Finnigan

“Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.”

― Roger Caras

 Finn~

March 16, 2024, on the trail~ 

We had agreed, no more dogs after we lost Nika. But as the months went by, I missed having a companion more & more. Life just wasn't the same & without Butch home, lonely for me too. I started browsing on-line. I would see a likely candidate & send photo & information to Butch. I filled out all the required forms for the various local rescue organizations & was told we were approved for whatever animal we wanted.

When I would call though - time & again - I was told the dog was no longer available.  This was especially true if they looked to be purebred. The prices they wanted were outrageous too - at least to me.  I could go through the AKC, find a breeder & purchase a purebred puppy for the same amount in many cases.  

When Butch came home for Thanksgiving, we toured the local animal shelters.  It was heartbreaking.  So many were pit mixes & larger dogs than I wanted to deal with.  One day I would tell myself I was done, the next I was back searching through photos.  

Late Sunday evening December 3rd, 2023, I found the photo above on Adopt-a-Pet.  This dog was listed on the Midlands Animal Shelter web site.  I called on Monday & he was still available!  I drove to Council Bluffs that afternoon.  Finnigan came home with me!  (He had been picked up running the streets in Council Bluffs during some of our cold November weather.) He was so scared those first few days & seemed terrified of doing something wrong.  Soon though, with lots of encouragement, his little personality gradually started to bloom.  

December 5, Finn's first day - asleep in the Cabin~

Finn was recovering from kennel cough & our Vet had him on a heavy dose of antibiotics for ten-days. (He had been neutered at the Shelter & had an infected tooth pulled.) After the first week or so, he began feeling better & was becoming more comfortable with my routine.  Thankfully, he was housebroken too! 

When I let him out on his own in the backyard, he was so surprised!  Checking the fence perimeter out first, he would return to the deck & lay in the sun or shade.  He enjoyed surveying his new home from a loftier position.  

December 6th, on the deck~

By the end of his first month, he had gained a pound & had some padding over his ribs.  He began to play with his new toys!  First thing in the morning, he's usually a bundle of energy.  I've adjusted my schedule, to accommodate his!

December 11, in our woods~

We take a daily afternoon walk in the woods & end up in the Cabin, watching the birds & listening to my audio books.  It's our quiet time, when he's on my lap.  We also frequent the Wabash Trace for longer walks.  At first, he was terrified of strangers, but just lately, actually let a strange lady pet him.  

December 20, Along the Wabash~

We walk to visit Grama Doris - usually weekly.  He loves his visits & she loves him.  He also attends mat making on Wednesday mornings & has made many new friends there.  He has two beds in the house, one in the Cabin & a traveling bed that goes with us in the car.  We also purchased a dog booster seat for the Explorer, which he loves.

January 25, 2024, Finn with Pinky~

Butch bought a GPS locator tag for Finn & added the application to my phone.  For Christmas Butch bought an Agility training kit from Amazon!  Butch & Finn are now very best buds!  Finn gets so excited he trembles when Butch comes home. The two of them do a lot of running & playing! 

February 1, 2024, Finn & Poppy meet!

Finnigan has a new friend too, Poppy.  She is a darling Pomeranian who belongs to my friends Ginny & Joe.  Poppy spent an entire afternoon teaching Finn how to play! 

Adopt-a-Pet sent a Thank You email.  With it we could select a coupon for money off the item of our choice.  They offered a Wisdom DNA kit for a reduced price.  I couldn't resist.  Below are the results!

As of March 2024, he's gained a total of four pounds & is solid as a rock - weighing in at 20 lbs.  His coat has darkened & shines.   He loves being outside & when the weather permits, spending a lot of his day there.  He's totally devoted to us now.  We were so lucky to have found him!