About the Other Members of Our Pack

Rori snuggling Belle when she was about a year old

I talk a lot about our pack so I think it only fair to introduce them and tell a bit of their story. The story starts with Belle our sweet, and gentle pit bull lab mix. Belle came to us after our family lost a Golden Retriever named Goldie. I had just found out I was expecting when we lost her and despite impending parenthood my husband especially mourned the loss of his childhood best friend and dog. After swearing off new dogs my Mother in Law decided she wanted a chocolate lab puppy. So we considered our options and decided to look at the local shelter. My mother in law found there a group of sisters that were listed as Lab mixes and she fell in love with one that had a white star on her chest. After paying the adoption fee and doing the paperwork we were soon on our way home with a brand new lab puppy. We had her for about 3 days before we realized 2 things, first she had a lot of Pit Bull in her (we knew by her "pit bull smile") and second that she was sick. It turned out she had Parvo the shelter was made aware and offered to trade us dogs but my mother in law refused as she knew they would just put Belle down. So it was decided that Belle would be treated for Parvo. Everyday for 3 weeks my husband and mother in law went to vet office to see Belle. My husband sacrificed his favorite hat as a chew toy that smelled familiar to her. When Belle came home to us she was skin and bones and very weak but alive. She fattened up and began to grow like a normal puppy.

Belle at about a year old

We noticed that she was scratching a lot and had actually chewed bloody bald spots on herself. So off to the vet again were it was discovered that she had allergies to about 25 different things including Bermuda grass (our entire backyard), as well as cotton and most of the stuff in the dog food we were feeding her. We all made changes and got her on some medicine.Belle was Rori's first friend and protector. She latched on to Rori for the minute we brought her home from the hospital. She is now 4 years old and doing well.

Rori using a basket as a muzzle for Belle when they were about a year old

Beau is our super sweet boy that is my personal favorite (shhh don't tell). We aren't sure what exactly he is, we joke that he must have some Great Dane in him because he is so big. Beau was a surprise. My mother and father in law took Belle out to the dog park and came home with this little brown puppy. 

Beau as a puppy

We thought he was mostly chocolate lab but as he grew we became unsure. He was a pain in the butt when he first came home because he would jump on Rori who was still crawling and bite her like he would have done to his litter mates. She of course would scream bloody murder and I would have to intervene. Beau is supposed to be my father in law's dog but sometimes I'm not sure who is his owner. Beau has no tragic life threatening history he was a normal puppy.

Rori and Beau playing with software Mommy needed for college.

I think Beau is stunning to look at and funny too.

Beau is so pretty don't you think?

Spinner is the one member of the pack I know the least about. He was my brother in laws dog. While getting settled at his first duty station, my brother in law (who is in the Navy) picked out a cute black lab mix from the local shelter, named Spinner. His name fits because when he gets excited he will chase his tail. After a few years of Spinner living with my brother in law and sister in law, my sister in law discovered that she is pregnant. Hers was not an easy pregnancy and my brother in law was out at sea a lot so it was decided that Spinner would come live here until after the baby was born and then he would go back. Spinner lived with us for about 2 years before rejoining my brother in law. Shortly after going back, my brother in law discovered that he and his family will be stationed overseas and due to quarantines and such Spinner will be coming back and rejoining our pack here and this time he will live out his days here.

Spinner on the left end, with Belle and Beau