Rescue dog melts hearts

When I brought Schatzie, a female miniature Double-Dapple Dachshund home this week on a ‘rescue’ basis, it was strictly temporary -- just until I could find a good home for her.

I posted an urgent notice on Facebook about her immediate availability. Surely among my Facebook friends, many of whom are dog-lovers, I was confident she’d be on her way to a permanent home in no time.

And I was right.

All it took was a couple of hours.

When I saw my husband Charles playing with her, hearing the mirth in his laugh, as though he was a young child again, it melted my heart.

Our son Jonathan came over to ‘meet his new sister’ and after playing with Schatzie and taking her for a walk, he proclaimed: “You’re KEEPING her!” His tone of voice implied that it was unthinkable to even consider letting her go to someone else.

Early Saturday morning when the alarm clock went off for me to get up to go to a networking meeting, I groaned, rolled over, turned off the alarm, and decided I’d skip the meeting and go in to work later in the morning.

But just at that same moment, Schatzie appeared beside our bed with her eager, smiley little face and her tail wagging so vigorously fast, back and forth, she almost threw herself off balance. I could not resist smiling back at her and realized I needed to wake up, get up, and embrace the day.

I rolled out of bed with a smile on my face inspired by Schatzie, who immediately won our hearts and a permanent home – right here with us - and the day was off to a great start.