Happy Tail: PICKLES!

Love at first sight!

I cannot believe I am writing this post...Pickles has been adopted! I am so excited, it's stupid. The Pickles Project is finally complete. We sent him to New Jersey yesterday on the FODA transport bus. He arrived safely this morning and is already SO in love with his wonderful new mommies. We had Pickles (now Preston!) for 6 1/2 months. He came so tremendously far during that time. Despite having never met his new mommy before, he let her hug and kiss him right away when he got off the transport bus. No bites! This little dog's journey has not been easy, but he has made me so very proud. Seeing pictures of him all snuggled up and looking perfectly blissful brings peace to my broken heart. I know it will heal with time, but because of all the updates and photos it is already a million times better!

Goodbye, my blatch!

I can't even begin to describe how difficult it was for me to let Pickles go. I became so deeply attached to this little dude. Long-term fostering is not a cake walk. It's trying, emotionally draining, and it hurts so much more when it's time to say goodbye. At first I felt so bad for him, then about 2 months in I think I actually hated him for a couple weeks. He was so difficult and I was convinced he'd never get adopted. Then one day I realized a small part of me didn't want him to go. That small part became my whole heart very quickly. I fell completely in love with his poor little Chihuahua soul. A rescue friend of mine likes to say that the hardest fosters are always the hardest to let go. She's right. Pickles was such a project and I poured so much of my heart into helping him learn how to trust and love. He truly was an exercise in great patience, but it was worth every frustrating second of it. I left the shelter with a terrified, undersocialized, fear aggressive disaster dog and 6 1/2 months later waved goodbye to a bubbly, snuggly, loving companion. Pickles is still not perfect, but what dog ever is? Perfect is boring. What matters is that he's to the point where he can enjoy life with confidence and zeal.

Check out my new sweater!

I'm smiling in my sleep

Pickles's new mommies have been following his Facebook page for four months. They waited for him until he was ready. I am so glad they did and I know Pickles is, too. They are head over heels in love with him. Seeing how happy he looks already on his very first day with his new family erased all the pain I felt letting him go. It was just meant to be. They went shopping for sweaters right away because it's chilly up there and Picky has no fur. They also went for a nice hike in the woods to get to know each other a bit (look how pretty their hike was!). It wore Pickles out, so they went home and took a snuggly nap. I'm so happy that he had such an amazing first day of his furever! I'm also super excited that he lives mega close to his old buddy, Cowboy Cody! Can't wait to see the pictures of their reunion. I will have to post pictorial updates, for sure. HUGE thanks to everyone who shared Pickles's Facebook page, liked his photos, offered me moral support, and of course to Chrissy for personally delivering him to his new moms. 

I miss Pickles a ton. It's sad sitting in my reading chair without him, but I know he has such a love-filled life ahead. I'll always love him. Best of luck to you, my little Blatch, my Blatchy, my Picnic, my Pachelbahn, my Picky, my Packles, my Packle Wackle, my Pickman, my Pickwick, my Picks, my Pickwicky, my Proudly Pugnacious Pickles. You're the best little blatch a girl could ever ask for. Congratulations on finally finding your furever family!