Goodbye Old Friend

Yesterday we sadly wished farewell to a beloved old friend, Miss Woofy.
(No, unfortunately, we didn't get to pick her name and ironically she never barked).

Smitten by the arrival of our little ball of fluff Oscar, I've rarely mentioned her on this blog but that's no reflection of our love for her, merely her absence from our home since I started this space.

See Woofy has a very special history and for that an extra treasured place in our hearts.
Having adopted her from a mate who was in more than a bad place at the time and completely unable to care for her, Woofy had experienced a life of neglect that no animal should be subjected to.

By the time she came into our care she was estimated to already be at least 10 years old.
We couldn't be sure as she had been accepted by her original owner as payment and her age was of little concern to him at the time - that was over 5 years ago.

She came to us as a timid, cowering soul who couldn't walk on a lead let alone be comfortable around strangers or a group of more than two people.
But after just a few short months under my hubby's loving wing she blossomed, coming out of her shell and learning commands such as speak, shake and sit.
Before long walkies and shmako's became her two favourite treats :)
Who said you can't teach an old dog new tricks?

Flourishing in the glow of finally being the centre of peoples love and attention, the affection we got back from her was immeasurable.
It always amazed us that despite the neglect and poor treatment she had received growing up, her nature was as gentle and placid as an angel.

Although accepting Osky into the fold took some getting used to…

Oscar of coarse was in love with her from the start.
It didn't take long for him to bully his way into her heart and she was too much of a softy to refuse him.

Before too long they were the best of friends and he quickly became the puppy she never had.

Soon they were a little too comfortable in each others presence perhaps… haha

It was only when we took in another wanderer, my good friend Cel who was going through a tough time of her own suffering a marriage break down and facing deportation back to her home in Brazil, that we had to give Woofy up to my Mother In-Law since my friend brought along more than just a little bit of baggage in her tow.
We suffered a cyclone of sorts over the next 3 and a half months in the form of a feisty 4 year old female Jack Russell called Becky.

Woofy's submissive nature didn't stand a chance against Becky's overly excitable energy and when two weeks later she wasn't eating, had become listless and was still being bullied to the point of attack we could take no more.
She deserved better than that and boy did she get it…
Roast chicken dinners, sirloin steaks, an unlimited supply of doggy treats and the undivided attention of a single lady's love. It's no wonder she didn't want to come home at the end of her 3 month stay!

Sad as we were to give her up it was a match made in heaven and the knowledge that she was living out her final years in luxury and total comfort made up for any guilt in having to let her go.

Dearest Woofy, you were the best little companion anyone could ever hope for.
Your resilience and refusal to give up on the human race regardless of how badly you'd been treated was a testament to your beautiful nature and soul.
No other dog has been or will ever come close to holding a shadow to you.
Know that while your beginning may have been rough, in the end, you were loved by all who knew you.
You will always be in our hearts.
 All our love xox