Monday Memories-The Grumpy Goal

 Grumpy and Daddy

The puppy from our litter named Grumpy was my husband's favorite.  He loved them all, but Grumpy somehow snagged Mark's heartstrings.  Mark wanted to keep them all but if he couldn't he wanted to at least keep Grumpy.  Zappa and Fiona were already a given, and three puppies all at once would've been too much, so we did our best to find Grumpy a good home.

 The call we got last February wasn't the first one where the owner wanted to give Grumpy up.  Nothing ever materialized out of it so we just kept hoping to see Grumpy as an adult and see that he was OK.  So when we did get the call last year, saw him and then a freak snowstorm stopped us from picking him up, I didn't think it would be the last time we'd hear from them.

In fact, I started planning everything I did for when the call came in.  I really started working with the two packs to begin the process of uniting them and that meant mostly working with Brut and the Back Dogs in bringing them together.  I worked especially with Brut, his aggression, his food and toy possessions while he was around the other dogs.  He learned how to take turns during play and how to pose for pictures.  When I would be sitting there figuring out what to do with my day, I thought of Grumpy, and would continue to work towards the goal of when he would inevitably would come to live with us.  While I still couldn't unite the two packs, I could get them ready for when Grumpy finally came home.   The whole thing was a surprise for Mark who didn't know I was working with the dogs for the special day.

3 week old photo shoot

I became so wrapped up in this journey and Grumpy was still so far away that when I heard the news the owner put Grumpy down, I was in a state of shock, but more disbelief.  I had had no doubt that Grumpy was coming home, it was just a matter of when.  It wasn't until months later I remembered what had started me down this intense journey of unity and was jarred into reality and shattered my dreams.  Grumpy was gone.  All of my work while still beneficial fell limp at my feet as if it were Grumpy's body.  The dog bed had been pulled out from under me and it was the first time I really cried for Grumpy.  Sobbing to my husband, my plan, my ideas and my end goal.  I wanted Grumpy to come home too.  He was the whole reason for my labor of love and I wanted nothing more than to surprise my husband with his favorite dog in his arms. 

 The last time we laid eyes on Grumpy

We miss our boy

And now I can only thank Grumpy for leading me down this path that will eventually lead us to being the 24 Paws of Love.