared that I had to get over my fear and just suck it up and hold him until he relaxed.  He ended up riding on my lap the whole way home, curled up into a tiny furry doughnut.

Snickers

At first it was extremely difficult and time consuming having an eight week old puppy with a broken foot who wasn’t housebroken and who would cry when I left the room even for a minute, but I was already starting to fall in love with him. How could I not?

True Love

I have had Snickers for over 7 months now and I cannot imagine life without him. He passed his Canine Good Citizen test with flying colors at the age of 5 months and has continued to master various dog tricks and agility exercises.

Snickers has also helped me get over my fear of other dogs and animals in general. I have gone from being afraid  to doing everything with him.

Dog Adoption