One year ago today...

One year ago today, SCBR took a heartworm positive bag of bones that no one else would give a second glance.  Gibson came to us emaciated, weighing around 35 pounds, and had a very long road ahead of him.  He landed in a shelter after animal services seized him and his broken body told the story of a rough life.  Even though he's young, Gibson has a bad hip and almost all of his teeth are broken, probably from chewing on rocks because he was so hungry.  Well, as the story goes, I saw a picture of him online and I knew he belonged in my house.  I already had a foster (Oscar) at the time, so I spent two weeks trying to convince our fearless leader that three dogs wouldn't be a problem for me and I'd make it work.

I took my girl, Casey, out to the boarding facility to meet Gibson one very cold February afternoon and no one could believe what happened when the two met.  They looked at each other and acted like they had always been together - 'oh, hey, it's you again.'

A week or so later, everything was settled and Gibson was on his way to my house.  Three dogs is a lot of work, but when you get pictures like this...

                                                                        ...it's totally worth it.

Well, before long Oscar found the perfect family and then it was just the three of us here.  We wrapped up Gibson's heartworm treatment, made sure his hip was okay, and got to work on some serious training.   We're still working at it, but today he knows all of his basic commands, a few tricks, and is a gentleman on a leash.

Unless he sees a bunny.

And Casey and Gibson are all but inseparable now.

It wasn't all rainbows and sunshine though.  A few urgent trips to the vet, rough patches with training, his fear and anxieties (about men in particular)... It was all worth the effort.  He still has a ways to go, but he's doing great and we wouldn't trade him for the world.  With all of the progress, he's decided he likes to be helpful too!  Now Gibson likes to...

 help with the laundry and...                                                                                                                                                                                      
                                                                                    help mom with yoga and...

help mom crochet even though...

sometimes he makes a giant mess of the yarn.

 

A year makes a huge difference in all of our lives, but Gibson has changed so much in such a short amount of time it really is remarkable.  He's a lover, a mama's boy, a protector, 'The Bub' and definitely the piece that was missing in my house.  Gibson is home now and the three of us couldn't be happier.