The little Runt that could

My fur baby story begins like most great love stories; adversity and unconditional love. Its not enough to just survive in life but sometime with a little extra help it can have its generosity returned in some of the smallest ways and leading to the greatest results.

I have had the privilege, since a young age, to observe nature as more of a player than a tourist and leading my curiousness into the realms of Darwinism at times. Nothing is more full of beauty or touching of a story as the runts of the litter. Although misconceptions may seems skewed statistically they are the metaphoric sense of Divine Comedy of the animal kingdom when it comes to breaking casts and getting a better chance at life. My runt is one of these said curiosities of beating the odds.

The Gift of Chance

Sammi, born a whopping 2 lbs, with a bad herniated umbilical sac, a abnormal heart rhythm, exposed tear ducts, and minor other health issues was started to get alienated from the rest of the litter; if it only wasn't for her stubbornness to not give up. The owner could not sell her due to temperament issues so I did the only humane thing and fell in love with her. Unknowingly to my 4 year old son at the time, he did as well.

A Cocker Spaniel mixed Terrier, Sammi, was constantly being confused as a "tea cup" breed due to her abnormally small body yet cartoon exaggerated ears (which she luckily grew into). Without knowledge of her "issues" you would expect my doggos ONLY problem was that she needed CONSTANT attention and anyone who is bold enough to walk past her, or even the audacity to make eye contact, was met with over-excitement and a yerning to pay a petting toll for her PERSONALLY approved passage. Nothing is more enjoyable than the constant laughter of my kid vs the yippy barked excitement watching them play tag together in the park, or enjoying a bike ride as she trotted along side.

A regular day, in the life of, is never the same. Sometimes its play with the most annoying squeaker toy in her treasure chest, other days it is pick a rope day when she grabs every rope she owns in the house. Her favorite though, is laser pens weird enough, she will literally dig a hole to china for a chance to catch that ever elusive red dot that has teased and tormented her years of life without capture. No days are comparable to the days her favorite human comes home though and the returned bond my son had for his dog. At the height of Sammis' youth, she could easily pull me on my bike as though she was an Alaskan sled hound which would also explain her obsession with cold weather and snow.

The Trials of Survival

Sammis' insufferable "playtitude" has even gone into the darkest depths on my soul and brought me back into the world of the living world on more than one occasion as well. Something about "snuzzles" that make the bad days seem better and the blues not feel as cold is why they make great support animals (although mine is not "official"). In 2019 she had that favor returned when Lyme disease took over her kidney and rendered a once free spirit lethargic over a weekend. A $400 vet bill (plus meds), and a statistic that I couldn't accept later the dystopia began setting in that I had to watch a family member pass and my only comfort to her was the return of the insufferable years of love she gave me by laying next to her and make her as comfortable as possible. Her boy wasn't as understanding and was destroyed the day he had to leave not knowing if his dog would still be here two weekends later.

Thankfully after some love, money, and LOTS of crying while praying, Ms. Adversity pulled through with just another added complication to her already complex life. Now that she is almost 9 the years have been slightly more relaxed yet I don't think they will ever truly be docile.

The last time she game me a scare was the day her child never returned home. Although my dog can never understand the complications and bitterness of the human experience, the depression I have had to watch my dog go through over the years says differently. Last year my son was kidnapped by a vindictive system and resulted in my dog losing the will to ever leave his room for almost 4 months. I can tell you for a fact my dog suffers from bad separation anxiety just from me alone, but the attached bond she had with her child is shown anytime Sammi hears children laughter in the distance and begins to whimper or always watching the road where our child would be walking from when he lived with us.

With age comes wisdom

One might get confused gandering at my gray haired pup that always seems to have a grin or smiling as she is contempt sitting still; you would be wrong as that is just her typical bored face. Just like a child, it is always "3 more miles" of walking, or extra hours in the park followed by more hours of leisure play and summer naps. If she doesn't get her way, expect a huff or a boycott of movement and a sudden feeling of knowing what the weight of a star feels like as you try to drag a 12lb ankle bitter throwing a temper tantrum.

Not one day goes by that I regretted getting a throwaway dog that just needed more care than the world was ready to offer her.... my only regret is the time I take from her as I sit to work; something she has happily competed against her whole life.

As far as other breeds go I have raised Pits and Boxers, Pincers and Dalmatians, Danes and Bernard's, to include my prized Akita and Lab; Sammi is my first small breed dog setting the bar daily. Owning a dog is a privilege few enjoy and even fewer appreciate that although animals and critters make great "pets" only a few have obtained domestication status because what they offered humanity.

All critters are created squeakle

A couple of my unsung hero critters came as the most unorthodox companions in my younger years was a Racoon (Trash Panda) that would come and visit me while I played in the woods. An adorable hedgehog I found during a deployment but was unable to nurture properly due to job constraints and "war"; luckily the family plot I was on was more surprised my warrior demeanor had a soft spot. Unfortunately the best parts of my life have never graced social media so the "pictures" I took are in the feelings and memories I lived.

Being empathetic in apathetic times is a hard endeavor, but even in the seclusion's of the cast system life can still thrive if just given a hand. It is in the darkness that we see who we really are and how the most helpless creatures on the planet can still be the most selfless. I pray my runt can one day play again with his dog before the time she has left is gone. That is my selfless prayer, that my dog can pass in peace knowing she was one of the greatest gifts I ever had the privilege to receive.