February 2010:

The world had all gone wrong that day
And tired and in despair
Discouraged with the ways of life,
I sank into my chair.

A soft caress fell on my cheek,
My hands were thrust apart,
And two big sympathizing eyes
Gazed down into my heart.

I had a friend; what cared I now
for fifty worlds? I knew
One heart was anxious when I grieved --
My dog's heart, loyal, true.

'God bless him," breathed I soft and low,
And hugged him close and tight,
One lingering lick upon my ear
And we were happy -- quite.

(Anonymous)
 

Homer...

Update 5/13/08:

Update 5/13

Homer’s foster mom is out of town, so he stopped into another GRR home for respite care. “He settled right in with our three Goldens and made himself at home. What an adorable guy! Despite his 10 years, he’s full of pep and go. When the leash comes out, he begins twirling and stamping – can’t wait to get out and go exploring. (If you don’t get outside fast enough, he is happy to help you by seizing the leash in his mouth and towing you briskly towards the door. Very cute.) He’s always bright-eyed, smiling, and cheerful. Perfectly trustworthy loose in the house. Very companionable… selects a toy, finds out where you are, and settles down for a snooze. Sleeps like a log through the night & gets up when you do. We loved having him as our houseguest.”

Update 10/25/07:

Homer is young at heart! He’s so enthusiastic and good natured that his foster mom says he should be called “Happy Homer.” Walks are great, says Homer… when the leash comes out, he barks and gets very excited and grabs the leash in his mouth. Once you’re out the door and underway, though, he’s a good boy. But there’s something even better than walks, and that’s visiting Red Bud Isle. He had his first swim there a few weeks ago, paddling out to go after a ball. After that, it was hard getting him OUT of the water, because he thought that every ball that anyone threw was just for him!

Homer is reaching a truce with the cat. They’ve made a deal:  he'll mostly ignore her as long as she doesn’t start hissing and lashing out.

He’s an affectionate boy and likes those pets. If you're standing up, he likes to get between your legs so you can scratch his back. This is very cute!

Who knows where Homer’s odyssey began? We do know that one of his stops was a local shelter, where he ended up as a stray last December. He was chipper and friendly from the start, despite being a little worse the wear for his travels—skin, ear, and eye infections; missing fur, especially on his tail; and excess poundage. The diagnosis was quick and easy. The vet took one look and said “untreated low thyroid” even before drawing blood, so he will need to have thyroid pills for the rest of his life.

Homer has had nearly six months of good care and thyroid meds now, and he is a very happy and grateful dog! His personality has really blossomed. He likes nothing more than to hang out, as long as you don’t get too far away from him. If you get away, he’ll come find you, even if you’re in the bathroom! If you leave the house, he’ll stay near the front door and wait there for you until you’re safely back home.

Homer is pretty rambunctious for a 10-year-old, so he might actually be a little younger than that. He acts it! His favorite game is the combination sport called “tug-o-fetch”: you throw the ball, he brings it back, and then you have to try and get it from him. He thinks that’s really funny. To get him to happily drop the ball, though, all you need is a little piece of (diet) food. He loves food and treats and thinks nothing of eating everybody else’s, so he has to be restricted to his own or everybody else goes hungry. But he’s also glad to share his food with the others—no problems there.

He gets along well with other dogs, plays with puppies, and barks to join in on the fun. He also loves to bark at cats, but doesn’t chase them and quiets down quickly when told to do so.

He just melts when you comb and pet him; he must think he’s been given a trip to the spa. He’s not crate-trained yet, but he’ll gladly go in to get a toy or a treat, so it shouldn’t be long before he finds it a very comfy place to hang out. He is a great companion who is enjoying every minute of his brand new life and can’t wait to end his traveling days in a loving forever home!

View Photos Here

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