Found Dogs!

We had a couple of unexpected visitors the first week of December. I opened up my garage one Friday afternoon, getting ready to take the kids on a walk and noticed two dogs trotting along side-by-side across the street. I said, "Hi doggies!" They were already looking at me and they took my friendly greeting as an invitation. They ran right over and came into the garage to say hello. The kids were overjoyed.

I looked for collars and found none, but these dogs were so friendly and well-kept, they had to be pets! However, without a number to call, I had no choice but to call animal control to come pick them up. I got the dogs a bowl of water and fed them each a hot dog and looked up the number.

It was 3'oclock in the afternoon and the animal shelter is located about 45 minutes away from my house so the lady on the phone told me they wouldn't be able to get anybody out to get them until the next day. I got Jeff's approval for an overnight stay and the kids and I played with the sweet dogs for the rest of the afternoon. These dogs were so good with the kids! Seriously, they quietly endured every accidental (and otherwise) whack to the face and and every hug and kiss and the reddish-brown dog even let Bethany sit on him like he was a horse - twice! Of course, I stopped the kids immediately if I noticed they were doing something that might aggravate the dogs. I couldn't be sure how they would react! But neither of them ever showed an ounce of aggression. They were so sweet and playful - playful while still being gentle. I immediately wished I could keep them. But I was lucky that Jeff, the dog nazi was even letting me keep them for one night.

That night, I bought a small box of dog food while Jeff, Luke, and I were at the dollar store and made the dogs beds out of blankets in the garage.

Well, long story short, the dogs weren't with us for just one night. They were with us for FOUR! We found them Friday afternoon and they didn't get picked up until Tuesday afternoon! Apparently, the lady at the shelter thought I was calling to report two loose dogs, not two contained dogs (even though I remember being clear that that was not the case), and if she had known that I had them in my backyard, someone would have been there to pick them up the day I called! 

Jeff wasn't excited about our guests with each passing day, but he was so kind to let us keep them as long as he did. I know it was torture for him! However, on Tuesday, it came down to, "If they aren't picked up today, we're letting them go." Fortunately, it didn't come to that! I would have driven them to the shelter myself before letting that happen!

Unlike Jeff, Luke and I loved having the dogs at our house! The first thing Luke wanted to do every morning when he woke up was to go out back and play with his new friends. In fact, he begged to go out there all day long. I can't blame him. We did have a lot of fun playing with them!

Aren't they cute?!

The poor dogs were crawling with fleas (I found one clinging desperately to the little blonde hairs on the side of Luke's head when we were getting out of the car at the grocery store one night). Bethany helped scratch.

Adorable.

I made especially good friends with this sweet guy.

He was a big kisser! I could have done without that, but I appreciated the sentiment.

These dogs got lots of hugs!

There is a little pink ball in her mouth. Luke thought it was hilarious that every time he threw it, she would run and get it.

Being "soft"

Cute Becca hugs

Luke was so happy! It was his dream come true to have two dogs living at his house!

I could barely get these blankets down in the garage before Luke laid on them! I guess he wanted to make sure they were comfortable enough for his doggie friends to sleep on.

These two popped two balls during their short stay. Only one survives.

This girl got pretty attached to his ball after it was popped. She carried it around everywhere with her.

One of the many hugs Luke gave this sweet guy.

Water bowl = soaked babies.

Visiting the dogs early one morning.

A common scene when our sick boy was forced to stay inside. I'm pretty sure he would have recovered from his bronchitis faster if I hadn't given in and let him go out in the cold so much.

I hope our new friends have found their way back to their family. And maybe one day we'll convince Jeff to get Luke a doggie of his own.