An update from Kiki’s forever family!

Kiki came into our lives when my daughter Laura, who is with BTRC, asked if I could babysit a little dog for a week while her foster family were on holiday. I agreed and although I had no intention of adopting an animal, I fell in love with this sweet little dog and could not part with her! Her foster family were sad to see her go, but they were not in a position to adopt her. She needed to have a hernia operation and after that was attended to, she was officially adopted by me.

Kiki is not only a very cute little dog but has a good personality as well. She gets me up about 7:30 or 8:00 every day and we go out for a walk. Then she has her breakfast and plays with her toys or perches on the sofa and looks out the window for chipmunks and when she sees one, barks loudly and runs to another window in the direction the chipmunk went. Or she curls up and sleeps. She likes to curl up in her little bed under a bench near the wood stove, or even just lies on the floor where it’s warm. In the summertime she likes to lie in the sunshine on the deck. She tends to go wherever I happen to be, in the kitchen or living room – my little shadow.

She loves to go outside and knows the words “walk” and “outside” and likes to run (as much as she can with an extended leash) and explore things or chew on grass in the summertime. Now that’s it’s winter, she has a cute pink “Canada Pooch” parka and likes to run, even in the snow.

If I have to go away somewhere, I say to her, “I’ll see you later” or “Bye for now”, she seems to understand and doesn’t come to the door as usual, but runs to the window where she can see me get in my car. When I come back from shopping or an errand, she goes a bit crazy though, barking and leaping and racing around, or picking up slippers or shoes and running off with them.

Sometimes after a particularly delicious dinner, she picks up her dish and takes it to her bed or up on the sofa. She has a very keen sense of smell for food and will chew on an empty milk carton if she happens to get a look into the recycling bin. She loves treats, of course, and will “Sit” for one, and likes to chew on beef knuckle bones. She loves to play and have her belly rubbed. She also loves to play with my daughter’s dog, Fiona, who is a little larger than she is, and sometimes they get a bit rough in their play.

Kiki is a good watchdog too – barks when she sees or hears a car in the driveway. She is great company and has brought much joy to the lives of myself and my husband.

Nina Clark