Maggie

A couple of weeks ago, we had a family meeting at our dining room table.  Ever since we had visited the Pet Expo, we had been talking about becoming a foster family for rescued dogs.  We sat at the table with our foster family application on the table and as our little family of three, we voted and decided to fill it out and turn it in!  We talked with Alex about what it would mean to be a foster family and explained that it might be difficult when the dog gets adopted, but Alex was certain he wanted to help end dog homelessness by fostering!

We have loved Coco's Heart Dog Rescue ever since we adopted our dog, Jilly, from them two and a half years ago, so it was a natural choice for us to volunteer with them!  Once our application was approved, it only took a couple of days before we had our first placement!  Maggie, a one year old cocker spaniel, joined us exactly one week ago!  She came from an overcrowded shelter in Oklahoma and when we met her she had several ticks, she was pretty dirty, and she was full of energy!

It didn't take her long to settle into our home!  She and Jilly became fast friends and they chased each other around the house.  The humans at our house were also smitten by her sweet temperament, her boundless energy, and her adorable antics.  One of our favorite things that she did was flop down on the floor with her legs out behind her. 

 It was a very busy week!  Joe was up early in the mornings getting the dogs out and fed before the rest of us got up... he also had to get her to the vet and the groomer, and there was medicine to administer and ears to clean.  Before long, Maggie had found a new best friend in Joe, and would sit and wait for him by the door if he went outside or to another room.  She also liked to snuggle with Alex on the couch and play fetch with him, and she would jump right up on my lap and ride around the house with me.

We knew pretty early on in the week that someone was interested in adopting Maggie, so it was no surprise when we got a request for a meet and greet!  Before we knew it a sweet, young couple had decided to adopt Maggie.  We were so happy for them and her, but there was a little bit of sadness too, because we had so enjoyed having her with us.  But, exactly one week after we brought her to our home, she left to go to her forever home.

From the very beginning we had decided that we would not even entertain the possibility of adopting our foster dog, otherwise it would be just too hard to let go.  And, even as much as Alex understands that it was always our goal to find Maggie a new home, he has been a little sad tonight and missing his new furry friend.  It was all worth it, though, and it was very rewarding to have this small part in Maggie's life and she will always have a special place in our hearts as our very first foster dog!