Kiara turns 3 today!

Kiara, my Rara.. Today you made it to three years old. It feels like just yesterday I wasn’t sure if you’d make it to three months….

I walked into the Humane Society to drop off donations, little did I know that I’d be bringing home a little sister for Karma. You were so cute, and stood out to me even surrounded by your siblings. Your little white markings on your chest and feet made me think of Karma’s. I really didn’t want to get another puppy and start all over with training another dog. I took out several adult dogs, the ones most people won’t adopt, but I didn’t click with any of them. I so badly wanted to give them all homes, but there was just no connection. I took you out to get to know you and you wouldn’t leave my feet. You were curious, and sweet. You definitely had a ton of personality, especially for such a young pup. You crawled into my lap and chewed on my shoelaces.. Much like Karma, who when I went to choose a pup, crawled in my lap and chewed on my fingers.

Next thing we were in line together to fill out paperwork.. They told me your story as I filled everything out. They told me how you had been surrendered to the shelter at a young age, too young for you and your siblings to even have been weaned from your mum. A foster family took you all in, and that’s when you’d been exposed to Parvo. They said that you tested negative, but they’d only tested you once. Parvo can take time to show on a test, and I had the worst gut feeling that you had it, but I took you home anyway. You met your new crazy sister, Karma who couldn’t of been happier to have a friend. She pounced around you for ages unable to control her excitement, but you were not scared at all. You licked her back and let her roll you around when she pawed you, not knowing how much bigger she was than you. You were the size of her HEAD.

The next morning, you didn’t wake me up and then you slept all that day. You didn’t even wake up for water. I did my best to keep you hydrated and knew if you slept through the night again it wasn’t good. When I woke up and you were still asleep, I immediately rushed you to the vets. I had to take you by myself, and you were small, but not quite small enough to sit in my lap, but you were small enough to fit in your toy bin! Your new homemade doggie carseat, haha. I strapped it in and you slept the entire way..

When we got there, I got them to put us in a quarantine room to test you, and instantly my fears became a reality. You were parvo positive. Parvo is very contagious to dogs who are not vaccinated against it, and puppies get the vaccines originally in doses, so they aren’t really fully vaccinated against Parvo until they are one year old. This is why I was very careful to not touch anything in the clinic and told them about it before they put me in a regular room. The vets reassured me that I caught it early and your chances were good, you were after all already 20 LBs! Because I did not expose you to this, the Humane Society wanted to help with your treatment. Therefore, I had to bring you to a different clinic, one that they worked alongside with. When we got there, I insisted they give you the best and fastest treatment available. I went home in tears and sat by the phone anxiously waiting to hear any news at all. The clinic that did your treatment didn’t think you’d make it but you did.

You’re a fighter and the funniest pup I’ve ever known. You have enough personality for five dogs.. You make me laugh every single day at all the silly things you do, and I don’t know what Karma and I would do without you around. You make me feel safe, and you always protect me – even from the pizza delivery people – they clearly have ill-intentions… In the car when people walk past and you let me and them know that you see them.. The way you keep your back to me at the park and keep a look out for anyone or anything suspicious. Your love for squirrels and “people watching” out of the window is something that definitely makes you, you. The fact that you sleep at my feet on the bed and watch the door at night, every night. The way you know when I’m upset and come give me a nudge with your nose to get cuddles – and then give me your paw if I stop before you’re ready.. The way you whimper as soon as you hear air-brakes and run around the house to find a window that will show you the truck causing the noise so you can prepare yourself to bark to your heart’s content before they even knock on the door..

My little monkey hyena mix, I’m glad you made it.. I’m glad you still won’t leave my feet (but thank goodness you don’t chew shoes anymore!) I’m so thankful that you’re part of my family. 💕