The Story of Me by Mabel Lou

My Mom has written about how I was adopted before but we wanted to play along in Minna Krebs "Story of Me" post.

Here's what Mom wrote about me in her post Love for Sale: $8. [Eight green papers???? OY!- M]

I got Mabel from the pound about 6 weeks after my Maggie died of cancer. I was grief stricken and Mabel was really confused. At four months old, she had been adopted out five times and returned pretty fast. But since Mags was only eight, I was hell-bent on getting a puppy...my first. They wanted to be rid of her... she was "on sale" for $8.00! (including micro chip and hysterectomy!)

It was a rough start. She was so happy to be leaving "doggie jail," she burst out the doors and immediately started trying to read my face for recognition of one of the many cars. I wanted her to potty first. As soon as she realized which was my car, she whimpered and scratched and refused to walk one step further. O.K., so maybe she doesn't need to potty.

We got on the freeway and headed to my old neighborhood. I had an elderly friend there and had promised to do a little shopping for her. I got a whif of a very unpleasant odor... she had pooped IN THE CAR!!!

 My first day in my forever home

So, Mom and I didn't get off to a good start with me pooping in the car! I just wanted out of that doggie jail place.  People would adopt me and take me somewhere nice for a day or two - sometimes a week - and bring me back to the jail!

Mom admits she only wanted me because of my age - her other pups had crossed that rainbow bridge so young. I'm proud to say I am now my Mom's youngest AND oldest dog ever!!!!

But I wanted to share something that happened to me right after my Mom got me out of that place. Los Angeles makes you take adopted dogs to a vet within three days. Even though I had seen LOTS of vets in the last two months of being adopted and returned, we had to go again the day after Momma brought me home.

Momma lets me run errands with her all the time unless it's too hot and I'm sorta of amazed she let me in the car again after I used it for a bathroom the day before but we were running errands and I was happy to be out and about with my newest Mom.

And then all of a sudden we pulled into the doggie jail parking lot! My mom was returning me!!!! I cowered in the back of the jeep. I guess she really didn't forgive me for pooping in the car! But just as quickly, we were driving away... Momma said, "Oh drat, they're closed on Mondays!"

She looked back at me and was kinda shocked to see me curled up and all fearful. Momma called me to her in her softie sweet voice and I went to her.

She said to me, "Mabel Lou, what's wrong with you??? Did you think I was taking you back to jail?? I was just taking your papers back to them since we were in the neighborhood but we'll mail them. You won't have to see this place EVER again! I promise!!!"

And we drove away fast! Now, I can't tell you that my mom never regretted that decision. I was one destructive pup! She will tell you she hated me for the first year, disliked me for the second, decided I would do by year three and fell in love in year four! 


With all those indecisive emotions is it any wonder she needed a puppy???

She may not have loved me but I loved her from the start. She was smart enough to know a pup with that much energy needed LOTS of exercise and it wasn't long before she took me to my creek where I could run and roam. And she played with me lots - always throwing my tennis ball. It took me a while to convince her I should also sleep with her and cuddle with her on the sofa, but now she sees the wisdom of keeping me close to her. Momma would get so mad at me in those first years but all I had to do was give her "the look." Our arguments went like this:

Mom: MABEL, LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE!!! YOU ARE A NAUGHTY NAUGHTY BAD DOG!!!

Me:

 Translation: Yes, but I'm cute!

And just like that, it was over! We've been together for 8 1/2 years! And Mom has never taken me anywhere near that doggie jail!