Pugs and kisses and cuddles, too
Moka is our new family member, a one-year-old pug born in a local rescue shelter's foster home. She is simply an awesome little dog -- so sweet-natured, energetic and fun-loving. There's no end to how long she will let you cuddle her or how many kisses she will try to give. I have never seen a dog so overcome with joy at all times.
She has made Angus, our huge eight-year-old Rottweiler-cross who is also from a rescue shelter, into her personal heat source. Anytime he lies down, Moka burrows into his enormous side and makes a cosy little nest against his stomach. Sometimes, she brings her chew toy and props it against his front paws while she gnaws on it. With him, just like all of us, Moka can pretty much do whatever she wants.
Moka's life started in a U.S. puppy mill. Her mom, malnourished and suffering from an eye injury, was rescued by a Winnipeg group and fostered locally by a loving couple. Moka was adopted for an elderly man by his grandchildren to keep him company. Last summer, when the he fell seriously ill and was unable to care for his little dog, whom he named Pug, his extended family struggled with what to do for her.
The family, all full to bursting with their own pets, shared her among each other for more than a month. Fortunately, I happened into the story at this point through a series of coincidences that we all came to agree showed this little dog was meant to be with our family. Knowing their dad/grandfather was fortunately recovering, but not able to look after her with his new health concerns, his family allowed us to adopt her.
I will always remember the look on my 15-year-old daughter's face when we put this little dog into her arms four months ago. Only weeks before, she had been begging us for a pug puppy, something she'd wanted and researched for years. We had resisted the huge job of raising a baby dog. But this little dog -- not a baby anymore, and needing us as much as we needed her -- was a perfect fit. She bonded instantly with our oldest daughter and, no exaggeration, changed her teenaged life.
We count Moka among the many things we have to be thankful for this season. We hope you can join us in our Pennies From Heaven campaign to bring gifts and hampers to the homes of other families. Families receiving hampers from the Christmas Cheer Board who mention their four-legged family members also receive something for their Christmas dinners.
ashley.prest@freepress.mb.ca
Source: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/pugs-and-kisses-and-cuddles-too-80192442.html
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