Forty-eight hours after Riley arrived, an ice storm hit our area and knocked out our power for two days.  No electricity here means lots of additional work for me (not to mention very early bed times!), but for Riley, the ice storm was like one huge present wrapped up in sparkly shiny packages.  You see, Riley loves eating sticks. Not shredding them; actually eating them, which yes, is really dangerous. Sharp points could cut into his insides, and splinters could lodge in his gums. Trying to convince Riley that he shouldn’t eat any of the hundreds of sticks that fell in our front yard was how I learned that Riley also loves to play tug-of-war. 

It’s been a while ~ 20 years maybe? ~ since I’ve rescued an Aussie puppy, but Riley has brought everything back. He’s six months old, and he takes tremendous joy in all things puppy. He loves carrying more than one treasure in his mouth at a time, trotting over to me and dropping at least one of them so I can throw it again. He is thrilled with hugs and cuddles even if no cell in his body can stay still enough to receive them, and he is always moving ~ always, always moving. When he encounters a new “something,” though, he will stand perfectly still and straight, head cocked to one side, and ears perked.  The UPS truck makes its way slowly up the driveway? Riley stops and watches. Cricket calls from a pasture? Riley stops and watches.   Miracle makes her way along the yard’s fence line? Riley stops and watches.  He shows no aggression, no fear, nothing but a calm curiosity ~ and then he’s off again. 

Riley’s world these last 10 days have included many new “somethings,” but the one most present is Vega. We’ve been going very slowly with the introductions. First, we let them meet through the many gates we have in the house that section off two rooms for Riley and the rest for Vega.  A few days ago, we began bringing the two together, with Riley on his leash and Vega free.  We’re slowly increasing the time they’re together this way, and so far, all the signs are positive ones. Riley is appropriately submissive ~ but not overly so; Vega is appropriately verbal ~ but not overly so. The two have play-bowed to each other and laid down together. Riley has snuggled under Vega’s chin, and Vega has swatted his nose if he sniffs the wrong place. I watch them get to know each other very closely, but I’m loving what I’m seeing. 

Riley is definitely his own dog. His eyes are both ice blue, and his confidence shines through his stance. But as I watch him romp around, chew anything in his path, and sigh deeply right before falling asleep, I see so many of the other Aussies we’ve rescued over the past 26 years. Reba had Riley’s coloring; Hannah had Riley’s love of chasing tennis balls; Suryna had Riley’s intelligence. Of the entire pack that waits for us at the Rainbow Bridge, though, only Curie had come to us not having suffered abuse or neglect. And in Riley, I see Curie’s childish joy, capacity for fun, and absolute delight with all things life. 

Welcome to Sundance, Riley!