Photo Friday - Catching Snowflakes

 

Click on image to enlarge. 

This is one of the great loves of my life - Mulligan.  Mulligan loves snow.  She loves playing in it, eating it, catching it, burying her face in it...she just loves her some snow!

Mulligan is a rescue, and this is her story.

Once upon a time ago, my niece saw someone trying to give a puppy away from the back of their pick-up at a gas station.  My niece plead her case with her mother, my sister, who in turn made a plea to me.  

It just so happens I was a block away finishing my shift waiting tables.  My sister came in and asked if I would rescue this puppy.  She told me the puppy was too tiny to be away from it's mother, and that it might not make it through the night.  She also suspected that this last pup might be disposed of if we didn't act fast.  I don't know why she laid on such a dramatic story, she knew the answer before she asked.  

I rescued my first stray when I was about 4 or 5 years old - against the express wishes of my parents.  I caught hell when my father realized the stray was hanging around because I was feeding him.  At that point that dog got between me and my dad and expressed his displeasure at my father.  That move earned Sam a home, and a place in our family history.  Sam was the beginning of a life long career of rescuing animals. 

A few months before this night I had known someone new was coming into our lives.  A few weeks before this night I looked at Wahoo out of the blue and said "our next dog will be named Mulligan".  Wahoo, who has his own special gifts, didn't question me.  

That night when he came to collect me I introduced him to our newest addition - Mulligan.  Wahoo laughed a bit and explained that in golfing terms a mulligan is a second attempt at a first shot.  It just seemed to fit our latest charge. 

My sister thought the name fit because the pup was a mutt or a genetic Mulligan Stew.  It just all seemed to click even though my real inspiration was the comedian/actor Richard Mulligan. Long story.  :)   

Mulligan's rescue was one of the more difficult ones.  At her age, she should never have been separated from her mother or litter.  She hadn't been weened and still  needed some stimulation for her eliminations.  She needed round the clock care.  Wahoo and I didn't sleep for 2 months.

That first night was a bit scary.  I was afraid she wasn't going to make it.  She looked so small, fitting in the palm of my hand.  I didn't have anything in the house for such a tiny puppy.  I made do with some supplies I had for my grown dog, but stayed awake the entire night watching her.  

At the time we had a 6 year old Sheppard/Malamute male dog named Dreyfus.  Dreyfus became a surrogate mother for Mulligan.  When she'd toddle over to him and attempt to find a nipple he'd gently push her away, stand up and walk away, much the same way a mother would while weening her pups.  Dreyfy used to hold rawhide sticks in his mouth for Mulligan to chew on.  He was attentive and gentle.  

The only time Dreyf ever got quilled by a porcupine was defending Mulligan.  I made the mistake of leaving food out for the puppy.  The porcupine was attracted by the food and Dreyfy came to the rescue.  After the emergency trip to the vet, a $300 bill and an overnight stay we all learned a lesson.  The night after Dreyf came home from the animal hospital that porcupine came back.  Dreyf sat up against the house and his look said "you're home - you deal with it!"*  He was no fool.

Eight and a half years later Mulligan's a 70lb lap dog.  She turned out to be a Sheppard/Rottie mix that's afraid of her own shadow.  She's lower on the pecking order since the three cats arrived, but they all worship her with very un-cat-like behavior.  Sometime before she came to be ours her tail was broken.  It hooks to the right and doesn't wag all the way.  She loves wearing bandannas and loves the color blue. 

She's going to be nine this year, and I know that our time is coming to an end.  These next few years are going to become increasingly more difficult for her.  She's already gotten white around her muzzle, some clouding in the eyes and a bit creaky in the hip.  However, I brush those observations aside as we take life each snow storm at a time, and as we face each new adventure together.

*Wahoo and I are ardent animal lovers.  Wahoo used to hunt as a kid, but doesn't anymore.  Our method of dealing with the porcupine was to fire a warning shot.  He never came back.  We couldn't bare to punish an animal for our mistake.  Besides he was a really cute porcupine. :)