Cocoa's
Story of her life with her best friend Josh
 |
Rainbow
Joshie you are the rainbow of my life, the sparkle and
brightness that I see in the sky
I remember all those days I sat in that cage in the pet store. They had such a high price for me that no one would buy me. Someone bought my brother but no one wanted me. I sat and sat just waiting to be let out. I use to have to eat my own feces and lap up my urine to keep my cage clean for me to lay in. Then finally the pet store must of wanted to get rid of me as I was already 4 months old so they lowered the price.
Then one day this lady came in and was looking at me. She came back later on with this man and I could see them talking about me. My hopes were so high at this point that maybe my time has come to finally get out of this cage. Well no such luck, the people left and I was still behind bars. Thinking that my whole life would just pass me by living inside metal bars behind a window. Well that evening the people came back with this big dog. They took me out of the cage and introduced me to this other dog. Of course I was more interested in just being free running through the store. I was just so excited to get some exercise finally. But I guess the important thing was that I liked this other dog. Then before I knew it I was put back inside my metal cage. Again my hopes where all shattered. All I had was a few memories of what it was like to be free even if it was for a little while.
Little did I know that the next day would be a new beginning for me. The same people came back and before I knew it, I was leaving with them. They took me to this wonderful warm cozy house. What delight I had when I entered, for their was more than this other dog waiting for me, but also two cats! All I could think was that I hit the jackpot!! You'd think I'd adjust easily to my new home but it wasn't so easy. I remember standing in this room with all this food and I had to pee so I did. Well I did was I was use to doing which was turn right around and lap it up. When my Mom saw me do this she was just devastated for me. I didn't know that Mom would clean it up for me. Mom and Dad tried teaching me to potty outside. But even though I was just outside I'd still pee inside everywhere, I couldn't stop. So Mom took me to a vet and it turned out I had a bladder infection. I got to take some pills and then I felt better because I didn't have to pee so much.
Things still weren't going so well for me. Mom and Dad would see me trying to pee inside and then rush me outside. Well once I peed outside they said, good potty and took me back inside. But I didn't always pee when I'd be taken outside. I'd wait till I got back inside the house. I could see that Mom and Dad was just as confused as me. So next thing I knew I had a teacher come to our house to teach me and my folks. In time they all figured out what my problem was. You see in my eyes, since I loved being outside so much I saw peeing outside as a punishment because I was then brought in. So from that moment on every time I was a good girl and potty'd outside I got to stay and play for awhile. Playing outside was much better than any treat to me! I was just so happy to be running and playing. And my big brother well I watched him good and he thought me so much on what to do outside. I'd see him pee so I would pee. Mom says Joshie was a good teacher for me. Well I'm four years old now and still not totally housebroken. I suppose being in a cage for so much of my life I could never totally learn. So Mom has a area inside for me that I use incase I have to. For those thinking, well this lady bought from a pet store. But a breeder of Shiba Inu's left his card for the person who would buy me. Mom called him, he wasn't my breeder but he knew my story of where I came from. He said they were about to destroy me cause I was getting too old and no one wanted me. Plus they sold me as pedigree but really my birth Dad was from a puppy mill. So Mom doesn't feel one bit sorry for buying me from a pet store, because she rescued me. And since then this pet store has closed down!
I still wasn't totally free from a cage yet. I had to sleep in one at night and when Mom and Dad went away. But Josh, well he had this nice huge bed he got to lay on. I was jealous of Josh so what I would do was sneak over and pee on his bed. After awhile Mom just gave up washing Joshie's bed and threw it away. So then Josh took over Mom and Dad's bed which made Mom happy. Silly Mom she had no room, but I never heard here complain. After I was about a year old one day I came inside and my cage was gone....I did the jumping dance cause boy was I happy!! I was now a big girl and didn't need no stinkin cage. I was just as free as my brother and guess what, we both slept up on the big bed with Mom and Dad.
I
remember it got real cold outside when I was still a puppy and white stuff
came. I didn't know what the stuff was but it was so cold on my paws and I
was still so little. I lifted one paw, then tried lifting another and
another and before I knew it, I fell over! Mom laughed at me and picked me
up and made me all warm. After that I had to wear sweaters when I went
outside. But the next year when the white stuff came I didn't want no
sweater. When Mom would put one on me I'd just stand their and wouldn't
move. Once she took my sweater off I'd run all over. But by then I
grew in a nice thick undercoat to keep me warm so I was just fine. I just
loved playing in the white stuff with my brother. He was so much
fun. Mom would kick a ball for us and it would just fly across the white
stuff. We'd chase it like crazy.
After I was only two years old I got sick. Mom took me to the vet and they said I had kidney problems. Mom was sad and thought she was going to loose me. But I went on special foods and got better.
I
respected my brother and looked up to him. He taught me so much.
When we'd go for walks and I'd watch him and do what he did. You see
Joshie loved being outside just as much as I did. I just loved playing
with him. He'd chase me around the yard and even though I'm little he had
a hard time catching me! I'm a quick little girl. I
learned to be smart and out maneuver him. If he started catching up to me
I'd stop on a dime and spin around and go the other way. Well Josh, it
took him awhile to stop and turn around and find me. Hee hee But
when he'd catch me, he'd get my tail. That wasn't very fair, but then we'd
have so much fun play biting each other after he caught me. Mom said we
were each got slimed from that game.
Josh
would be lazy sometimes and not want to play with me. So one day I
developed this tactic of nibbling on his legs. He didn't like that so he
would turn around and chase me. What a goof Josh was, he fell for that
trick every time! Over and over again.
Josh and I both loved hunting. We were constantly chasing squirrels. But Josh got lazy and would sit back by the house. Little did I know he was letting me do all the work! He'd wait till I was just about to get me a squirrel and then he'd get up and come chase it with me. I'd say he was no dummy, he had me fooled. He was snoozing with one eye opened just waiting for me to corner those squirrels.
I
sure did have Josh wrapped around my little paws. I own'd everything in the
house! All the toys were mine. When Joshie would take one he'd run
with it. Well good old Josh knew better than to take my toys. He'd
run with it and then when I'd catch him he'd drop it. Then sometimes he'd
out smart me and pick it back up and run some more. If I didn't know
better I'd say he was teasing me! We would get so tired from play that
we'd settle down and take a little snooze.
I loved snuggling with my brother, he was the best and so warm and cozy to
lay next too.
This one day my brother
wasn't feeling too well. I didn't know what was wrong but Mommy was
crying. I kept going over to visit Josh while he laid on his
blanket. I could tell he was real sick and going to leave us real
soon. Joshie was my best friend in the whole world. I love him so
much. I gave my brother a kiss for I new he had to go home to
heaven. For the next time when I saw my brother again he wasn't breathing
no more. He was just laying their not moving. I looked at Mommy and
she was crying real bad. I went up to Josh and gave him a lick and then
walk away. I never saw Joshie again. I miss him so much.
I felt real bad and so did Mom. I wouldn't eat my dinner or play no more. Mom and Dad give me so much attention. I would get special treats cause Mom said I had to eat. The first time I went on a walk without Josh I was so confused. I'd just stand their not knowing what to do. Josh wasn't their to guide me no more. Mom would pet me and say, it's okay come on lets walk. So I'd walk some but wasn't sure about things no more. In time I'm better now on my walks, I just follow Mom now. It's been almost a month and half and I'm finally feeling better. I eat my dinner now and sometimes I even play with Sparky my neighbor friend. But sometimes I sit and think about my brother Josh. I'd whimper and Mom would come over and pick me up and say, I miss him too. Then we sit for a bit and just think about all the fun times. But now when I have times when I think about Josh I whimper and go running to Mom cause I know she'll make me feel better.
A little bit after Joshie went to the Rainbow Bridge I had to go to the Vet for my heartworm test. Mom always has a blood test done on me every year to check my kidneys. The test came back with one count a little elevated. Mom is worried about me now till its time to take another test. Well that's where my life is today.
I'll keep you posted with updates....
Well it's July now and I just celebrated my 5th birthday and I'm doing so much better. My kidney test came back A Okay. I eat my dinner now but I still miss Joshie. Mom says someday Joshie and Spikey will send down another special buddy for me to play with. But till then Mom and Dad spend lots of time wif me.
In your honor my bro I got myself skunked a couple months ago. I missed chasing that skunk with you, but I did a good job on my own. Hope you can smell me, cause Ma and Dad sure do...hee hee
I
miss you my brother, you left your paw prints on my heart
Love Cocoa
Page last updated August 24, 2001
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All photo's copyright by owner Linda Webb
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