When my precious Pomeranian was killed by a dog that broke his leash, I was devastated. My first reaction was that I would never have another dog, but within days, I realized I could not stand not having a dog. A friend found Shadow on Petfinder, he was in a shelter in Cheyenne, and within two days, I was approved and went to get him.
Poor little guy was fearful and totally ignored me at first, pacing up and down the hallway nervously. When it became obvious I was going to take him, his foster mother left, and I got off the floor and sat in the chair she had vacated. That was all it took, suddenly he leapt into my lap!
The people at the shelter told me he had been passed over several times, which is most likely why he wouldn't look at me at first, sure I would pass him by, too. But the fact that I didn't leave and took over the foster mother's chair seemed to click with him, and he realized I was really going to be his mom!
I understand why he was passed up, he is very shy and nervous, and has a slightly cleft lip which bares his teeth and makes him look vicious when he's tense, but I knew he was the dog for me. I wanted a dog who needed me as desperately as I needed him.
He's still nervous around strangers sometimes, especially men, and is afraid of hands, but he's come a long way in the year that I have had him.
I still warn people he might nip and to be slow and careful with their hands, but he has come so far in this year! He used to never smile, but in the past couple of months he has started smiling, even grinning almost all the time!
From the beginning, he seemed to want to put his past life behind him, he wouldn't even answer to his name anymore when I brought him home. He was so glued to me that I started teasing him about being my little shadow, and he must have sensed the love in my saying that, because he chose the name Shadow to answer to!
I will always miss my little Oreo, but I love Shadow completely and can't imagine life without him! I was probably the perfect person for him since I am retired and home almost all the time, and he needed someone to be with him all the time.
CASPER, WY
