Spoiled

Most puppies I have known have been fairly spoiled from the time they were born; born with a silver spoon in their mouths, so to speak. First they have the attention of their Mom, and siblings as playmates. Their Mom is fed well, meaning they get good nutrition from the start. Fed proper puppy food from the time they’re supposed to be fed solid food, trained, played with, loved.

But then there are those who are born on the street, or born in a little indian puppy mill where they are thrown out on the street if they aren’t sold quickly enough. They try to fend for themselves, but puppies weren’t made to be alone, and there’s a good chance that most of these pups won’t make it.

Every once in a while though, there is a puppy who is found by someone who cares enough to make a difference in its life. Someone who isn’t willing to walk by and let that puppy die.

That is what happened with Cosette, and it has been fun to see how she has changed in the last week. Less than a week, really.

When I first found Cosette, she was the calmest little  puppy I had seen. Too scared and starving to play or be silly. The way she moved had a very nervous edge to it. She wanted to be friendly, but she was shy. The first time I attempted to approach Cosette, she reminded me of my old dog Tippy when we first found her. Tippy was a puppy too when she showed up at our house the day after Christmas one year. She had been abused and was half dead.

Cosette had the same look in her eyes that Tippy often had; a look of, “I want to love you, but please don’t hurt me.”

She scarfed down any food she was given as though she thought it would be stolen if she waited at all. When I gave her a bath in the evening, she stood on the edge of the bucket, trying to get out, but did not fight with me at all. When I wrapped her in a towel, she did not try to get out of the towel until I unwrapped it, even when she tipped over on her side. She was resigned to whatever happened to her. She acted more like an old dog who has seen too much to care than a puppy who was just starting life.

She has changed so quickly though. She has turned into a proper puppy. She eats when she wants to, she leaves the food she doesn’t need, she has settled into a normal eating pattern. She knows what she wants, and makes her desires known. For example, when she thinks it is bedtime, she runs into the bedroom and stands up against the bed, looking at me until I lift her up onto the bed. She chases me through the house, grabbing my trouser legs in her teeth to get me to play. She runs around the house, hiding from me, but comes running, with a huge puppy grin when I call her to come.

Cosette climbs on my lap, and chews on my fingers, ignoring the toys I try to get her to chew on. She runs up to people while we’re out walking, saying hi to them before running back to me. With her endearing personality, everyone who has met this goofy little puppy has liked her. She plays like crazy until she gets tired, at which point, she flops down, falling fast asleep as only a puppy can.

As only a puppy can…she is turning into a proper puppy and it is fun to watch.