After we lost Quixie in September, I could not imagine having another dog. I've had difficulty writing about the experience and would like to do a tribute post to him eventually. Despite his naughtiness he was one of the most handsome, snugly and mischievous greyhounds a girl could ever love. He was the last greyhound we will adopt... mixed breeds from here out... After he passed on, Cleo was noticeable despondent. She became more clingy, lethargic and whiny with her friend gone--losing two friends in less than 3 years has been hard on her. Even though we didn't feel completely ready to welcome a new dog into our home, we figured we could look.
The weekend before Thanksgiving we decided to check out the local Humane Society to see if any dogs called out to us. Before we left, I checked out which dogs were available, out of the 5 I wrote down, two were still available at the Campus For Compassion in South Phoenix.
"Gracie" was a small lab-mix who kind of resembled Cleo. When we walked up to her cage, she ran up to us, pressed herself against the bars and made the most pitiful whine that made my heart swell. Adam felt the same way about her. After a positive introduction with Cleo Bug we decided Gracie would be a good fit.
I will not lie, it has not been easy having a 6-month-old dog... but it is fun seeing our 9.5-year-old Cleo rediscover her inner-puppy and find some happiness again in her golden years.
Losing a pet, especially when he is still young, is very difficult, but it makes you realize how many pets need a home. We are not meant to have one animal companion throughout our lives... I think we outlive them so we have the chance to offer the chance for love and shelter to many little souls. Sheba (formerly Gracie), has made me realize it is possible to move on and that Quixie lives on in some of her naughtiness. It thrills me to see Cleo so happy and active again. Here are some photos from this morning when Sheba and Cleo chased each other around the backyard.
