My Beautiful Barbie Doll, Reagan!

So one year ago, on April 17, 2015 I stopped off at the Nevada Humane Society after work to meet a dog that they had emailed me about.  With Cody's passing being so recent I was struggling with the idea, but I decided to go with the helpful prompting by my mom and my boss.  My mom meets me there and we find the dog that I was emailed about but he was soooooooo  much of a barker and jumper and was trying to climb out of the kennel.  I sadly decided he was a bit much for me, especially knowing that sparky was going to have such a difficult time as it was accepting a new sibling in the house.  She also has a history of beating the crap out of every dog she has ever met, regardless of their size.   As I am walking form kennel to kennel I come across this very calm, timid, quiet blond girl.  I kind of fell in love with her at first sight.  We arranged to go to the meeting area and she was  so sweet and independent.  No interest in playing with the ball though.  No barking, no jumping.  Just very chill.  Well, at that moment I decided that she was a new member of the DarkNite Manor Family.  So Home we went.  Well, actually it was more like to Petco we went, since I had NO Doggy supplies for her.  We spent a few hours at Petco buying everything needed for her new home and then we headed home.

The name the shelter had for her was Felicity.  That was just not suiting for her at all.  So I renamed her Reagan.  Yes, she is named after one of my biggest heroes, Ronald Reagan.  She is a 10 year old girl who had obviously just recently had puppies.  That absolutely broke my heart.  Who lets a 10 year old dog get pregnant?  how could they let that happen.  Then I discover while going over all of her documents that not only was she pregnant and just recently gave birth but she was also found and rescued while living on the streets fending for herself.  Turn on the tears.  This poor sweet girl!  She was so calm and so loving.  Who could do this to her. She will never spend another day in her life ever wanting or needing a thing.  She and I made a deal at that moment that she will have a loving home for the rest of her life and be happy and safe in exchange for me spoiling her rotten every chance I get.

Sparky was not so welcoming.  She stood in the laundry room entrance to the house and screamed at Reagan refusing to let her in the house.  Poor Reagan was more than willing to oblige so she turned around and headed back out to the car.  No, no, no...  Lets move past this now.  So finally, after hiding behind me, Reagan finally scurried past Sparky and Sparky was chasing her down the hall letting her know she wasn't welcome.  Ugh....

Reagan quickly become a fixed member of the family and a fixed part of my heart.  The first week or two was interesting as we adjusted to each other and new routines on both of our parts.  This is when I finally had to accept the reality that my sweet Barbie Girl was deaf.  Yep, Deaf.  She couldn't hear anything... well except for the occasion really really loud noise.  This would explain why she was so calm and never barked.  Not to mention she was soooooo hard to wake up int he mornings.  She fought me like a toddler when it came time to get up.  If I turned the light on she would take her paw and cover her face.  If I tried to egg her on by lifting her head or her paws she would let her entire body go limp so it was like lifting dead weight. then when I let go she would roll over and face away from me  She is NOT a morning girl.... Just like her mommy ;) LOL

There was one time that she actually intentionally barked that was not in her sleep.  About 3 months after she moved in, I had a tree trimmer at the house cleaning up my trees and while Reagan and I were chilling on the couch he walked up to the door to ring the bell.  The blinds on the window by the door were open so she was able to see outside and all of a sudden she went from laying down to sitting half way up and alert and barked THREE times!  in a row!!  But that was it.  She didn't get up.  She didn't move... Just barked three times then laid back down.  LOL  Lets not get crazy with the effort expected out of her.   I was looking at her so stunned and with my jaw on the ground that I almost forgot to go answer the door.

As the months went by she started moving a bit more stiff and slower than usual an her swollen baby belly wasn't tightening up at all. I was a little concerned but figured since she was 10 years old then she probably doesn't bounce back like she used to.  It didn't matter,  every day and week and month that went by gave me cause for more ways to spoil her.  She now has not only 7 beds in the house.  One in the bedroom, One in the Art Studio, One outside in her kennel, one in her crate in the kitchen, one in the kitchen next to her crate, and Serta dog bed in the living room and last but most certainly not least... She has a human twin size air mattress set up in the living room for her.  That is by far her favorite.  A few months ago she stopped being able to jump up on the couch so I thought she deserves to have a comfy bed she CAN get on to.  So she has the bed, pillows and blankets on it all for her.

After a visit with the Vet it was determined she was probably closer to 12 and her swollen belly was actually enlarged organs.  The days we have together are certainly numbered and each day together is a gift.  She has outlasted the time that the vet first estimated we would have together and I think we love each other so much that we will make the best out of the time left.  She is the sweetest girl and the most loving.  Sweet, Calm and such a personality it kills me.  She is so smart and definitely knows how to play mommy, but that's ok.  Mommy doesn't mind it one bit.  :) 



I don't know how long my sweet Barbie Doll and I have together but she will be completely spoiled rotten for every moment that we have.  Every minute and every hour.  She will know nothing but love and safety and comfort.  That is my promise to her.

We have now celebrated a birthday and our 1 year anniversary with each other. Looking for many more reasons to celebrate still.

I love you my beautiful Reagan!  Sweetest girl in the world!