Not like that!

While Mr. Awesome and I are childless, we do have our trusty Golden Retriever, Olive to dole attention on and love like a child.  I got Olive when I was working in Germany from a young couple that was in over their heads and couldn’t keep her due to an unexpected pregnancy.  They got her from another young couple who couldn’t take her with them back to the US because she was too young and hadn’t gotten all her shots.  That couple got her from a family who’s older dog didn’t like the competition of a new puppy and made it very clear to said puppy.  She was 5 months old when I adopted her and I was her 5th (and final) home.  When I took her home (and promptly renamed her Olive from ‘Princess Nala’), I realized that in addition to being a typical loving, anxious-to-please Golden she was also a very submissive little girl who was a bit skittish in general and deathly afraid of loud noises, quick movements, and riding in cars.  Upon meeting her (a week after I took her home), Mr. Awesome fell in love too.

She’s now almost three (she will be at the end of March) and has gotten over most of her bad habits.  While she still refuses to be in the same room as a vacuum (even if it’s turned off), she no longer freaks out and submissively pees when I’m moving pots and pans, doesn’t chew on carpets, and thankfully will go to the bathroom while we’re on a walk and (she’s on a leash) if need be.  I’m not sure if it’s at all normal, but she’s the most cuddly dog you’ll ever meet.  She’d much prefer you let her follow you around the house like a shadow and will wake you up by staring at you with a toy in her mouth (though we have learned a new trick where I get to “press snooze” if I pet her and say, “Five more minutes, pup.”)

So needless to say when she’s not feeling well, we’re all a bit out of sorts around here.  After she had spent the last week by my side and cuddling when I was pretty miserable and sick, on Thursday morning she woke me up with her coughing.  I got out of bed to check on her at which point she usually gets out of her bed and comes to get pets but she didn’t this time and instead stayed in her bed.  After a bit more coughing she got a little vomitty in her bed.  The poor thing looked so pathetic that I couldn’t be annoyed even though I knew it would mean cleaning her bed later…

After moping around the house all day and cuddling on any part of me she could, I decided I’d make her favorite homemade treats to cheer her up.  They are pumpkin flavored and meant to help calm an upset tummy and Olive loves them.  The recipe I use is from here and super easy to make.  We made them a bit Christmasy because, well, I had the cookie cutters for it.

Thankfully she perked right back up Friday morning and is all the way back to herself now.  And of course since we had a real snow last night, the return of the amazing snow pup is back (I swear she tries to make puppy snow angels — I’ll get a picture of it this year).  Which means cute photos to follow obviously.