Dude is now Toby

Animal control never got back to us. So I guess we are now the proud owners of Toby.

He is the just the sweetest dog little dog. He is mellow and laid back. Fully house trained and obedient and the best thing; he doesn’t shed.

Once he was someone's pet.

I absolutely don’t understand, why any one would just neglect such a sweet dog. There might be reasons, but no excuses. This could have been an elderly person, who maybe got sick and could no longer care for him. But that is not what I believe happened.

I believe that some one had him, found out that he was getting old and sick, and just could not be bothered any more. So one early Saturday morning they took him for his last ride. Stopped the car and opened the door and let him out, only to drive away and let him fend for himself. I don’t think he had been outside fending for himself for a long time, before he found us. He wasn’t skinny, but he had been severely neglected. His fur was so matted and according to the vet, that would have taken at least 6 months to get to that stage.

The vet shaved off the worst matting, and yesterday, I took him to the groomer. I suspected, that she had to shave him because there was still a lot of matting left.

She did. He looks completely different, but no more mating left. His fur will grow back.

I can’t help, but to think of Martin. He was sick too. Should I just have tossed him, of course not to the street, but to an institution, because of his problems and challenges.

What does it say about us as people if we can’t open our hearts to someone who is different.

Why does it have to be “perfect”, when “perfect” is just an illusion? It doesn’t really exist. And in the pursuit of perfection we forget where the true beauty lies.

In the imperfections.

However in order to see them we have to see with our hearts and not just our eyes.

By the way, I apologies for the photo. Toby does not like to have his picture taken. He turns his head and closes his eyes and even leaves the room, when he sees or even hears the camera.

I hope one day to have a picture that justifies how cute and sweet he really is.

This story about Toby coming to us, reminds me of all the times I have watched the shows on Animal planet, about abused and neglected dogs and the transformation they go through when rescued.

I am aware that not all stories have a happy ending, but i will make sure, that this one does.

He truly deserves it.