My favorite thing that isn’t health related but improves my life.  That is such an easy thing to talk about.  It all started just under 3 years ago.  I never knew what I was missing in life, and then, there she was.  The most beautiful girl in the world.  I never really wanted her but once I held her, my heart melted and I can’t even imagine life without her.  I don’t even know how I lived life without her.   She is my bundle of joy.  I even remember her first words to me.  They scared me.  I was sitting on the couch, she was on the floor.  She looked up at me at spoke.  It took me by surprise because she had been home for about a week and nothing.  Then this.  I was scared because I wasn’t used to it and didn’t know how to take it.
Ok, you are probably reading this now and are a little confused.  Well, here is a picture of my little ball of joy so you can understand me a little better.

This is my Sable.  Now she didn’t always look this pretty.  In fact, when we got her, she was 4 months old and only 4 pounds.  She was underweight and had not come into her own

So how did this scrawny scrappy little girl become a beauty?  By some TLC.  It all goes back to just after Thanksgiving 3 years ago.  We were driving around trying to find some shelters because my wife wanted to adopt a dog.  However, we are both allergic so we wanted a poodle which have hair, not fur and don’t shed.  They are more hypoallergenic.  Problem is, no shelters had any poodles.  Since we couldn’t find a shelter, we started looking at shops near us, but found nothing that we liked.  Then as we are driving, she calls one place and they say they have one poodle and is sable color.  We looked at each other, and we knew.  We also had a name for her.  When we got to the shop, I saw her right away.  I walked over to the cage and she jumped up to play.  My wife came over and she jumped for my wife also.  They then took her out and we held her.  She was so scared and shivered in our arms.

We bought her for a nice amount, but we look at it like we rescued her.  At 4 months she was old for a pet store.  She probably would have been put into a puppy mill to breed real soon.  So now, we have her to live a great life.  We never regretted getting her from a store.

So for the next week, she was very scared.  She never barked and was very nervous.  We talked to her and tried to play with her.  Then that one day.  I was on the couch and she was on the floor.  She looked up at me, crouched down, butt in the air and barked.  I didn’t know this was a play stance.  She was finally warming up and wanted to play.  I however got a little scared.

When I was a kid walking home from the library with a friend, a dog ran out of no where.  I think it was a Labrador but I don’t remember.  I just remember it was big.  I had to be in my early teens.  So this dog runs out and jump up on me, knocking me down.  My friend jumped onto the roof of a car.  I then here from a window of the apartment building we were next, “Don’t worry, he doesn’t bite!”.  I got up and ran.  I was so scared and ever since had been scared of dogs.

Over time she would eat, and we would cuddle.  She started to gain weight and look healthier.  I felt so lucky to have her.  I would come home from work and there she was, jumping up on my leg so happy for me to be home.  We would play with a ball which turns out is her favorite toy to play with.  For such a little dog, she has a very big heart.  We would of course spoil her and bought tons of toys for her.  There were so many stuffed animals lying around that we started calling her area a jungle, and she was the queen.

And this is what happens when she is in charge.  She kills her animals and let’s them know she is queen.  Ok, this is a bad picture…she needed a grooming.

But over time, she gained her full weight.  She runs all over the place.  She loves humans and jumps on every one that crosses her path.  And every day I come home, she is there to greet me.  My heart melts when I hear her barking a greeting to me.  No matter what my day was like, I have to forget it and spend some time in Sableworld.  I can spend 5 minutes petting and scratching her.  As soon as I stop, she wants more.  She will nuzzle up to me and let me know she loves me.  Some people say that dogs can’t love, that they aren’t capable of it.  I disagree. Sable loves me and my wife.  When we are gone, she is sad.  When we are near, she is never happier.

This is her now.  Fully grown.  When she looks up at me with those eyes, I get all mushy.  I can’t believe how much she has helped me over the past couple of years.  I am no longer scared of dogs.  She helped me see that all they wanted was love..not harm.  She has become connected with me to the point that I can actually understand some of her barks when she wants something.  I remember one time she was on our bed and let out a whimper. I looked over, picked her up and put her on the floor.  She immediately ran to her wee-wee pad and had diarrhea.  It was sad because she was getting sick, but I somehow knew she needed to go to the bathroom.  It was like we were connected in thought.

Now, on those days when I don’t feel right or get sad, I pick her up and give her a hug.  She is my rock and is always there to cheer me up and make me feel better.  Who would have thought that a 6 lb ball of fur would be the best medicine?