This is what Sprout looked like the day we got her. Note the cut on her little nose from trying to claw her way of the cage at the shelter. My then-roommate Janet and I had planned to have some good friends over for dinner. Meredith (who was in NYC for the summer) and I offered to go to the grocery store and pick up some last minute supplies for the tacos we were making. Needless to say, we got sidetracked and ended up at BARC, where we spotted a cute but terrified dog named Carly. We took her on walk, and while sitting by the East River debating whether she was the one for us, she sweetly put one paw on each of our knees. That pretty much sealed the deal.
On the way home, Carly was renamed Sprout. Although she was Franny for about 10 minutes, which now seems so ridiculous. I had always had the name in the back of mind as a cute dog name, but little did we know how fitting it was. As it turns out, Sprout, true to her name, loves to snack on (most) vegetables and her #1 favorite past time is rolling around in the grass at the park. She likes to find a smelly spot and rub the scruff of her neck in it, which is both cute and gross.
Also, her little nubbin looks quite sprout-like.
It was not at all love-at-first sight with Sprout. I actually had a minor breakdown over the impulsive decision to get a dog, and cried and cried for about 48 hours. I seriously considered returning her. All her quirks were coming out full force during these first few days-- peeing on the floor, trying to slip her collar whenever a truck drove by during a walk, and non-stop pacing. But I guess we were both just adjusting. In less than a week, she had worked her way into my heart and I knew she was here to stay. She has become a loyal and true companion.
Here are a few of the many great things about Sprout. She can sit, play dead, roll over, and give you her paw. She protects us against scary noises only she hears by raising her hackles and making gremlin noises. She is a champion nest-maker, and loves pillows and soft blankets. She's unfazed by her many, many nicknames and has actually learned to recognize several of them, including: Beako, Mouse, MizzFizz and Cheeky. Even though sometimes she attacks the pant leg of male friends, for the most part she's super sociable. She loves to cuddle. She makes really funny noises in her sleep and she twitches her paws while she dreams.
I am so proud of her.
2 comments:
i love her too....
Wow, her transformation is so apparent when you compare the first and the last photo. Sprout is lucky to have you.
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