Wednesday, February 10, 2010 - Wrigley

Ok, so today I have decided to take a break from all of this police/cats/negativity and just blog. I have decided that I am going to introduce one of the animals to the internet world every day so that you all (the 3 people who read this...lol) can get to know them. I'm going to start with the dogs just because there are "only" 7 of them. I love talking about them so I'm sorry if I bore you. I just think they are the coolest dogs on earth and I am genuine when I say that it is my honor and privilege to be their mom. I will try to post my badge picture and profile picture on Facebook with the animal I am talking about that day so you can see them. So, that said, I would like you to meet my Wrigley. In 2007, I set out to adopt 2 golden retriever puppies. I wanted puppies because of the obvious cat issue that I could face with an adult dog who is already set in his ways. So I went onto petfinder.com and looked for a puppy. Well, the only golden retriever puppies in Wisconsin were spoken for and I won't buy from a breeder. So the next closest was a rescue south of Chicago called Wrightway Rescue. The first "golden retriever" puppy to appear on my screen was a white dog with brown spots over her butt, right ear and left eye. Clearly, she looked like a springer spaniel and nothing like the golden retriever I had my heart set on. But, as I sat there looking at the sweetest little dog I had ever seen. With tears streaming down my face, I said to my mom, "Look mom...that's my dog." I had not had a dog in about 15 years so this was a whole new adventure for me...the cat lady. I put the application in immediately and drove to Chicago to pick up my dogs. Tomorrow I will tell you about the other "golden retriever" puppy I set out to get that day. I always try to adopt in pairs so they have each other so I knew I was getting two that day. Ok, so I ended up with three. But that's another blog.

Anyway, my Wrigley (named after Wrigley Field...GO CUBBIES!) is as high strung as they come and I love her for it...ok, except when she runs AT me and hits me in the gut with both front legs. I think they must have called springer spaniels "springers" because, clearly, they have springs in their butts. Wrigley was taught to sit at a very young age and is very good at it. However, she is oblivious to the fact that "sit" means to KEEP her butt on the ground. As soon as she sees her treat or toy, she is right back up again in order to make sure she gets the first one and her poor brothers are forced to wait that painful 2 additional seconds. Wrigley is technically my only girl (the beagle and dachshund belong to Jenni, my roommate, although I am usually their caretaker.) Now, one would think that, being the only girl, she would be docile and timid. WRONG! Wrigley is the perfect Alpha Female. Sometimes I think she is me in the dog world as far as not taking crap from anyone and being tough on the outside. But make no mistake, Wriggles is a cream puff. She, unfortunately though, doesn't care for the other female dogs in the house, or for Tucker and has caused emergency trips to the vet for stitches for Gretchen, Charlie and Tucker. So now we just keep them separate. She loves to spend her time with her brothers, Harry and Dawson and is the only other dog I have seen who can eat out of Dawson's food bowl without getting growled at. (He's a cream puff too and he loves his little sister. :-)

So that is my Wrigley...my baby girl...my Wriggles...my Wiggly Wrigley...one of the great loves of my life.

Have a blessed day and thanks for reading.