On May 22, 2008 we came home with a fuzzy little puppy in our arms. The picture above is from that first night. What an adventure it has been. I consider yesterday (May 22) to be Sweetie’s birthday even though she was 7-8 weeks old when we brought her home. It’s just easier for me to remember her birthday as the day she arrived here.

Looking back, I can’t believe how tiny she was. We used to bring her down to the goat barn while we milked so she would get used to the goats, but mostly so the goats would get used to her. Jeff taught her to catch milk in her mouth, he would squirt it from the goat’s teat and aim for her mouth. At first, her face just got soaked with milk and she didn’t know what was going on. But she caught on real fast. 

I used to be very afraid of dogs. I watched my aunt get attacked by a dog when I was under 5 years old and it was traumatic for me. Every time a dog came near me, my entire body would tense up and the dogs could sense my fear which just made matters worse. Raising Sweetie from a puppy really helped me overcome my fear of dogs, which I am so grateful for. 

Sweetie is endlessly entertaining. Sometimes I swear she thinks she’s a goat. When we take the goats out grazing, Sweetie follows them and imitates what they do. She even tries to eat the same things, it’s hilarious.

Sweetie has got loads of personality, but a complete lack of gracefulness. She bumps into things like a big, bumbling ball of fur. When Jeff throws a treat to the dogs, Satcha perfectly catches it in her mouth, whereas it hits Sweetie’s nose (if she’s lucky) or just lands on the ground and then Sweetie eats it. And Sweetie loves to be dirty. How many times have I given her a bath, so delighted that she was all clean, fluffy and sweet-smelling, when she ran outside and rolled around in the dirtiest thing she could find within seconds? Needless to say, she no longer gets baths. She’s an outdoor farm dog anyway and with how often it rains- I figure she gets a pretty regular shower. When she’s all wet, she shrinks to half her size. Most of Sweetie is fluffy fur, which is so endearing.
Though there were times when Sweetie was naughty and Jeff wanted to change her name, she will always be our big baby. And sometimes when I pick her up and put her in my lap, she almost seems just like the little puppy from that first day. Lots has changed since then, but she’s still a cuddle bug who loves attention.
Yes she does.
Love you Sweetie!