Skruffy – Our Naked Little Girl has a “Rescue” Birthday

  

Above is Skruffy on October 28, 2009 in my office at the Library in Arkansas.  She had been with me for just a couple of days, I think I got her on Thursday, October 22, 2009.  She was a MESS, having been living outside in a yard of a construction company, hiding under dump trucks and other large vehicles, for nearly a month enduring very heavy rain.  In these pictures, she had had two baths, been to the vet where she had been given her shots, and diagnosed with heart worms.  Someone at the vet had trimmed her a bit, getting rid of clumps of hair that were full of “gunk”.  The people at the construction yard had given her the name of Skruffy, or “Scruffy” to be more precise…the spelling with a “k” is my doing.  The lady at the Vet asked me her name, I said Skruffy, she said, “How do you spell that?”  I blurted it out with a “k” instead of a “c” because I froze…you see, spelling is my weak area.  It put me on the spot, I spelled it out with a “k”, and I have never regretted it.

  

This is our little girl tonight, four years later.  I gave her a good haircut yesterday with a new blade in the clippers. Compared to how she looked four years ago and today….she is heavier since she was very under weight when I got her, and probably a couple pounds too heavy now.  But her fur is much more manageable now than it was back then….so much so that she is nearly naked now compared to the heavy thick fur she had back then.

With this blade, I will be able to keep her fur shorter, but not cut all the way down as Bubba gets cut (although I intend to try this blade on Bubba too to see how it works with him.)   

   

For those who have had rescue dogs, you will probably understand this….one really has to wonder who rescued who?  Four years ago she was desperate, lonely, and afraid.  There were many lightening storms back in October of 2009.  To this day, thunder and lightening scare her…as does heavy rain.  There were signs telling the Vet and I that she had recently had a litter.  My feeling is that the family dumped the mom (Skruffy) at the Vet across from this construction company during off hours…unfortunately it happens way too often.  People think that the Vet will take care of them.  In this case, she ran across the street into this gated yard which provided much cover.  She would not come to the construction crew when called, but ate the food they put out.  Until on that Thursday four years ago, in the late afternoon when one guy was getting into his pickup truck to go home, she acted like she wanted to hop in and go too….so he invited her in, and that is how she was caught.  My assistant director at the library had already told them if they caught her, that she had the perfect home for her.  Hence, our relationship started.

 Skruffy has brought so much joy into my life, into Marcia’s life, into so many friends and family who have gotten to know her.  Not a perfect dog by all means…she tends to bark from time to time, and in a close space like a motorhome that can be a bit much.  But overall she is such a good dog, one who has given me her utmost loyalty from the minute she came into my arms.  Four years ago we needed each other so much…and today we still do, but in a much different way.  I can only hope that we have many, many more years to enjoy each other’s company and friendship.  Happy rescue day Skruffy, love you girl…..arf, arf, arf……