And Just Like That....

And just like that my apartment is not so empty. Instead it is full of laughter and love and puppy feet. It finally feels like a home.

The story: About a week ago I was wandering through the souk (market) and I came across a pet store with a crate full of puppies inside. I did not see anyone working there but I stood outside the store for quite awhile watching the puppies. I knew better than to go in...I knew holding a puppy would be a mistake. After awhile I gave in and oohed and aahed at the puppies through the crate. Anyway I resisted as long as I could but before long I had takenall the puppies out, fallen in love with one in particular, given her a nameand was snuggling and playing with her in the pet store. I was there almost four hours that night. For the next week I went every night to visit herand was always there a few hours. How I missed puppy cuddles. I quickly became a part of the family. The teaguy would come to deliver their tea and they would get me one, they pass around cookies. A few nights ago they told me to take her home for a few days - I guess they knew that this was the only way to get rid of me!

She was really dirty and in need of some love. She spends allher time in a really dirty crate with what looks like very

uncomfortable bars on the bottom. I was sooo excited to get her home! She is now looking marvelous. What a difference a bath, a nice walk, a nail clipping, a homemade meal (they have her on really bad food), some snuggles and a nice bed makes!

I am the happiest I have been since I got here. We have no toys so we play fetch with Egyptian lemons (they are little balls) that I freeze for her. Life is so much sweeter with a puppy.

So that this isn't just me raving about my newest baby - which you are all used to listening to me do at home Isuppose I should add in something cultural. Dogs are not beloved like they are back home. There is certainly no buying them jackets and strollers and toys and all the silly things thatpeople do back home. But more than that they are quite rough and even neglectful. This is hard for me to watch. I have been trying to understand this more. According to Islam animals should be treated kindly (I think this just means that you should not abuse them though) but should not be treated, well... the way mine (and most others in the West) are. It is preferable to keep them outside. Dogs are permitted as a way to guard the property but are not raised to sleep in your bed or be best friends. One of the children that live near me said that she has a puppy that is the same age but it can't go outside yet...because if it does it will get used to people. I guess they are right - my puppy raising methods makes pretty horrendous guard dogs. Also, before praying you have to do "wudu" or cleanse(hands, ear, feet etc.) and apparently if you have touched a dog there is a special cleansing that you are supposed to do- with sand to remove more of the dirt. Of course, I have to mention that I learn all of this from various sources and piece it together. I was holding her and had a few of the guards stop me and motion that I should put her on the ground. Even the sweet children that live near me ( well the ones that don't jump away from her with looks of terror and/or disgust on their faces) are so rough with her - pushing her around when she gets into things and yelling at her. I am constantly telling them to be nice to her and trying to teach them about respecting animals. Of course, teaching another way to things that are so engrained in a culture is not easy and I feel like they don't even hear me because they go right back to it a minute later. Obviously they don't understand that when they do this it is like pushing my child....not okay.

The pet store breaks my heart. The dogs are in rough shape and from what I can tell they ever get out of these tiny cages. I was opening up the cage a St. Bernard puppy and the owner even said "oh no don't pick her up - she is really dirty". It took everything in me not to tell him that

she is dirty because he does not clean her cage and she is in there all day. Instead I picked her up and cuddled her and told her she was beautiful - and went home to shower.They smell awful - poor things. I have been spending all my tie thinking of ways that I can suggest being their volunteer groomer/"kennel" worker but have not yet found a way that does not imply that they are not doing a good job. It hurts my heart...sometimes I tear up watching them.

Unfortunately I wrote this about a week ago and since school started I have not had a second to go visit her. Interestingly though, one of my students, when I was telling the class about myself on the first day and brought a picture of my dogs said "isn't she dirty" and when I told her that if the dog gets dirty I give her a bath - just like people she laughed and laughed like it was the most hilarious joke she had ever heard. At least my life can keep my little ones entertained.

These are her very best "don't send me back eyes"

A few more pictures....because I can't resist.