Look "Fur" the Silver Lining
Although I wasn’t destined to have children, God knew that I had a lot of love to give. He blessed me with nurturing instincts and the desire to take care of others and He made a lifelong dream of mine come true when He trusted me to give the most precious puppy a safe and loving home.
I adopted Riley when she was eight weeks old. When I brought her home that first day, we were both excited, yet nervous. As I looked into her big, brown, trusting puppy-dog eyes, she instantly meant the world to me. Realizing she would depend on me for the rest of her life, I made a promise to Riley that I would always put her needs ahead of my own and that I would do everything I could to keep her healthy, happy, and safe. In return, I knew that Riley would always fill my heart and my life with unconditional love and joy.
Like any new parent, I wanted to do everything right. I took my responsibility very seriously and put Riley’s health as my top priority. I did a lot of research and spoke to all the pet parents I knew. One of the most important things I learned is that canine dental care is essential, especially in small breeds, but is often overlooked. Gum disease and oral infections are dangerous for dogs and can even be life-threatening. There was absolutely no question about it—brushing Riley’s teeth was going to be mandatory. In addition to avoiding bad doggy breath, I wanted to make sure Riley wouldn’t have plaque build-up, tooth decay, or any other dental problems.
When Riley was nine years old, she unexpectedly lost one of her tiny front teeth. I attributed the missing tooth to a lost battle I assumed she had with one of her toys, but when I noticed another tooth was loose, I became seriously concerned. I immediately made an appointment with her veterinarian for an evaluation. I couldn’t imagine there would be a major problem since the technicians and vet had always complimented Riley’s beautifully-brushed teeth and told me what a great job we were doing.
Trips to the vet were always stressful for the both of us since Riley despised them so much. She would cry and shake like a leaf in the car the second she realized where we were headed. When I brought her in for her dental checkup, she was trembling uncontrollably. Like any parent, it broke my heart to see my baby so upset. I was hoping the vet would have a quick remedy for whatever was going on and I’d be able to get her home as soon as possible. To my shock and disappointment, however, the vet urged me to schedule Riley for a procedure to have at least four teeth extracted due to the onset of gum disease. I was beside myself with sadness and confusion and I was worried about having to bring Riley back to the vet knowing how anxious and scared she would be. The thought of putting her through the procedure was even more daunting, but I knew I had to do what was best for her. With the promise I had made to her nine years earlier in mind, I took the vet’s advice. I had to do whatever I could to keep her healthy and to ensure the problem didn’t get worse.
When I dropped Riley off on the morning of her procedure, she couldn’t stop shaking and we both couldn’t stop crying. I continuously prayed that everything would go smoothly. When I was finally able to pick her up later that evening, she looked so sad and depressed. As I held her in my arms, she melted into me and I couldn’t wait to take her home. I was heartbroken when I learned the vet removed thirteen of Riley’s teeth in all. I questioned what I had done wrong. The vet explained that the dental problem was inevitable due to her breed, but assured me that her teeth had been in such great condition for so long because I had been brushing them every day.
I knew Riley was in a lot of pain and was overwhelmed by what she endured. When we got home, she curled up in her doggie bed. Wanting to be close to her and to let her know she wasn’t alone, I curled up right next to her. When she hurt, I hurt, and when she cried, I cried. I didn’t leave her side all night. I wished I could take her suffering and pain away and I wondered if she would ever forgive me. I gave her belly rubs, massaged her neck, talked, and sang to her until we eventually cried ourselves to sleep.
It took quite a few days for Riley to feel better and get back to her happy-go-lucky, playful self again. One day when we were lying on the couch together, a sudden sadness came over me. Despite her zest for life, the fact of the matter was that Riley was getting older. I had tried to ignore the silver strands of fur that were beginning to shape her tiny face, but as I studied her, I noticed how much her “smile” had also changed. I unsuccessfully tried to muster up a smile of my own. As if on cue, Riley tilted her head to one side and spontaneously poked her tongue out of her mouth allowing it to rest in the small space where some of her teeth once were. Realizing that my dog was literally sticking her tongue out at me, all the sadness and worry I had been feeling completely disappeared and a huge smile finally crept across my face. Proud and confident she had just lifted my spirits, Riley plunged her six pound body into me and showered me with much-needed kisses.
As she had done so many times before, Riley taught me an important life lesson when I least expected it. No matter how tough an experience might be, you can always find a silver lining—you just have to be willing to look for it. After all the tears she and I had both cried because of her traumatic experience, there was still a bright side. Riley received a clean bill of health and somehow the cutest dog I had ever seen, became even cuter.
To this day, Riley randomly sticks out her tongue—first thing in the morning when she rolls over for a belly rub, as she sits patiently waiting for a meal, and sometimes even when she’s sleeping. It may only be for a couple of seconds or it may last for several minutes. Sometimes it seems like she’s doing it on purpose to make me laugh, while other times she’s completely unaware of it. One thing is for sure—every time her tongue comes jutting out of her mouth, I can’t help but smile and thank God for making me the proud parent of a dog who constantly reminds me to always look “fur” the silver lining.