for my dog and best friend...

Hey there... it's been a busy January thus far (well today is the last day of it actually) but I just wanted to take a few moments to make a special photo post in honor of my dog, Anna, as today I celebrate seven years together. She was actually born somewhere near October 31st, but it's just easier to celebrate it on her adoption day of January 31st rather than on Halloween.

On this day seven years ago, I left my friend Emily's birthday party down in Beaufort, South Carolina to drive out to Hunting Island for a walk. I had been thinking about getting a dog for a while, but the idea was cemented upon seeing everyone and their dogs walking along the beach. So... I decided on my way home to Savannah, to swing by the Beaufort County Humane Society Animal Shelter. There weren't many dogs in the shelter that sunday... but the majority of them (including a big basset hound) were more than excited to see a friendly human and barked with need of attention. All dogs that was, except a small black lab mix who just sat there looking at me with these big brown eyes. Touched by how the dog chose to interact with me.. I asked the attendant to see the puppy.

The four month old puppy and I went out to the yard and had a few minutes together. I looked into the dogs eyes and asked her if she wanted me to take me home, and if she thought that I was the appropriate human for her. She responded with longing and love and in her own little way, said that she was the dog for me. So, I promised to her that I would be the best dog owner I could be for her. I signed her papers, paid my fee and loaded my jeep up with this adorable black puppy. She laid out on the back bench seat and slept all the way home to Savannah while I called my mom to tell her their was a new addition to my household.

First thing upon arriving in Savannah, was to make a run out to PetSmart to get the much needed leash, water bowl, etc. On the way in everyone just made such a fuss over the puppy... but when asked what her name was... I never really gave them a straight answer as she didn't have a name yet. Then, while walking down one aisle to get puppy food, I came across this girl and her mom who also, made a fuss over the puppy. I told the little girl that I had just gotten the dog that afternoon and she didn't have a name yet. The little girl then informed me that she had gotten a doll that afternoon (and showed me the doll) and decided to name the doll Annabelle. I liked the name Annabelle (secretly I had been rolling over naming the dog Anna during the ride home and seeing that the girl had named her doll that, solidified the name for me) and so I asked the girl if it would be okay for me to name my dog Annabelle as well? The little girl's face just beamed with excitement and she went over to tell her mom.

And thusly, Anna became her name.

And thusly, Anna became my dog.

Later that evening I had plans to go to a Superbowl party... and I did go. But as I would do for several years later when the dates fall on the same days... depart early so that I can go home and fix my best friend a nice steak dinner.

Anna likes playing in the snow...

sticking her head out the window...

Going on hikes with me as long as I promise to not take her too high...

and loves looking emo...

repost: 02.02.09

Reposting one of my favorite most memorable days from the past year that was initially recorded on my myspace blog. I think about this day a lot for many different reasons. It was a very, very good day.

Monday, February 02, 2009

Well, two days ago on the 31st, I celebrated Anna's fifth birthday... though, I guess the more accurate description is the fifth anniversary of me adopting her, which is more like it. We both got up earlier than I normally would on Sunday with nothing really to do, but I had a full day of activities planned for Anna starting with a drive to North Portland to swing past the Little Red Bike Cafe. I know I've said it many a times, but I just love this place. Once I walk through the doors, I just get an incredibly strong urge to smile. I see the people who work there making espressos and smiling, I see the young couple who run it smiling, the people eating, they're smiling too... everyone is just so gosh darn happy it's hard to not to feel great after just walking in to get something simple like coffee and a few donuts. If you could eat cuteness and happy thoughts... you could do it at the Little Red Bike Cafe.

Anyways, from there I drove across the St. Johns Bridge which was drenched in an erie fog, making the gothic towers of the structure that much more impressive and mysterious. From there.. I drove to Germantown Road and took it all the way to one of the trail heads of Forest Park. The only thing I love more than this trail, is the fact that it's right in the city. Walking through it, it's easy to imagine yourself deep in the woods, miles away from civilization... that is until the Portland State Cross Country team passes you. But still, it is so damn pretty. On this foggy morning, we were at a high enough elevation to where the sun was breaking through the fog and sent down patchy golden beams of light... filtered through the trees by the mist. God, it was so damn pretty, I was kicking myself for not having brought my camera... though at the same time, I doubt my camera could have done it justice. Maybe it was the good buzz of energy from the Cafe or just the way the sun filtered through the trees, but I was on such a high. I was just overcome with positive energy. I am in love with life, with Oregon and yes.... my dog.

I love taking Anna for walks in Forest Park because I will unleash her and generally let her walk at her own pace. Sometimes she'll find an interesting smell and research it until I've walked far enough ahead of her... and then she'll sprint past me and wait till I catch up with her again. I enjoy this because we learn to trust each other, we've made a pact... I won't leave her and she won't leave me. We hardly have to say anything to each other... occasionally there will be the name call, but most communication is done through eye contact. Even though being off leash isn't allowed, most dog owners do it. However, when I see other dogs or people, I'll leash Anna up and let the people pass till they are a safe distance away.

We were almost done with the walk when I saw two dogs chasing each other off leash ahead of us. I pulled Anna aside and leashed her up, then approaching the two dogs with caution. The owner showed up around the bend and the dogs greeted each other. First dog went past Anna, no problem. The second dog though, suddenly lunged for Anna's throat and grabbed hold. I yelled, the dogs owner screamed and we pulled the two dogs apart. I checked Anna for injury, and she seemed fine. Her fur was wet from running through stream already... and I couldn't see any blood... so I assumed she was probably just a little scared from the experience, that's all. Unlike many others would do in a similar situation, I didn't yell at the other dog owner, she was a girl about the same age as me, and much like me... just wanted to have her dogs get a little exercise on a frosty foggy morning. It could have been my dog lunging at another dog or person as easily as it was hers. As well, she had her leashes in her hand, but had been around the bend and hadn't had a chance to leash her dogs up. She felt really sorry and all I could do was to thank her for taking care of her dog and wished her a good day.

Needless to say, Anna was not as jubilant about walking as she had been moments prior. I as well, had lost my positive energy buzz, but was not going to let the incident mar Anna's birthday. So, once back in the car, we continued on with our morning's activities including stopping by the grocery store to buy a steak for Anna's dinner and also swinging by the pet store down Alberta street to get Anna's new green corduroy hemp collar.

Once home, I decided to do a load of laundry to wash the seat covers in my car as well as other items. I also deiced to give Anna a bath since she was pretty muddy herself. I took Anna's old collar off to place in the wash when I noticed the inside of it was stained with blood. Slightly freaked out, I ran over to Anna and rubbed my hand around her neck. I turned my hand over and saw an ample smearing of blood all over my hand. Shit, the dog in the park bit her!!! I pulled her closer to me and examined her neck in better light, and there it was... a nice clean puncture wound to the lower left neck. I grabbed my first aid kit and cleaned the wound. (Dogs, much like humans... are apt to wince at the application of alcohol to open wounds.) I gave her a bath and then, instead of placing her new green collar around her neck, made her a new collar out of gauze and adhesive tape. My main concern was stopping the bleeding and making sure that the puncture wasn't deep enough to require stitches. Afterwards, I gave Anna a bone and for the next hour and a half, you wouldn't think that anything had happened earlier.

I called a friend of mine who works at Dove Lewis, the ER for pets, and got some advice on things to look out for. I checked her wound occasionally and it seemed as if the bleeding had generally stopped. All great things. I felt bad and pretty guilty for not noticing the wound at first, but on a black dog... bloody hair looks a lot like wet hair. However, I wasn't going to let the incident ruin Anna's birthday. So, I set her steak in a marinade, headed off to a Super Bowl party, and then... much like I had at a Super Bowl party five years prior, I left early with a smile on my face - to go spend some quality time with my dog.