Skye Blue

Skye

I'm sure that many of our readers, if not all of them, have experienced the indescribable feeling you get when you meet a certain dog. It's like magnetism...you're drawn to them. There's a connection with a dog after you meet them and you just know that they're going to be a fantastic companion and that in no time at all, they'll feel like they're yours. Had that feeling? Yep, me too.

This past Sunday I had that experience with Skye in kennel 15. Scared and cowering in a corner, Skye wouldn't even come over to say "hi" to me as I leaned down to give her a smile.

I found her "raccoon face" absolutely adorable, but her eyes looked so sad. Ignoring all of my attempts to get her attention, I grabbed a blanket and went to go sit with her in her kennel. Hesitant to approach me, she crawled on her belly over to my lap, sniffed me, and then proceeded to squiggle, wiggle, and SNORT like a piglet as she crawled onto of my legs and buried her nose between my shoes. With a little bit of company she immediately perked up and I saw a brightness return in her pittie smile.

Everyday, I've stopped by her kennel to give her a little visit. I couldn't help myself. Just look at that face, wouldja? Tell me how could I possibly resist a big ol' hug and kiss from such a pretty little low ridin' lady.

Today I decided to give her a bath - she was stinky and dirty and since I liked hugging her so much it just made sense to make her smell nice. Right? The moment we stepped out of her kennel, her tail was wagging non-stop for the rest of our visit. She was so relieved to be out of there....

It's little things like that that remind volunteers how much we really give to the dogs at the shelter. We help keep them sane in a place that is such an unnatural environment for them. Even little daily visits, like my visits with Skye, are so important for their well-being. Heck, even the not so "fun" stuff like brushing them, giving them a bath, clipping their nails, practicing commands -- all of these things will help them become more social, better adjusted, and more adoptable.

After her bath, I took Skye to the kitchen to snuggle, dry off, and meet volunteer coordinator, Amelia, and manager, Kate. With her wiggly form and her loud snorts, Skye worked her charm on nearly every staff member and before long, they were all smitten. :) Although we're not quite sure where Skye originally came from, staff believe that she was most likely an at-risk-for-euthanasia-dog who was rescued from another shelter, perhaps by a well-meaning volunteer, and then left at BACS. Whatever her story may be, we don't care - she's darling - and we'll gladly take her and find a home that's just the right fit.

People oriented, playful, cuddly, smart, easy to handle and manage - Skye is a first-time dog owners dream! And not only is she great with people, but she loves other dogs! At the first sight of Mona (Amelia's gorgeous rottie mix), Skye lowered into a play bow and wiggled with delight and tried to start a game with her. Grouchy and not feeling well, Mona was not having it. But that didn't dampen Skye's good mood - we brought out Jamie (yes, little Jamie!) and she still wanted to play. Jamie, being a little fire-cracker now that he's on steroids for his various ailments, barked and jumped around like a cricket for a few minutes until we shoo'd him away so we could have more time with Skye.

Sadly, all visits have to end, and I brought Skye back to her kennel after an hour or so. Her change in mood was instantaneous and very noticeable as she laid down on her bed, heaved a great sigh, and looked at me once again with her sad eyes.

Next time you're at the shelter, take a few moments to just visit with this sweetheart and trust me, you'll be as enamored with her as I am.