flipside finds: ode to sadie

At the dog park on Sunday, I met a woman who rescued the cutest, little white dog with the most lovable face. The dog’s hind-quarters were shaved and the woman told me that was because when the dog was found running along the side of a road she had mites. The vet guessed that the dog had been abandoned or run away and gotten lost for up to four days. They cleaned her up and got her back to health – shaved her little rump – and when I met her at the dog park she was happily chasing dogs, greeting people and most importantly had a new dotting owner to look after her.

All of this made me think about how quickly life can change. One moment you can be starving and dirty on the side of the street, and the next given a clean home, warm meal and a soft bed. It can go the other way too, which is scary. Good thing for family and friends and people with big hearts.

Speaking of changes - less dramatic ones - Sadie’s been trying to get used to me going back to work. On top of that and missing her cousin Happy and her Aunts, Amanda and Julie, she’s been thinking of ways to try and get me to stay home, like going on a food strike. Sadie didn’t eat for an entire day, not even cheese which is her favorite. The hunger strike plus making me lift her out of bed and physically put her outside to go to the bathroom had me feeling like a terrible owner. Three weeks have gone by and I think she’s starting to get the routine. Happily she started eating with her usual appetite again, and she may even have gained a little weight because I’ve been giving her guilt snacks – those big, brown eyes get me every time! In fact, I just read an article in New York Magazine titled The Rise of Dog Identity Politics, stating that “the dog’s eyes were designed to induce human concern.” Translation = treats.

So as an ode to Sadie, here are some of my favorite photos of her...and Happy, too!