Good Morning Everyone! Happy Thursday morning! The weekend is almost here! Hurray! Let me introduce myself, I am Prince! Blessing mentioned me last month when I was just starting to recover from my surgery. My Foster Mom, Alana, is taking such good care of me. And keeping a 100 pound Dobie like me sedated is no easy job – let me tell you. This is a recent photo of me in my yard. Don’t I look the part of a noble prince in this picture? Mom says don’t let this picture fool you because I am really a big goof ball. I am showing more of my goofy personality in my Glamour Photo.
So, as my buddy Blessing mentioned last month, I had a Boo Boo on my toe. The LCAL volunteers took good care of me and put medicine on it twice a day. (This was not fun for any of us.) But it just didn’t get any better. Then I started getting kennel stress. Us Dobies are working dogs and being cooped up in a kennel is torture! That is when Alana, my Foster Mom came to my rescue. She took me home and I settled right in with her. (I actually went to Foster Mom Lisa’s house first – but I was a little too interested in her cat. I swear I wasn’t doing ANYTHING! But they were having none of my shenanigans.)
Once I settled into Mom’s house, I went to the Vet and got the news that no one likes to hear. I had Spindle Cell Carcinoma. These are connective tissue tumors which luckily grow slowly. But Mom was still devastated for me, I am only four years old after all! At first it looked like I might lose my leg. Mom advocated for me, and since it was a low grade tumor, the Vet decided to just take my toe. Whew! Then came the Cone of Shame.
As you can see from this picture, I was feeling a little depressed. Mom felt bad for me, so when I snuck up on the couch, she just let me stay there. My buddy California Cody sent me pictures of his Cone of Shame to try and cheer me up. And it did help. Doesn’t he look silly? 
And this is Cody now, 8 months post TPLO surgery. This gives me hope because hard times do eventually pass.
Okay, back to ME! Mom takes such good care of me, that I am embarrassed to tell you the next part of this story. But do you remember when Cody was sad and shredded his bedroom carpet? Well, one day my Mom found me like this.
I am sorry Mom! I was sad and lonely and Bed was bothering me! Mom understood. I am a good boy after all. This is me giving hugs and saying sorry for my mischief. Mom says it’s hard to keep a good Dobie down. We are busy boys.
Now Mom says that she knows I am feeling better because my true personality is coming out. I love kids and other dogs. I love to play! And I take my Watching the House job very seriously. If you come by, you might hear my belly growl or even a warning bark. Then I run around and grab Stuffies to make things a little more fun.
Here is me hanging outside. What a beautiful day! Wait, do I hear someone approaching? “Hey who’s there? Present yourself Human!”
Last week, Mom took me for a ride in her car. I love Car Rides! The simple abundance of the wind in your ears is such a treat!
I am healing up nicely and Mom told me I might have a FURever Family waiting for me! I am trying not to get my hopes up too high because you never know how things will work out. But I am keeping all my other toes crossed. (Gotta remember to laugh in the face of adversity!) Some people ask Mom how she can Foster and then give us up. “Isn’t is just too hard?” They ask.
Well, that is why Foster Families are so special. They love us for a little while. Often at times when we are not at our best. They give us space to heal emotionally and physically. And then when we find our FURever Families they let us go. And that is true love? Don’t you think?
Vance Family Rescue Dogs 