So, around this time last year these nice people came and took me away from where I’d been living. I heard them talking about the things that they’d been told about me and even I had to wonder what they thought they were going to do with me. It had been made pretty clear to me by that point that peeing in the house was unacceptable but there was really nothing that I could do about that. At that point, I was also pretty clear on the fact that I was fairly dumb.

They brought me someplace warm, at least, and they were really nice to me, which was odd. I got toys and treats and more doctor visits than you can shake a stick at, not that I have any idea why you would shake a stick or why other furry people find sticks, in general, in the least bit interesting. They also gave me lots and lots and lots of water which was wonderful because I have ALWAYS been a very thirsty guy.

​Finally, one day, they started putting cold stuff in my eyes and I realized that I wasn’t as thirsty that day! They told me that i have diabetes and THAT’S why bladder control was such a challenge for me! I always just believed that I was dumb! I was SO proud of the fact that I actually COULD hold the piddles until someone opened a door, though getting them to open a door is a subtle art that, to this day, I have found it difficult to master. I like it better when the door is just open so that I can meander in and out whenever I want to but the people don’t have fur and they get cold, sometimes, so that’s not always an option.

Right before Christmas last year, a lady showed up with three smaller people and picked me up from the nice lady that had finally let me stay IN a house. I had to sit for hours with a big ribbon tied on me while we waited but I was inside and warm, so looking goofy was a small price to pay.

The new lady put me in the car and the three small people squealed at me and kissed me and hugged me and I could have stayed in that car forever, but eventually we had to get out and there was an enormous bear at the new place! Turns out, she was a dog, too, but a REALLY big dog. Also, only the two little boys were going to live with me but the little girl comes over a lot!

​Since this was evidently going to be my new home, I went right outside to find a good place to sleep that wasn’t 6 feet off the ground since I’m not really a fan of jumping or heights and the new lady seemed at least nice enough to let me sleep on the ground. Instead, she came to the door and called us in and Rosie, the bear-dog went right inside and jumped on top of one of the boys on the couch. Certainly, that wasn’t what she intended for me so I laid down at the bottom of the steps and winked at her. She kept calling my name and finally came down and sat with me and talked a lot of words and then scooped me up and carried me in the house. I was really sure that she was just being nice on my first night, so I kept giving her the option by staying at the bottom of the stairs for a few weeks until I realized that she really didn’t want me to stay out there! She kept telling me it was too cold and, if I could, I’d have reminded her that I have fur and would be fine but she never gave me a chance. That’s my name, evidently, too – Chance.

She was giving me the cold drops in my eyes, too, and I can’t believe how much it helps with the drinking and peeing. It took me some time to get used to, though, and I had a few accidents in the house and I was sure she was gonna be mad at me but she never was!! One time, she was cleaning up and I tried to say I was sorry and realized that was a mistake when she lifted her hand and I just knew she was going to hit me so I ran away and hid under the table and she crawled on the floor, like she thought SHE was a dog, silly lady, and hugged me and told me that it wasn’t my fault and that we were going to get the medicine right and then she called the smaller of the two guys – Nicholas – and asked him to take me in his room and cuddle.

I love both of the little guys but Nicholas is the quiet one, so he’s my guy. Joseph wrestles with Rosie and Nicholas reads to me which is good, ‘cuz I’m not nimble or very well coordinated like the bear-dog is. Maybe it’s because I spent a lot of time outside, at first, or at least, not a lot of time around furniture but I bump into stuff really a lot. Tables, chairs, couches, people. They’re all just THERE where I least expect them to be and when I get excited or when I just woke up or when I gather up a head of steam they seem to jump out of nowhere and BLAM! I bang into them!! The coffee table is especially problematic which is surprising because, when I think about it, I don’t think it’s ever moved! The good part about my clumsiness is that it always makes the people laugh and then hug me, so maybe sometimes I play it up if I want a hug, but don’t tell anyone.

​So now I’ve been here a year and I love it here. They don’t mind when I tell them stuff and I’ve found that I REALLY like to tell them stuff. I bark in Mom’s face early in the morning when I have to go outside (even though it’s never occurred to me that THAT would be a good way to get the door opened at other times of the day – I rely on Rosie all other times and she is an EXCELLENT assistant in that regard), I bark when they’re eating to tell them to give me stuff even though it NEVER works, I bark when they leave to tell them not to and that never works, either. I bark when I want to play and someone always complies. I bark when the water is empty and it’s best when only Mom reacts to that one because Joseph and Nicholas sometimes forget that the water is supposed to only go in the bowl and then there’s a puddle on the floor and then Mom has to clean it up which makes her grouchy, so then I bark at the boys for making a mess and I bark at Mom so she won’t be grouchy. I do love, love, love to bark and I love the whole ‘bossy’ thing! It’s so fun! I had no idea I could have so much power!

So today is like a regular day and we have a dog visitor because Mom’s mom is out of town and we have some other nice people coming to visit and then all of my people will go out for a while, which is nice because boys are really noisy. While they’re gone, I’ll have a chance to lay my chin on my bed and take a nap which Nicholas keeps telling me is wrong, but I like it that way. If I put my chin on the bed, then Joseph or Nicholas feel compelled to lay on the bed all of the way, nose to nose with me, and explain that I’m doing it wrong only they can’t see that I got them to lay down and talk to me, so, as far as I’m concerned, I’m doing it exactly right! I’ll leave the bed for them so they have a soft place to land when they want to see me!

​I love this place. I love being inside. I don’t like the couch because I fall off because, as I said, I am not graceful like a gazelle, but I do like to keep all of the feet warm! I love Rosie because she wrestles with me and hides toys in the yard and because she’s not graceful like a gazelle, either, so I don’t ever feel clumsy. I love the boys because they are always doing something interesting and lots of times they include me and Rosie. Sometimes we have to wear stupid stuff but they’re touching us, so who cares?!

I’m so grateful that those nice people came and got me from the cold, outside place. I’m so glad that they didn’t believe that I’m dumb, even though I am a little dopey and like to play that up to get even more loves and I’m especially grateful that the people at that LISSR place worked really hard to help me with the piddling problem. I haven’t had an accident in months and months AND kisses always come with the medicine! Thank you to everyone who helped me get to this crazy, fun place where I get to bark and sleep next to Rosie and have treats and bang into stuff!! I love my new life!!