Happy Dog: Skye in Snow

I know many of you understand what it’s like to save the life of an animal and then watch them thrive. It’s a great joy and a privilege to experience their blossoming. This morning was like that for me with Skye. Those of you who know her story will remember that she was a feral puppy when I brought her in last February (see previous post Night Skye). I caught her in an arroyo after a huge snowstorm. She had no fat on her body and almost no flesh to keep her warm. It was only because she was starving and freezing to death that I was able to get her.

There was a dusting of fresh snow this morning when I put the dogs out and I was there to see Skye’s response. She is still too afraid to go out the front door, but I built an enclosure for my cats so they could have an indoor/outdoor experience in spite of the pack of coyotes that regularly come to my yard, and Skye uses that. Anyway, I was there to witness her absolute glee in the morning’s snow! She raced and raced around in circles, kicking up snow like a little black snow plow. She pounced and frolicked and stuck her snout in and came up with great mouths full of the white stuff. Kelee stared at her as if to say, “Yeah, whatever, it’s snow. Get over yourself.” But she grinned from ear to ear anyway. Nothing was going to stop her celebration.

And it occurred to me how far she has come. Snow nearly took her life last winter. She suffered greatly because of it. But now, in this new life, she is always warm, always fed. And snow is something to relish, not fear, all memory of its dangers long past. The fact that she feels safe to play, that there is time and energy for her to do more than just survive, swelled my heart with deep love for the exuberance of life’s yearning unto itself and my participation in it.

I wasn’t able to grab my camera fast enough to capture her playing, but here are the few pictures I was able to get.

I’d love to hear your rescue stories if you’d be willing. You can share them using the comment form below or on my High Road Artist Facebook page.

Love to you all,

Jeane