Discovering Sniffing

 Moma Editor's Introductory Comment.
As you read this blog
I ask you
To consider how far these two special wires have come
Since the days of their rescue 
from two different puppy mills
in the USA Midwest.


For those that may be newer to their blog
Jake was a mill breeder for two years.
Fergi was a mill breeder for eight years.
She was crated in a cramped small wire cage.
Her entire life.


They've both come a long ways
In the past year and a few months.
And each milestone is greatly celebrated around here.
Come celebrate with us!

***

My Big New Recent Joy
by Fergi

For weeks after I first arrived home
Walks weren't much fun.
At first the grass felt awful to my paws
and the leash scared me.
A lot.

After I finally got used to those things
all the noises and sudden movements
made me nervous.

But slowly I grew to love my walks.
Second to mealtime
They became my favorite part of the day.

When spring arrived and flowers bloomed

I noticed them

I tiptoed near and around them

And I sniffed.
Just a little.

Moma knew that was one of the best parts of the walks
for me.

The flowers were at nose level
as I ambled by with a slightly tucked head
sticking my nose in
to enjoy the sweet scents.
The flowers didn't move too fast.
They didn't make strange noises.
They didn't scare me.

Summer came
and I sniffed the salty north Florida air.
Tail still down.
Head still slightly tucked.
Not all the way up
but rarely held to the ground.

I didn't know how to sniff the ground.

It never crossed my mind.
And I didn't feel safe to walk without watching
still nervous about the things around me.

Then Autumn arrived.
And I suddenly learned
There was a whole new life to experience.

Moma told me,

Autumn is a second spring

When every leaf is a flower.

~Albert Camus

Aren't they pretty autumn flowers?

The season sure brought new beauty to me.
and
Our walks now lasted at least twice as long as they used to.

For I learned the joy of sniffing the ground
sniffing the leaves

and moving from one spot to another

in search of some special treasure.

I was in no hurry to get home.
And I no longer worried.

At least not as much.
And not about the same things.


Since I've been really shy about being photographed
(let alone video taped)
Moma hasn't been able to help me
Show off my "best side."

One day this week she decided to devote a walk just for me
and we went outside together
Leaving Jake at home.

It just wasn't the same.

It just didn't feel right.

And besides, Jake was missing me, too.

He watched and he whimpered.

I looked at Moma

and she could tell by my eyes that I wanted him

to be with us.

So we fetched him.

And we went for a walk together.

Still.

I didn't have much enthusiasm.

Just that little glitch of the first walk without him

Threw me off.

I wasn't the happy self

I'd come to become outside.

So

Moma said we would try again the next day.

And it went better

The next day.

I sniffed in the neighborhood plantings.

My tail was up.

My nose was down.

Little things still startled me.

But I had a nice time.

Looking for any new smells.

We climbed the hill to the reservoir.

(Please excuse the videographer.

We gave her a bit of a challenge at the top.

I found places to sniff.

And we checked out the rocks along the side.

We sniffed in the dried grasses up there.

And kept at it until I found THE HOLE!

(Look quickly at the end.

Moma snapped off the camera too soon!)

But I want it to go down in the records and your memory

I DID find it!

But don't be too disappointed.

That you didn't see the next part of the video.

We don't dig.

Yet.

Still.

It was great being up there.

The days of being caged were far from my mind.

I was happy.

Very very happy.

We headed back to the neighborhood

And there were a few places left to check out

Before all the leaves get raked up.

I got in a good deep sniff.

Then it was time to head home.

And eat.

A good dinner.

A dinner that I've come to know waits for me every night.

In a loving home.

Where I can sleep comfortably

and dream of sniffing.

(It's a really big thing to me.)

In my very own heaven.