March 10, 2020, four days before we would all be locked down for the coronavirus, that's when Zara came into our lives. We were so excited to be chosen by the rescue to be her forever home. We thought we were well equipped to raise a rescue dog. Our grand dogs, Khloe and Eliza, had made a seamless transition into our family of dogs. We already had two cockapoos. It should be easy, right? Ha!
Zara was our first rescue, our first dog over 25 pounds, our first shedding dog, and our first pit mix. (Interestingly enough, she was not our first dog with crippling anxiety or food allergies.) I wanted a walking/adventure buddy. Our aging cockapoos, just couldn't walk for an hour or more like they once had. I wanted to hit the trails. And then there was the lockdown.
While I was lucky that I did not have to parent small children or work from home during that time, I did struggle with socializing my new fearful puppy. No small task when the only store that I felt comfortable enough taking her to was the garden center at Lowe's. My little dogs were not thrilled to have a new baby sister that was already bigger than they were. So they pretty much ignored her. My grand dog, Eliza, was super excited to have a playmate. Whenever she came over, they would play and wrestle for hours. A tired puppy makes a happy momma!
Over the next several months, we discovered that frozen carrots are great for teething puppies, she was allergic to all fowl, she loved going on walks, and that she wanted to sleep in between my husband and I by our heads. And oh my goodness, was she cute!
Zara is most likely some mix of a red nosed pit bull breed that originates from Ireland. She has the coppery colored fur, white markings on her feet and chest and a very smoochable pink nose. She also has one blue eye and her other eye is greenish brown with a small speck of the ice blue like her other eye. She is stunning. At least, I think so anyway.
As with most dogs, she gained some nicknames right away. First was Z. Next came Goose; I have no explanation for it except I called her my baby goose and it just stuck. To this day, she will respond to Zara, Z and Goose. The nickname I hated the most came from my husband and my oldest daughter. They proceeded to call her Big Meat, because of her big meaty build. I think that one has pretty much died off.
Z is a sweet, goofy dog that loves her momma. (Yes, dad too.) But, my adventure buddy and I have this crazy bond that is unlike any that I have ever had with a dog before. I can't wait to share some of the adventures in dog parenting this crazy girl.