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| JANUARY 16, 2008...TWO WEEKS AFTER ADOPTION |
It has been 14 years since we made the trip to North Shore Animal League and found a muscular black puppy no one wanted; the light colors and spotted and white being the preferred canine colors. I was not aware of the black dog syndrome. The black dogs are the last to be selected in shelters and average a much longer stay. I did not know I was supposed to prefer other dog colors.
If my dog were a male, I knew his name would be Liam ...after actor Liam Neeson. Not Liam Hemsworth. We are baby boomers here.
From the beginning Liam was his own person, as my mother Ruth said. On the ride home from Animal League he sat in my lap and looked out the window. He did not snuggle, lick my face or get cozy. He sat erectly and curiously watching the passing scenery..
Liam would not sit, roll over or fetch a ball. NSAL instructors came and tried. We had a 9 week training course at Best In Show Pet Resort. Liam failed. In fact, the last week the instructor said "lets be like Liam and do what we want.'
Liam is my first dog. I knew little about dog world.
What I should do or expect.
As an illustration of my ignorance, have a look at this vignette.
I thought dogs pooped only in the yard and that was it. Liam and I went out on a late winter's afternoon in 2008, a month after his adoption, and walked a lot... as we neared our house on the return walk, Liam crouched down. I thought he was sitting and I stopped with him...we then crossed the street to our house and entered our side door...a few minutes later my neighbor knocked. He said "your dog pooped in front of my house." "No, my dog would not do that." I indignantly replied. I walked back across the street with my neighbor to prove him wrong. Sure enough there was a poop where Liam had sat. I came back with a bag and retrieved it.
People later explained to me that one always must expect pooping to occur on the walk. That's the point of the walk. Oh, did not know. I had only had turtles, fish and parakeets. They don't go for walks.
Liam was 5 months old when we adopted him. His birthday is August 1, 2007. So he is approaching 14 1/2 on February 1, 2022.. DNA has shown he is equal parts Irish Setter, Doxie, Beagle, Dalmatian. A rescue from Tennessee.
BABY YEARS
chews on everything
hides under the bed
terrified of storms and of fireworks
licks
MIDDLE YEARS
CURRENT YEAR 2021
HAPPY GOTCHA DAY ANNIVERSARY LIAM
JANUARY 1, 2022
Liam
does not fetch
does not cuddle
does not wear sweaters or neckties
does like rolling in the grass
does like sniffing on walks
does like to snuggle
licks
"He is his own person"-Ruth McNiff
WE LOVE HIM
woof, woof
