the cute, furry, sucker punch...

 JCK and her husband have never thought of themselves as "little dog" people. Their two beloved dogs, both deceased, were lab/chow mixes, and they've always believed that little dogs are yappy and jumpy and well ...annoying. That all changed last week when a sweet little Shih Tzu entered their lives unexpectedly.

Last Monday evening, JCK and her children were across the street feeding their vacationing neighbor's dogs. Suddenly, the dogs bolted to the gate and started barking wildly. Before JCK could follow, BOY had seen a canine furry face, and was flying through the house to get to the other side. By the time GIRL and JCK made it to the front yard, BOY had made friends with the pooch. They quickly determined that she was a she, that she had no tags or collar, and although her fur had many tangles and was covered with grass and burrs, she still smelled of a powdery shampoo. She was obviously lost and someone was looking for her.

JCK and her brethren jumped in the minivan a..go...go and proceeded to meet lots of friendly people within a 1 mile radius. Everyone fell in love with the Shih Tzu, but no one could claim her. With darkness quickly approaching, and living as they do in coyote country, and...with the furry friend's "triple cute" quotient going on, JCK and her children brought her back to their home. They fed her leftover meatballs, which she scarfed down in about two minutes flat, along with three bowls of water. JCK then set up a bed for her in the garage. BOY and GIRL were reluctant to part from their new found friend, and wanted her to sleep in the house, but were finally coerced to bed by their mother who was determined not to get emotionally attached to this stray, furry female.

That night, JCK posted a picture of the doggy on Facebook, as well as on a local blog. JCK got a lead from a FB friend that a Shih Tzu had gone missing about 2 miles east of the Motherscribe lair. The details were minimal, but it was reportedly an elderly woman who lost her dog. (In JCK's research, she found that dogs can run quite far when they are frightened, and especially if spooked by yahoos shooting off fireworks.) That evening, JCK's husband returned home to the news that there was an additional member of the household in their garage...

The next morning, when JCK awoke, the doggie was not in the garage, but ensconced upon BOY's lap enjoying morning cartoons- with GIRL vying for the chance to have the pup on her own lap. JCK proceeded to have "the discussion" with her children. The one in which she needed to remind them that the doggie most likely belonged to another family and that they were probably looking for her at this very moment.

Before dropping off her children at camp and going to work, JCK packed the doggie and her children into the minivan, with the furry female comfortably atop a plush towel. They took a drive up and down the street where the lost Shih Tzu was reported, knocked on several doors, and chatted up neighbors.  No one knew of a lost dog in the area. JCK's children were beginning to think of names for the furry female by the time the camp drop-off occurred...  JCK promised them that if she found the doggie's owner, that she would bring the children back to meet them.

JCK returned to the area once again knocking on doors. At one door a man consulted with his wife on the phone, and it was revealed that YES! a Shih Tzu was missing on their street...just up the hill. The man called and got the address, JCK packed the pooch back on her plush towel throne and the two of them proceeded to the designated address. JCK's heart was dancing when she pulled up in front of the cute cottage with the white picket fence. Surely this was IT! A woman came rushing out of her house...only to sigh and tell JCK that although this was truly an adorable Shish Tzu...it was not her Shih Tzu.

Before bringing the dog back home, JCK dropped by a local vet's and had them scan her for a chip. Nothing. Finding the Shih Tzu's owner was proving to be quite a task.

By that evening, the female furry friend, who had not been named...had begun to win over JCK. She was well behaved...the Shih Tzu, not JCK, and appeared well trained. She didn't yap, she followed JCK wherever she went, and when outside would pull herself across the grass on her tummy and wag her tail. Despite all this bounty of cuteness, JCK could still sense that the Shih Tzu was sad and missed her owner.That night the pup slept in BOY's room.

Wednesday morning dawned and there had been no response to the posters or blog posts. JCK and her husband were growing concerned, as they had plans to leave the next morning to go out of town for the 4th of July weekend. JCK consulted with her Vet friend for advice, and continued to introduce the doggie to all and sundry...

By Wednesday afternoon, JCK's husband had fallen victim to this irresistable, female furry friend. The decision was made to board her for the weekend, and if no one claimed her by the next week, they would claim her as their own.

Then, just as JCK was leaving to pick up her children and drop off the doggie at the doggie boarding department ...the phone rang. And, JCK found out that this wonderful little furry female did have a loving home, that her name was Lady and that they lived about 2 miles west (not east where JCK had been patrolling). They had been knocking on doors in their neighborhood and someone told them about the picture and posting on the local Blog.  JCK confesses that she asked the woman a few extra questions than she normally would have, because a part of her wanted it not to be true... but, it was. And, so... she went to pick up her kids, tucking Lady into her plush towel perch for the last time.

JCK's children had greeted her the day before with ..."Is the doggie still at our house?!" This day was no different, except that JCK had to tell them that her name was Lady and that her family was waiting for them to bring her back home. JCK let BOY hold Lady in his lap for half the trip, with GIRL holding her for the second half. When they arrived at the home, two young boys came rushing out of the house, followed by a mother and another little girl. JCK's GIRL handed Lady to the younger boy and the entire family swirled around JCK, so happy to see their precious doggie. Lady's tail was whipping back and forth in a joyous rhythm.

Not unexpectedly, BOY was overcome, started crying, and retired to the back seat. JCK and GIRL talked to the family for a few minutes, describing some of the adventures they had been on in the search for Lady's family. Everyone was amazed at how far she had traveled. It was then time to go and leave Lady with her family.

Everyone in the Motherscribe abode has felt the absence of Lady. She stole their hearts...yet, even better, she enlarged their hearts. JCK's children have been wanting to have a pet again for quite a while. JCK is sure that hereafter the time with Lady will be known as... the cute, furry, sucker punch. Because, it's only a matter of days before the Motherscribe household will look for a new furry friend of their own. And, that will be just fine with JCK...

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