You all have been aware it's been a tough year for us with losing both Gracie, and then just a couple weeks ago, Sophie. The boys have been really sad about it. Our intention after Gracie died was to get a new puppy for the boys for Christmas. We just thought a puppy, with all our "special" needs (cats, kids, small dogs, a tortoise) a puppy would be best to integrate into our family. We also thought it would perk Sophie up a bit. But, when we lost Sophie, the boys just kept saying how empty the house felt without a big dog. And so we talked about the prospect of adopting an older dog. After all, they need a home way more than puppies- and our shelter was so full, they were saying if they had too many more intakes, some of the dogs on "the list" would have to be euthanized.
I still was a little nervous about getting a big dog- so I sent Asa on a fact finding mission when we were in Ohio. I told him to go to the shelter, meet with a few dogs and see if any would be a good fit. He met with three dogs, and one of them was a dog the shelter called Nelly. He called and told me he played with a few- and while they were all great, Nelly was likely our dog.
First of all, she was very sweet you just got a good feeling around here. But, she was timid and took awhile to warm up. She had been at the shelter since July 6 (coincidentally that was the day we lost Gracie), and the trainer said she was an awesome dog, very sweet and calm, but she was always overlooked- because she always seemed to end up next to the cutest dog. And, Nelly isn't exactly a looker (She's pretty in her own way- but not a commercialized big floppy ear kind of way). She had some kennel stress, and had chewed all her hair off her tail. And, she had been attacked through the fence by another dog, and her nose showed it. (Although Nelly didn't fight back at all when she was attacked).
So, the boys and I heard Asa's report on Nelly and looked her up on Petango. This is her picture. I passed it around to everyone at Cookie Day to show her off- I had a good feeling about her.
Tuesday, after we got home and unpacked- we headed out to the shelter. We looked at three dogs, and came down to two- Nelly, and Roly Poly. They were pretty opposite. Roly Poly was adorable in a beautiful sort of poster doggie type of way. She was playful, and the second she met us, she was rolling on her belly for pets, playing fetch, and tumbling all around. We loved her.
Then they brought us Nelly. Nelly didn't want to come off the cement pad to meet us. She refused treats. She barely looked at us. We all sat down on the ground, and about five minutes later, she very gingerly walked over to Hayden and put her head to his. Hayden was immediately in love.
Calib and Peyton, who had just had the best time playing with Roly Polly were not sold. When the trainer left us in the little holding room with Nelly to go get information on both Roly Poly and Nelly, she went over to Calib who started to pet her. Before we knew it she was on the floor taking belly rubs from the boys.
We talked about it. Roly Poly would be the easy choice. She was just a year old and had been at the shelter less than a week- and was such an ideal dog, she'd have no trouble being adopted. But Nelly, she had been there since July, and is 3 years old. People hardly ask to see her. She takes awhile to warm up. And she was running out of time to find a home.
The fact was, Roly Poly will have no trouble getting adopted. Nelly needed us.
When the trainer came back and said Nelly did well in her playgroup, that was it- we were sold.
Nelly was our dog.
After she got out into the desk room where we filled out her paperwork- she was even more outgoing. She was all about the pets and the boys.
She is great on a leash- and in the car. She knows how to sit, and shake. And she had been in the shelter so long, she knew her name.
But, she doesn't go by Nelly anymore. In a perfect twist of fate we had already picked out a name- since it was the year of the presidents we decided to give her a First Lady Name.
Meet, Eleanor. You can call her Ellie though, she isn't very formal. (And Ellie sounds a whole lot like Nelly, so it works for her!)
We took her out back to meet with Phenom and Porkchop before bringing her in, and she did great. We're working on the cats. She isn't aggressive or anything towards them, but she is curious, and the cats would prefer she not come near them. We know Nelly was an owner surrender- but we know nothing beyond that. Everyone talks about how sweet she is- that she's likely some kind of boxer/bull/terrier mix (and she is brindle!)- but that's all we know. Oh, and she is housebroken, which is awesome.
Ellie immediately rubbed all over the carpet and got up on the couch, she seemed thrilled with it all.
My first thought was "maybe Ellie doesn't need to be on the nice couch." But within like two minutes she was snoring and I didn't have the heart to move her. So, Ellie gets to be on the furniture. Spoiled girl.
I told everyone she should sleep in her crate. But, Ellie climbed into bed with Calib, and again, nobody wanted to move her. And Calib, who has had just the toughest time losing Sophie and Gracie, was thrilled.
Yesterday Ellie spent a lot of the day asleep on Calib's bed. (She LOVES it in there).
But, she actually came out and played with the rope and the tennis ball a bit. We had her played fetch! (She came and dropped the ball back at our feet and everything) This is pretty awesome, because at the shelter they said "Nelly doesn't play." Well, Ellie does. And it's awesome.
She also seems to get cold easily, and LOVES blankets. She even noses them to try and get under them.
And I wouldn't say she has any buddies yet, but she is getting along fine with Phenom and Porkchop. If anything, they are the one's unsure.
Plus, she is game for sleeping with Calib wherever that might be. (She's really taken a liking to him!)
She was also really good for her first bath. I hear she smells good, and she's very soft now.
Last night, while we played our guess the present game, she came out to join us too.
We've also discovered Ellie is a snorer, a slobberer, and a snorter (she sounds like a pig!). She is not a barker though. We haven't heard her bark yet- and at the shelter they said she only rarely does- but that it's quite the low, deep bark. I think it'll startle Porkchop the first time it happens.
Oh my gosh, and bones- she LOVES a good bone. We've had this one for a long time, and nobody was every into it. Ellie's managed to mangle the thing in 12 hours.
I'm sure she'll take awhile to settle in, and show her real personality- but the progress she's made since we first met her is very encouraging.
Next Up: Ellie's first Christmas (with us anyway).
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