Awesome Coincidence

I was out walking Odin during my lunch break when a lady came around the corner of the apartment building, looked at the dog, and said, "Odin!".

Odin then proceeded to run full tilt to the lady, dragging me behind like a little rag doll. Turns out the lady was his former owner! She and her husband were in the process of moving and they were unable to keep Odin, so they made the very difficult decision to bring him to the Humane Society, where I adopted him less than two, three days later.

She and I had a good visit and talked about the dog and exchanged info to stay in touch. Now, out of 300,000 plus people in the city of Wichita, she would drive by at the right moment and see me walking the dog. That's one of those God moments.

Turns out that Odin is in fact registered with papers, was stood to stud and helped litter ten puppies, and they were intending to show him, but life circumstances got in the way over the years. It's very sad how things like that happen, and I have the deepest sympathies for those who have to give up a companion and family member of many years. I've lost my own dogs over the years, and I know how it hurts. His owner thought she would never see him again, would never know what happened to him. Well, now she knows! He's warm, safe, healthy, and happy with me, though it's pretty obvious he misses his momma terribly. I have never before had to pull on him as hard as I had to to get him to go back to the apartment with me.

He's pretty wired up, been looking out the window and running around the apartment, and I know what he's got to be feeling. The poor guy will probably be a little sad for a few days.

His former lady is going to get me his papers, as well as bring some puppy pictures of him and of his litter (awwwwwww!). So, I am going to get some pictures together of my dogs over the years and print off some current pics of Odin that I took recently.

Other things I learned today: he does have a kind of sensitive stomach. A little Pepto-Bismol will clear him right up. I can identify, I myself have stomach trouble. So does the cat, come to think of it. I'm sensing a pattern here.

He's also been a good Catholic doggie all his life, as his former people are Catholic as well, which is also another nice thing to know. However, I will not be putting him on the no-meat-on-Lenten-Fridays rule.

Also, the ear infection, he's always had, ever since he was a puppy. They cropped his ears to see if that would help (nope). He likes rope toys, balls, squeaky toys (another trip to Petsmart...), and, as I figured right away, has a need to be with me at all times if possible. He will tolerate showers, but you have to get in with him (we figured this out too).

So, this is one of those bittersweet moments of life for dogs and their people. He was, as she said, a blessing for her to be able to see him again and know what happens with him, and he certainly is a blessing for me to have and to take care of. God does watch out for even the least of His creatures.