Oreo Cookies Adventure Walk: Hey Erica! I dont know where to begin with this special little dog from Richmond Animal Care & Control named Oreo Cookie without gushing about how sweet she is! Thank you so much for sponsoring a walk for her, because your sponsorship got her hours of playtime outside on a gorgeous day. I asked one of the girls at RACC if they had a suggestion for someone who could really use an Adventure Walk, and I was directed to Oreo, a 3-year old (approximation), 45lb pit bull mix who communicated her excitement through her ears that would pop up and backwards and point and droop depending on the situation. She arrived at RACC in February and looked beyond ecstatic to be scooped up for what she was likely assuming was just a brief walk outside. I was happy to give her a change of pace and a chance to explore a part of town she most likely had never experienced before, after observing her apparent desire to explore and take in all these foreign smells and colors! Oreo showed a great sense of wonder with everything, from the greenery to the different tree trunks that had different types of bark, the sounds of different birds and spotting frogs and squirrels all caused her to freeze, tilt her head and watch diligently. When I got her out of her kennel, she was excited, jumping around and looked grateful to get out from the barking for a little while. She pulled hard towards the door and excitedly jumped into the truck, sticking her head out the window as we drove down to Reedy Creek! Oreo would come stand on the center console every few seconds and lean in to sniff me, and after a few times, she gave me a few licks and I knew wed established a connection that would make for a really awesome time together. She really loved having the wind in her face as we drove down Riverside Drive. Once we arrived at the Reedy Creek entrance, she was excited enough to go on a walk, but it was her fascination with this place she was at that was so different from where shes been! Other dogs on leashes walking around, birds overhead, the train engine, and also the amount of freedom she probably felt like she had being able to smell all of these new things without having to go back inside right after peeing. We made our way down the trails, Oreo trying to stop at every little thing along the way to check it out (and I let her), like flowers, different types of grass and mud, large bugs, even a frog, which made her ears point straight up! We arrived down by the Nickel Bridge, and she was not afraid of the water one bit. She stepped right in and got her paws wet, lowering her head to get a few sips to refresh herself after our walk. Oreo wasnt too keen on getting submerged at this point, but she was adventurous enough to go with me to the little platform that is only a few feet out from the beach but requires some walking through ankle-to-knee deep waters to get to. She jumped up and looked like she had just experienced something completely new, which is completely possible! Her eyes closed, her mouth hung open a little bit and she just sort of sighed as a breeze brushed over and the sound of the water rushed by. I immediately thought of how calm and relaxed shed be hanging out with somebody lucky near a beach or on a lake, because for as much energy she has during walks, she loves to relax as much as any human does when they can get away from the wired world for just a little bit. We must have sat on that platform for an hour while she leaned her head in against my shoulder and got petted and her back scratched until it seemed like I had brushed all of her hair out, but she was going in and out of sleep, which must have felt like a dream happening the entire time being in such a peaceful place. We eventually perked back up and played around in the water and on the beach, and she fell in a few times but after the first fall, her confidence in the water jumped and she was actually swimming on her own to a nearby rock or to the sand! After that, she would walk into the water on her own and walk right back out. It really felt like I was witnessing a pivotal moment in her life there, and it made me feel great to be in her presence as her self confidence was growing. Without realizing wed spent far more time down there than originally planned, I gathered her up and we hiked back to the lot slowly so we could enjoy more time together in the open air and surrounded by nature and its sounds. We crossed paths with many dogs to and from the beach, and Oreo wasnt feeling threatened nor did she show any sign that she would do anything threatening. Her tail just swung hard whenever she saw another dog, looking very excited at the thought of making friends! On the ride home, Oreo had her head out of the window for part of the drive before laying down across the back seat with her legs sprawled forwards and backwards. She looked so comfortable all spread out and exhausted! When we pulled in, I didnt immediately wake her up and let her realize wed stopped after a minute or two. We got out and I walked her around some more where the RACC staff members were out walking and playing with other dogs, so Oreo got excited again to be seeing her friends and neighbors walking about with her! I got caught up in conversation with a few friends there, so Oreo got some time to relax and nap in the grass, and she looked very, very content to be able to do that. After taking her back to her room, she was struggling to keep her eyes open, and I was glad to see that so she could nap the rest of the day away in her recently-cleaned kennel. I was sad to have to leave her, but a day like today wore her out and I was also looking forward to getting her advertised, because shes way too amazing of a dog to sit around without a family to be a part of! Thank you Erica, your sponsorship helped get an extremely sweet, beautiful and affectionate young girl out and feeling free and wild, giving her an opportunity to really stretch her legs and get some exercise that she probably hasnt gotten in a long time! Oreo got spoiled with back, belly and ear scratches and massages, lots of petting and hugging and she paid me back in paws back and many kisses. She met many dogs and people on the trails in the park, which should only make her miss it more. Your kindness helped her in more ways than one can think of right away, and in a more selfish sense, I am glad it helped me meet Oreo! Every dog is special, but its that time we spend with them where we realize just how much of a personality each one has, and Oreo has shown me that she loves people, she looks at other dogs as potential friends, and she values time and attention given to her like its running out quickly. Oreo should be with a caring family as soon as possible, and for her sake, I hope shes not there at RACC for much longer, and I know the staff there feels the same way. Thank you again, Erica! Youve made a difference in one dogs life that she wont forget, and hopefully gives her hope that her time in a shelter is limited and a forever home is on the horizon with so many people pulling for her. Oreo Cookie is available with Richmond Animal Care and Control. If youre interested in sponsoring an Adventure Walk for a rescued dog, please visit canineadventure.net/store/sponsored-walk
Posted on: Thu, 14 Aug 2014 00:15:00 +0000
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