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| Name: |
Nadia
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Age: |
Six months old
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| Gender: |
Female |
Breed: |
Yellow Labrador Retriever |
| Home: |
San Diego, California, USA |
Nadia
is our pride and joy and has already helped us through some rough
times in our lives in her short five months on this earth. My mother had
been sick with cancer for five months when my husband finally gave in and
told me I could get the puppy I had been begging him for since we moved
in our first home. "Go get your puppy" he said to me while he sat with
me in the waiting room at one of my mother's doctor appointments. I
couldn't believe my ears. He was certain that I needed something to
cheer me up and he was positive that now was the time to get her.
I had already done quite a bit of research into the Labrador breed and
had already contacted a few breeders in my area certain that my husband
would say those magical words soon. There was one breeder that had
emailed me back that I was certain my puppy would be coming from. She
and I got along so well that she invited me to see the birth of the
puppies. I watched as they were born and knew after one week that Nadia
was the one I wanted. She said to wait until the personalities came in
before making a decision. Week after week, I picked Nadia first each
time. From the moment she came through our door she has enriched our
lives.
My mother eventually ended up in the care of hospice for two long
months. I was able to bring Nadia with me every day and she was even
able to spend the night there with us and my mom. Nadia's smile,
constant wagging tail and humorous puppy antics had a profound effect on
not only me, my husband and my mom - but on every staff member in
hospice. We even had a few families request that we bring Nadia to see
their ailing relatives. I was nervous at first because Nadia was, after
all, just a puppy and at times a very hyper puppy! The first time she
visited a very frail elderly woman who could no longer see nor move,
Nadia laid down beside her and was the calmest she had ever been - but
she was still smiling and ever so slowly wagging her tail. She knew what
to do without having to be trained. She will be a wonderful therapy dog
someday - I believe that is her calling.
I will treasure the memories and photos of Nadia laying with my mom on
her bed and I will always remember the sound of my mom laughing
hysterically at the crazy things Nadia would do. My mom has passed away,
but I am so happy that she and Nadia got to meet each other and that
there were many smiles on my mom's face that wouldn't have been there
had Nadia not been in our lives. She is a blessing.
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