When it became time to bring another pet into my life, I knew I wanted to save a life. I called the animal shelter in Carlsbad to ask if they had any female puppies. I was told a litter of 6 week old Australian Shepherd mixes were there and two were female. I decided on the name “Cherish” before heading to the shelter. I chose this name because it described how privileged I would feel to have her in my life. When I arrived at the shelter, there was only one Aussie pup left, a female. She was adorable. She looked like a white puppy that had mischievously gotten into some black paint. She had blue eyes and was very unique looking. She was a bit standoffish at first, but when I started to play with her she warmed up to me. I left the shelter without her to do some research on Australian Shepherds. That night I could hardly sleep. I knew that I wanted her so bad. I set my alarm hoping to be the first in line when the shelter opened in the morning. I was first in line and began to chat with the couple behind me while we waited for the shelter to open. As we talked further, we realized that we had chosen the same puppy. They were disappointed but they felt better when I said that I loved her already. I walked out of the shelter with her cuddled against me.

There was no way that I was going to win every battle with this feisty girl. I had to pick the ones that were most important for our co-existence but allowed her to be her rambunctious, spirited self. Routines were important and fun. We had our morning wake up cuddle time and our goodnight cuddle time. These were the rituals but there were plenty of lovins throughout the day. She loved to fetch and would do it for hours. She loved to play “find it”, “who’s gunna move first”, “I’m gunna get you” and tug-o-war. On the days when she woke me up too early or when I was busy and she wanted to play, I did my best to be patient with her and meet her needs. If at all possible, I stopped what I was doing and gave her the attention she wanted. I knew that she wouldn’t always be there to perk up her ears and wag her tail when I opened my eyes in the morning or bring me a toy that she wanted me to throw for her. I thought about the couple who wanted to adopt her and how close I came to not having her in my life.

She was in very good health throughout most of her life. The average lifespan for a pooch her size is 10-12 years. At almost 15, she still enjoyed going bye byes in the car, getting out for a walk, playing and most of all getting and giving her lovins. I strongly believe that playing WITH her, not just watching her play, is what kept her puppy like, alert and agile for so long. I got down on the floor with her and played, ran around with her and chased her. On July 26, 2010, she passed away at home on her bed. I welcomed her into my life and heart knowing that I would eventually have to pay a very high price for her wonderful unconditional love, affection, companionship and loyalty. She was a blessing in my life. I don’t know what I miss more, the unbelievable feeling of being enveloped in her love or being her “Mommy” and saying to her every morning when I cuddled her awake and every night when I cuddled her before sleep: “Do you know how much your Mommy loves you? You are my “so good girl”, my “puppy girl”, my “baby girl”, my “angel girl” and you are “Mommy’s girl” and I love you so.” I knew that I would rescue another pooch when the time was right. In the interim, I volunteered at the county animal shelter in Carlsbad as a dog socializer and trainer.

Finding Treasure

On April 1, 2014, I adopted an approximately 5 yr. old, male, Labrador Retriever/Australian Shepherd blend from the county shelter in Carlsbad where I was volunteering.

Where do I begin to tell you how much I loved my Beautiful Boy. I called him my “beautiful boy” because he was beautiful inside and out.

He had entered the shelter as a stray with no ID tags or microchip but it was clear that someone had loved him enough to train him and show him a lot of affection because he loved to be petted and cuddled. He already knew several commands and had been trained to walk well on leash and to sit before being fed. I felt like I’d found hidden treasure so I named him “Treasure”. He settled in right away and did not disturb anything in the house. From the start, he was wonderful at the vet, groomer, meet/greets with other dogs and with every person we encountered. His fur was so soft and silky. It would be the first thing people would comment on when they touched him.

He enjoyed being cuddled throughout the day but we had a good morning and good night routine. He’d snuggle his head in between my head and shoulder or under my chin. Morning cuddles could go on for a while. He would yawn as I talked softly to him while he was still sleepy. As he became more awake, he would roll onto his back, wiggle around and kick his feet. After a while if he hadn’t started to stand, I’d say “are you ready to start your day?” With that, he would get up, shake out his fur and trot down the hall to be let outside.

He would make the sweetest sound if you were doing something that he liked like rubbing his face just under where his ear folded onto it. It sounded like a purr. Often, he would make the noise while I was cuddling him and talking softly to him as if to answer me when I would say “do you know how much your Mommy loves you?” or in response to “you are my angel boy”. Our good night cuddle ended with “you are such a good boy; you listen so well. Mommy is always so proud of you. Goodnight baby boy. Mommy loves you.”

He adored playing “find it” and working on puzzles with hidden treats. He couldn’t resist rolling on the grass. He was laser focused as he watched and stalked the squirrels at the Carlsbad beach walk and at Dana Point Harbor.

He was such a happy guy with an easy-going personality. People would comment “he wags his tail a lot”.

Treasure passed away Dec. 1, 2023. He was approximately 14 years old, 82 pounds. He was able to live life to the fullest with good mobility till the very end. I’m thankful for the delightful, close relationship we had for 9 years. I will miss his unconditional love, cuddles, and how hard he would make me laugh. I will love him forever.