Lia's Forever Home Update

December 14, 2004
Hi Mom Jen,
I'm sending you some photos from today after I went to the groomer. I was a very good girl and looked so pretty when Mom Dee picked me up. The groomer said that I was the sweetest dog they've ever had! Don't I look beautiful!
I still weigh 14 pounds, eat a lot, and walk a lot! Mom Dee had a party on Sunday night and I met lots of new people. I went around and kissed everyone! I'm getting better at meeting new people.
I hope that you will tell all the pupsters that I miss them. I am sending you lots of love this Christmas and you know that I will never forget you.
I will write to you again after Mom Dee and I take our trip to Georgia. I love riding in the car and looking out the windows!
Hugs and lots of wet kisses,
Lia

December 8, 2004
Hi Jan,
I want to thank you for paving the way for my adoption of "Lia". She is a precious baby and the best Christmas gift I could have been given. I love connecting with Jen, Lia's foster Mom, and am proud to have been able to help with Skylar's surgery.
Thank you again for all that you do for the babies that you rescue. Through your work, you have blessed many hearts, both human and pupsters. I know that I have been blessed two-fold!
I hope that the holiday season brings joy to you and your family, and that 2006 brings rich rewards to Pek A Tzu Rescue.
Hugs,
Dee

December 4, 2004
Hi Mom Jen,
I just wanted you to know that I've begun to play with toys! I have two toy babies that I like, and one of them squeaks. I carry one in my mouth a lot and it's fun! ALSO, I now like my new bed. I didn't want to go in there at first, but now I like to crawl in there when Mom Dee is near by and it's so snuggly. I carry one of my toys in there with me some times. Sutji, my cat sister, and I are now friends. We even sleep close together, with Mom Dee in between. I don't growl at her anymore because Mom Dee has told me that that's not nice to do and that Sutji lived here first. So, I now walk up to her, sniff noses and Sutji now likes me too. Mom Dee often pets us both at the same time.
I'm also learning to eat different kinds of vegetables and I like them a lot: squash, broccoli, zucchini, spinach, peas, corn, and especially carrots! I love carrots and I remember getting carrots when I lived at your house. Yum!
Mom Dee takes me in the car and the golf cart. I love riding in the golf cart because I can look around easily and see everything. I still like walking a lot and we go for long walks several times a day. I just love this cool weather because I want to run when I'm outside.
I love you lots and I wanted you to know that I'm a happy girl. I'll be talking to you soon and I'm sending big, wet kisses to you!
Many hugs and kisses,
Lia

November 20, 2004
Hi Jen,
My heart is so overwhelmed and overjoyed with this precious baby that you've sent to me - or better said, that you've shared with me. Lia is at the top of the list of any pet that I've ever owned. I loved them all dearly, God knows that I especially miss my sweet Shuli every day, but Lia is a very special spirit. I feel very connected to her.
She's still exploring this rather new world of freedom, she's so responsive to every little hug, touch, kiss, treat, or any kind of attention, period. I just melt when she looks at me with those beautiful eyes and gives me a kiss like she's saying, "Thank you for loving me". She's very bright, learns things easily after only one time, knows the way up to my bed and down again . . . my Shuli refused to go the bed route . . . she expected to be picked up and put on the bed.
When I bathed her the other day, she hardly moved. I've never had a dog be so good during a bath! Lia LIVES for her walks, as I've said before. She almost runs when she's walking, just so eager to be outside and smell the fresh air, hear the birds, watch the sights and hear the sounds of nature, explore every blade of grass, greet new doggies. She already knows the route, knows the way home, such a smartie. She's even beginning to bark a little bit - took quite a few days for that!
When I've been out for a few hours, Lia runs in circles around the house, jumps around like I've been gone for several days. She's such a joy, always eager to please, quickly responds to the word, "No", and always comes when her name is called. She's trustful of me now, let's me do about anything with and to her, including grooming. She's at my feet every waking minute, and a few times lately, she's gone off (within sight) to her favorite sleeping spot on the sofa in my sun room, providing that I'm still within her line of vision.
Lia still won't use her doggie bed and prefers my lap (who wouldn't?), my bed, or her favorite spot on the sofa. I feel in time that she'll discover the comforts of her bed-to-be.
Lia and the cat are getting closer to having a distant relationship. She's very respectful of Sutji and keeps her distance because Sutji jumped out at her one time, scaring the Dickens out of her . . . so she doesn't search under the bed for the cat anymore! That was funny when it happened.
She loves car and golf cart rides. Every time I go into the garage, she jumps into the cart!
I just wanted to thank you again for matching precious Lia with me. I feel so blessed to have had you both come into my life! I'm sure a lot of who she is today is because of the love you gave her during those first frightening moments, dispelling her fears, and gaining the trust that she learned with you. You are truly an angel sent from God for all those beautiful babies that surround you every day.
Many hugs to you today, from me, and especially from Lia. She's eternally grateful to you too!
Dee

November 17, 2004
This is Lia, and I am thinking of you! I miss you and send lots of kisses!
Mom Dee is so happy with how I'm doing and she wanted me to write you. I'm much more relaxed, I'm beginning to want to play, and I love, love, love going for walks! When she says, "Let's go outside", I just jump around in circles and wag my tail. There is so much to see here when I'm walking, that sometimes I just have to stop and take in everything. Mom Dee wonders what I'm thinking when I stop and look, but there are so many new things to see after spending 9 years not seeing anything but a cage! I could walk forever and we walk 4 times a day. We take a long walk in the morning when I get up, again mid-day, another long walk late afternoon, and at night before I go to bed. Aren't I lucky?
I'm now giving Mom Dee warm, wet kisses like I used to give you, and I also take snacks/treats from her hand. I'm beginning to trust her and I know that she will love me and take care of me, like you did.
I get my first bath today. I don't know whether I will like it or not, but I will certainly smell better! I still sleep on Mom Dee's bed and I'm very lazy in the mornings. I'm not ready to get up! I have not had a potty accident in the house. Aren't you proud of me? I'm also trying to be a friend to my sister cat, Sutji. She's still shy and doesn't want to be friends yet, but I'm sure we will be soon.
I love you very much and I want you to know that you are always in my thoughts. Mom Dee mentions your name every day to me and tells me how lucky I was to have you in my life.
Sending lots of hugs and big, wet kisses,
Lia

November 14, 2004
Hi Jen - Lia is beginning to perk up and show her cute personality. She bounces around when it's time to go out, and bounces on her walks. She LOVES her walks. Everytime I take her out, I think (again) of all those years she was penned up, never getting out to run and at some point, play. She just pulls at the leash, loves every single minute of walking, looking up at me like she's saying "this is SO much fun", trying to make up for all those years of confinement.
She's still doing HUGE BM's . . . my God, as big as some of the bigger dogs I've had! Can't believe this comes out of her little body! Today, she ate the cat food (dry) while I was gone - had to laugh. So far, she's been OK and no reaction from the cat food. It's senior food, Science Diet, so it can't be too bad, I guess. She's eating regularly, drinking lots, loves vegetables (gave her some broccoli today and she loves her raw carrots).
Lia is shining every day and coming along so beautifully. She has no anxiety if I have to leave the house for a few hours. She has her favorite spot she goes to - a sofa on the sun porch. Has NEVER used her dog bed, would rather lay at my feet or on my lap instead. Maybe in time . . . She's also learned how to get up and down from my bed. I have a bench/stool at the bottom of the bed, we practiced several times in the beginning, getting up and down with some assistance and direction, and now she just leaps up or jumps down on her own! Smart girl.
Just wanted to give you another "Day in the Life of Lia" because I knew this precious one is in your thoughts.
Hugs from me, and wet kisses from Lia, Dee

November 13, 2004
Hi Jen,
I've re-read your last two emails many times - you touch my heart so much. Thanks also for the photos that Harvey took.
The article on puppy mill babies really hit me, and I'm SO glad that you sent it. It already explains some behaviors that I've already seen with Lia - running away from me some times, cowering when I reach out to pet her (sometimes), wanting her food placed on the floor versus taking something from my hand, etc. I can see that she has been distrustful of humans and duh . . . why not? When I hold her, I always think back over her past 9 grueling years and how horrible it must have been for her - behind comprehension, and how much of a survivor she really is. I just can't fathom being caged for 9 years, and yet, she's retained such a sweet disposition. It's a miracle.
She literally LOVES her walks. She is showing some emotions now, some eagerness when I mention "going outside" and when I pick up the leash. She bounces out the door, bounces down the sidewalk, is so eager to walk on every blade of grass and sniff the air. I'm so loving this, so happy to treasure these new discoveries with her, so eager to show her that life CAN be good after all. Just walking on grass must be pleasurable for her.
Thank you, thank you, for making this happen. Yes, I believe that Lia was sent to me. She often stares at me and I wonder what she's thinking. I talk to her alot, tell her what a good girl she is, praise her for everything. She is much better today - it was quieter and we had the day to ourselves.
Thank you also for the poem, and, I did read your message to Lia. I held her and read it to her. She knows how much you love her.
Sweet dreams to you and all your babies, and Lia sends a very big hug,
Dee

November 13, 2004
Hi Mom Jen . . . I had my first golf cart ride yesterday! I wasn't nervous and I was so busy looking around at everything. Mom Dee held me real close when we were riding, and she is also sending pictures of the places where I go for walks. You can see why it's fun to go outside here.
Love you bunches,
Lia Jen . . . I didn't see tape worms this morning in Lia's stool. I think it could have been some straw-type piece of grass yesterday and I just didn't look closely. She has huge BM's - compared to my last dog! Lia had another good night, no wetting, and in no hurry to go outside to do her business this AM.
She was a bit stressed yesterday afternoon with people dropping by, became gun shy and didn't want to come to people when they wanted to pet her. So, I cuddled her a lot last night because she seemed tense. She's better this morning. I can see that she gets easily overwhelmed. She's eating regularly too and finally began drinking yesterday! I'll send the prissy pants back to you because I don't think she'll need them.
Sending hugs from both of us!
Dee

November 12, 2004
Hi First Mom Jen,
I want to tell you about my first day and night with my Second Mom Dee.
First, she really loves me a whole bunch! She's always holding, hugging and kissing me, telling me how good I am and also how pretty I am! Wow . . . I love to go for walks here because it is so beautiful. Mom Dee tells me that I walk faster than her and that I have lots of energy! I see lots of birds along the waterways, and I have met some of my new neighborhood doggie friends. Spirit is a black poodle male next door. He was so happy to meet me yesterday and he is so nice; Bailey is a Yellow Lab girl just down the street and I met her this morning. She is very nice too. They all wag their tails when they see me and are so happy to meet me! I feel so special! I walk right up to them, sniff their nose, and wag my tail too. Aren't you proud of me?
Mom Dee gave me some yogurt yesterday and again this morning. She also knows to give me my pill in peanut butter! You must have told her some of my secrets.
I was so exhausted last night that I slept through the whole night in Mom Dee's bed, hardly moving. I never got out of bed until Mom Dee took me out early this morning to tee-tee. I had my prissy pants on through the night and they weren't wet at all, so now I'm told that I won't have to wear them any more! Aren't I a big girl?
This morning during our walk, Mom Dee saw some tape worms in my stool, so she is going to take me to the Vet next week. I want to meet my new doctor friend anyway, so we will go early in the week.
I told Mom Dee to write you today because I know that you are worried about me. I miss you terribly, but I know that my second mom loves me a lot and I can be happy here. You gave me something that most puppy mill doggies aren't lucky enough to get, a second chance at a good life. For that, I will be forever and ever grateful. You will always have a very special place in my heart and I will always remember you with lots of love. I know that I will see you again some day - Mom Dee tells me that we will visit you some time.
Sending you big hugs and kisses today!
Lia

November 11, 2004
Hi Jen,
What a beautiful baby! I am so thrilled to have precious Lia in my life.
Harvey and I met at 8:30, as you've probably heard, and Lia was immediately curious throughout the whole car. Sniffed out everything - much more investigative than my Shuli. After settling down in the car after a few minutes - looking out all the windows, she slept the whole way back . . . in the back seat even though I had a bed for her in the front seat. Showing her independence.
I walked her after we came home, and she tee-teed up and down the grassy areas on our walk path. Including doing her pooping again - Harvey said she had already done some that morning. So, she's at least relaxing with her business. She's still not drunk any water yet, or had anything to eat - just not interested - that'll come when she settles in some more.
I had pest control waiting at my house to do their annual, so I held Lia the whole time - which she loved - and now she's sleeping at my feet under the desk while I'm on the computer. I'm so surprised that she's not showing any nervousness, some apprehension, but no stress - or not showing it anyway.
I thought you'd like to see these pictures, Harvey took some too. These aren't the greatest. I'll send you more as the days go by.
When I was walking her, our neighbor's male poodle was outside. I was so surprised that Lia walked up to the dog, initiating the contact, WAGGING her tail, wanting to sniff his face, really cute introduction. She's much more social than my last dog, who wanted NOTHING to do with other dogs.
I had to laugh when I saw the leash and collar on Lia - I had picked out the EXACT same thing! So, I just left on Lia what she was already wearing, and gave my new set to Harvey. Funny! I'm trying her without the prissy pants - she spotted once in the house soon after she arrived, sniffing around, probably marking a spot for herself. I'll watch her but I'd like to see if she does all right without the panties. She hasn't met Sutji, the cat, yet. Taking just a few things at a time!
Sending lots of hugs and love from Lia - including a life time of appreciation, and from me!
Dee

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