The Scoundrel

It was a bitterly cold morning in January when I found him. I had been at a patients home and since she wasn’t doing well I needed something warm and furry to hug, so the animal shelter being on my way back to town I stopped in. Breezed on back to the kennel, intent on finding a dog to pet for a few minutes when a tiny ball of fur alone in one of the cages caught my eye.

Just out of curiosity I opened the door of the cage and a tiny ball of brown fur launched himself at my arms. Heart melting, wondering what this tiny bit of life was doing there, I stayed for a long period of time working out some of the logistics. To take him now or come back later? That was solved when one of the workers told me he could catch a disease if left there for long. i gave them my check for $50 dollars, collected the American Kennel Club papers on him and walked out the door. Now what do i do with him while seeing y other patients since I had a full schedule that day, but after a quick change in one schedule we went to see Mackie. She had sitters around the clock so I knew they were all dog lovers. And Mackie had to have her Pekinese put to sleep recently, so we, or rather, the current sitter grabbed the puppy from my arms and told me I would bring him there every day when I worked. Max was named after Mackie as soon as I thought about how fate had entered there as well and my new baby would be safe.

The amazing part though was when we put that 3 month old ball of fur on the bed with Mac and he just curled up contentedly beside her. No playing, just comfort from him taking root!

By the end of my work day I had almost talked myself into believing I might have to give him up, since he had been with them all day and might have forgotten about me. I shouldn’t have worried though. As soon as I walked back in the little scroundrel once again launched himself into my arms.

Our first night together was pretty intense. Who knew a tiny 2 pound puppy could out snore a lumberjack! I was almost asleep when the snoring began and astonished to find the culprit was so tiny.

Time passed and Max grew a little bit. Bathtime was always a challenge. I wanted a clean smelling puppy in the bed with me and he wanted to just spend his time dry and above baths, But during the night the rain began, and the Little Scroundral wanted to go outside. I thought he had to do business, only to find out he just wanted to play in every puddle he could find. Put him in a tub of warm water and he was sure I was trying to drown him but those puddles were just what he wanted for the night. I had to take him in and dry him off a few times when he declined doing his business and just headed for the nearest puddle.

Since it was only a few more hours before I had to leave for work I decided to ignore his next attempt to go outside. He got me back for that one! I had to take all the bedding off and wash it before any stain set in, using up the only sleep time left. After work that day I got a cage to put him in at night. If he messed up his own cage he had to live in it but he already seemed to know that. After a few nights I was only opening the door of the cage that was kept on the bed and he would go in without my putting him there, or cuddle up beside me for awhile before going in. I guess all that space was just too much for a handful of fur.

He grew, but not by much, and became the most loving little part of me I had ever known before. Cuddling a German Shepherd is nice, but that tiny mite was special.

Max has been gone for several years now, but I still miss him all the time. He knew when I needed to play and also when I just needed to be quiet and he acted accordingly.

So, I’ve found a few photos of my little guy. Some are duplicates but I don’t know how to get them off. Barely know how to put them on here.