Two years ago yesterday, we brought Rhett Butler home from an over-filled animal shelter, his fur filthy and his bones prominently poking through in all the wrong places. He was scared, having lived on the streets in suburban Chicago during a cold winter, and then spending another month in the shelter eating donated food and crying all day. His nose had a wound on it from shoving it through the bars of his crate over and over, but he loved the soft new bed we’d bought for him and he took a few obligatory bites of food before sleeping all night long without making a peep.
We soon learned he was allergic to chicken and turkey, making his time at the shelter all the more miserable, and explaining his tummy troubles.
For the first two months he didn’t “like” treats or play with toys, he was still cautious and wondering if he got to stay. But after awhile he settled into the routine, became generous with his snuggles and has learned to beg for treats like a pro. He’s still neurotic, but no longer has tummy problems and greets us when we come with an enthusiastic body slam and joyous romp around the living room, his body language shrieking “YOU ARE HOME YOU ARE HOME I LOVE YOU!”
Now his fur is glossy and he weighs the “perfect” amount according to our vet. He runs and plays and loves his toys so very much. For his birthday he got a new toy (a stuffed pig) and canned food for dinner instead of dry, the ultimate treat. He eats fancy dog food, chicken and turkey free, and is thriving. He was five when we adopted him, so on January 23rd he celebrated his seventh birthday, but his second anniversary of coming home and making us so incredibly happy.
They say dogs are man’s best friend, but in this case, he is our everything. Our comedian, our bed-warmer, the guy that eats cheese off the floor and has disdain for bad weather. He loves the dog park and running in the hallway and taking walks to Starbucks and car rides to the dog beach.
Happy birthday Rhett Butler. Here is to many more.
My goal in life is to be as good of a person as my dog already believes me to be.
For Rhett Butler’s birthday we will also be making a donation of much-needed collars to the shelter he was adopted from, in his name and in that of a few of his doggy friends that passed away over the last year. If you are looking for a charity to support, might I recommend the Animal Welfare League for Chicagoans, or the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for anyone looking for a good cause.
I love Rhett Butler posts!!! I have to admit I teared up a little at the state he was in when he was first adopted. I adopted Jack Banner as a baby so he lived at the foster home with his siblings and then I brought him home. Being a Chihuahua, Daschshund, Beagle mix, he has turned out to have a very unique personality, and he is spoiled rotten!!! His birthday is December 16 his bring home date is February 13, best Valentines present to me ever!!
Happy Birthday Rhett Butler!!!
What a sweet post – complete with adorable pictures.
Happy birthday/homeiversary, Rhett Butler!
So sweet. I love this.
Such a cute dog. Happy birthday Rhett Butler!
Gosh he is so cute. I didn’t realize how skinny he was when you first got him. I didn’t realize he was 5 when you adopted him, either; our new rescue dog just turned 5 a week ago and I bought him a handmade, gluten free, yogurt-covered dog bone-shaped cookie with doggie sprinkles that said “happy birthday.” It was absolutely ridiculous, but one of the better $7 purchases I’ve made in recent months. Happy Anniversary!
Ack – I got all teary reading this. I think these adoptions are mutual saves – those little canine souls save us as well.
I never knew what the mark on Jack’s nose was from until I read this – our poor baby lived there his whole life (after being born there and having two failed adoptions) – shelter dogs are a special breed of love.
RB is amazing and I love seeing how far he has come. Happy home day RB – I know that you are all lucky to have found each other.
he’s really cute! I love his name.