Ellie's 3 Year Gotcha Day!

Happy 3 year gotcha day to my Ellie bellie! I can't believe how time flies and that it's already been three whole years since that exciting day when I brought her home. 

I know we haven't been blogging much lately - I keep meaning to, but we just get so busy! 

What we've been up to: 

• Long walks in the sun - we go 3 miles about 2-3 times a week
• A trip to Marymoor dog park last weekend - LOTS of running and panting and sleeping :)
• Feeding the ducks with Chris - he takes her to the duck ponds when he feeds them, she's very good around the duckies!
• Peeping out the window when we leave the house - Chris and I have noticed that Ellie's little head pops up in the window when we are outside, it's so hilarious and adorable!

Ellie's Adoption Story

Disclaimer: This post is my entry into the BlogPaws Blog Carnival Contest sponsored by BISSELL Homecare, Inc. I'm hoping to win it for my favorite shelter! 
 
I love telling the story of how I met Ellie because it was such an exciting time in my life.

I have been a dog-lover my entire life, and have never lived without a dog until I went off to college. Even then, I made frequent trips home to visit the family dogs. I was fortunate to move in with my sister and her dog during my Junior year, but knew that when I was close to graduating that I'd get a dog of my own.

Ellie quickly adjusted to her new home

The time finally came and I was ready to adopt a dog and I quickly learned that it was really difficult to find the type of dog I was looking for. After volunteering at a shelter for about 6 months and seeing dogs come and go (with whom I completely fell in love) I had no idea how hard it would be to find the dog that I would dedicate the next 10+ years of my life to.

I was on Petfinder.com daily, looking at dogs within a 50 mile radius.
My criteria:

• Female
• Young (around 3 years or younger) but not too young (preferably past the puppy stage)
• Short hair
• Medium build

One morning while I was interning, I was checking Petfinder which had become part of my morning routine, and I saw her. "Keiki" was what the shelter called her, and they included a YouTube video of someone petting her. In the video, she rolled over on the grass and let the person rub her belly. I was instantly in love!

Unfortunately, the shelter didn't open until 2pm so I had to wait a few hours before I could go there and snatch her up before anyone else could. I begged my boss to allow me to leave early that day and thankfully he allowed it.

When I got to the shelter, my heart was pounding. I was so nervous and excited to meet this dog, and hoped that no one else had adopted her already.

Well as you can see, the rest is history as she is here with me today, my little Ellie (I really couldn't put up with the name Keiki, and she had only been given the name a few days prior so I knew it would be fine to change it).

I delightedly shared my success story on Petfinder's forums a few weeks later along with a photo which has somehow made it onto their official Twitter background! How cool is that?!

Ellie is part of @Petfinder's Twitter background!

Adopt A Shelter Dog Month!

October is National Adopt a Shelter Dog Month! As much as I would love to add another furry four-legger to my home, my boyfriend would kill me so instead, I'm going to celebrate by sharing my adoption story of how Ellie came into my life.
I'll [try to] keep it short and sweet. ;)

Early Spring 2009, I was desperate for my own furry companion. I was on Petfinder daily, finding a few dogs that sounded sort-of okay, but not sure I wanted to settle.

Then one morning, on my daily Petfinder scouring routine, I saw a new dog called Keiki. She was the perfect size and temperament, and it even included a video of someone rubbing her belly. I was in love!

Fortunately, my boss allowed me to leave work early (at that time, I was an intern) and my sister allowed me to take her car (we carpooled) to drive 25 miles to the shelter.

The shelter didn't open until 2pm, and if I recall correctly, my boss said I could leave AT 2 which means I wouldn't get there until after it opened. But I have an amazing boyfriend who got his boss to let him leave so that he could arrive at the shelter right as it opened and place "dibs" on the dog.

Of course, when I saw her in person, she was everything I knew she would be; albeit a little crazy and antsy from being locked up in a cage. I remember noticing that her nails were miles long! Yikes!

Unfortunately, I wasn't allowed to take her home that day because they had to send her to the vet to be spayed and vaccinated. I had to wait TWO WHOLE DAYS to bring her home, so needless to say, I didn't get much sleep those two days, but I did have time to stock up on all the necessary supplies!

Ellie's first picture! The car ride home from the shelter :)

And a year and a half later, me and my pup are living happily ever after (minus the separation anxiety). :)