With Devoted Love, Sandy the Dog

Hello there, fellow blog readers!  This is Sandy the dog, here to bear witness to my master's honor and good nature.

First, let me tell you a little bit about myself...

Before I came to live here in paradise, I lived a life of unspeakable struggles.  Suffice it to say, my new master found me locked up in jail, weak and covered in blood sucking fleas.  My master came to my rescue, even though I didn't deserve it.  I didn't earn the right to be saved, she just loved me from the moment she laid eyes on me and immediately decided to bring me here.  She took me to a place where they washed me white as snow (almost).  She covered me with a liquid that not only took the fleas off of me, it kept any new ones from being able to attach themselves to me.

I quickly came to trust my master and know that she loves me with all her heart.  She would never do anything to hurt me, and only wants what's best for me.  I didn't understand everything she wanted from me at first...but because I love her, I want to please her, and want to follow her commands.

My playmate, the cat, doesn't understand the rules are put in place to protect us.  He thinks he is the ruler of his own destiny.  The other day he decided he'd be better off outside the protection of the master's home so he ran away.  My master sits by the window all day and night looking for the cat, waiting for him to return.  Oh the party we'll have if (I hope it's "when") he decides to come back.

See, the thing is, I've lived out there, and I know how much better things are here.  I know I can trust my master to continue to love me.  I believe my master is good and would never do anything to hurt me.  Because of my love and my trust, I can relax within the boundaries she has set out for me.

There are times, like when we're on a walk, that I want to test those limits.  I try to run faster than she will allow me, but she gently reminds me that's not acceptable.  One day she gave me my way and let me run up to a fence.  There was a dog barking on the other side-laughing at me for being on a leash, telling me I should be able to run free.  I ran up to the fence to see for myself what his world looked like....and, do you know what he did???  He BIT my nose!!  I realized instantly, he had not wanted me to see he was being held in a yard.  He wanted me to think he had the whole world at his feet, but he didn't.  He had boundaries of his own, even if he wasn't enjoying his comfortable freedom.

That experience taught me that my master wasn't telling me "no" just to suck fun out of my day.  She only tells me "no" when what I want to do will cause me harm, or will cause someone else harm, in some way.   I know that if I listen to her, and obey her, she will pour out her love to me.  I will have all my needs taken care of, and I will enjoy a comfortable life right by her side.

When I cross over my limits, some thing bad usually happens to me or to someone or something else.  My master told me not to chew up my toy...  When I did, I didn't have another one to play with.  If I had just played with it like she tried to tell me to, I would still be enjoying it.

Unlike the cat, I choose to trust, and have faith in, my master's love for me.  I want to please her and do everything I can to obey her directions for my life.

The cat liked to eat...a lot.  He would eat all of the food our master would give us, and then he would beg for more.  He would sometimes even try to eat my food!  One time he got into a food bad and ate so much he was sick, literally sick.  You would think that would be enough to deter him from doing that again....but, no, he was back to begging for more food the very next day.  Now, I can't say I've been perfect in this area, but I believe I'm getting better at realizing my master knows what's best for me and only wants good things for me.

I put my trust in my master

I sure hope the cat comes back, I miss my play mate.