EMMA by Jennifer State
Emma was discovered by a good Samaritan named Patricia who found her collapsed on her yard. She was skin and bones, lacking hair, and fresh from giving birth to a litter which was never found. She was clearly a dog with a rough past, used for breeding and probably spent her life on a chain.
Thankfully Patricia took her in, got her healthy and worked with Lori at Downtown Dog Rescue to find her a new home. That lucky home was mine, and I adopted her in September of 2008. Emma has brought so much to my life. We get out and do things together, whether it’s obedience class, a day at the dog beach, or attending dog-friendly church service, she’s given me the opportunity to get out and do so many new things and meet a lot of great people along the way. Dogs just bring joy to your life, and Emma has done exactly that.
But even more than the joy she has brought me, I am especially grateful for the boost she’s given my parents. I took her with me this past summer to visit my parents in Washington, and they absolutely adored her. My mom and dad have been coping with recent medical/aging issues (mom has Alzheimer’s and dad suddenly lost his eyesight recently), so they were struggling and pretty down-in-the-dumps, but having Emma around was such a tonic for both of them!
She got my mom out of her shell as we would take neighborhood walks, mom was so excited to show off her “grand-dog” to the neighbors.
And dad loved the comfort and companionship she brought him; I often heard him just whispering to Emma, telling her what a good dog she was and thanking her for being there. Emma would hop into bed and snuggle up against my dad when he took naps, they were quite a pair.
Like Cesar Millan says, ‘You don’t get the dog you want, you get the dog you need’, Emma was the dog I needed. She’s my first dog, and she’s taught me so much! Actually I think we’ve learned a lot together. She’s learning to trust people and be more secure in new situations, and I’m learning to be a confident leader for her and guide her in new situations.
It’s not an overnight process, we work on it every day, and every day I learn more and I think she gains more from me. And I look forward to enjoying many new adventures together in the future!
Video made by Patricia (Emma’s Good Samaritan)