Vino the Wonder Dog

Our wonderful friend, Buddy, went over the Rainbow Bridge on September 23, 2013.  Barry had him for 14 years, so he was at least 15 years old.  I've know him for five years and can testify he was a wonderful friend and faithful companion.  He adored Barry, and the feeling was mutual.  He accepted Bob (my Min Pin) and me into the pack (Buddy, Petey the cat & Barry)  in 2008 and loved us, too.  In April, we added Tinkerbella (3 year old cat) and though Buddy didn't "adore" her, he left her alone (which was good by me!!)

Losing Buddy was hard on all of us - especially Barry.  Though we still had Bob, he is not active (12 years old with health issues).  Barry missed having a companion who would chase balls and run around and keep him company while he worked in the yard.  So Barry started looking for another Jack Russell to help him deal with his loss.  He found the Russell Rescue in Columbia, TN.  We had planned a trip to Nashville the next weekend, so we decided to stop by and check them out.

At the Russell Rescue Adoption Fair in Spring Hill, TN, we found this skinny, lively one year old Russell named Patch (he has a black ring around his left eye).  Barry fell for him, so the next day on our way back to Huntsville we got him and brought him home for two weeks of "fostering".  After two names changes, we settled on "Vino" (an ode to our love of wine).

I was not prepared for all the energy and activity that accompanies the arrival of a J.R. puppy in your home.  First, he wanted to eat the cats.   Literally.  Eat them.  I was not liking this at all.  He was digging and jumping and rarely stayed calm.  The "Zen" in our home was definitely disrupted.

I went to MS to visit the gkids the next weekend (four days) and Barry had Vino - and a contractor doing work in our house + Bob, Petey & Tinkerbella - by himself.  The first couple of days he thought it wasn't going to work.  Much cat chasing and accidents ensued.  But by the third Susan-less day, Vino seemed to turn the corner.  Co-existing with the cats without eating them, resting some on Barry's lap in the evening, just being generally cute and loving.

Upon my return Sunday I knew it was a done deal.  Vino was ours.  The new member of our pack.  He'd found his forever home.

Vino still jumps and digs and rarely stays calm.  I must come home from work on my lunch hour every day to walk him or take him out.  We are attending obedience class (not sure which one of us is the student).   I have nicknamed him "Destructo" after he ate my earbuds, my collectable stuffed animals and every squeeky toy he's been given.

But, at the end of the day, after we wear him out with two walks totaling two hours (sometimes more!), he curls up in Barry's lap while we relax before bed.  And all is good with the world