GUNNER

MEET OUR NEWEST FAMILY MEMBER.

GUNNER IS AN ENGLISH SETTER AND IS ABOUT A YEAR OLD. WE RESQUED HIM AT THE GREAT PET ADOPTION IN AUGUST. IT WAS HELD AT THE PETSMART IN SALT LAKE CITY UTAH. DENNIS AND I WENT THERE TO LOOK FOR A DOBERMAN FOR MIKE. AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT THERE WERE NO DOBERMANS AT ALL. WE CRUISED THE KENNELS ONE BY ONE. WE SAW DOG AFTER DOG, AND IT BROKE OUR HEARTS. WE WANTED THEM ALL. IN THE LAST TENT, THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF CASHE COUNTY WAS SET UP. THEY DID NOT HAVE AS MANY BIG DOGS, BUT A LOT OF LITTLE YAPPY DOGS. DENNIS AND I TURNED THE LAST CORNER AND THERE HE WAS. SKIN AND BONES AND LOOKING SO FRIGHTEND. WE BOTH LOOKED AT EACHOTHER AND SAID AT THE SAME TIME, "THATS THE ONE." WE ASKED TO SEE HIM. AS THEY LET US GET TO KNOW HIM THEY WENT LOOKING FOR HIS PAPERWORK. IT WAS INSTANT LOVE, WE HAD TO HAVE HIM. THE OFFICER CAME BACK WITH THE PAPERS AND THEY READ, "GUNNER, 7 MONTHS OLD, OWNER SURRENDER, MAY 2009." THE NAME WAS THE ICING ON THE CAKE. I ASKED IF THE DATE OF SURRENDER WAS ACCURATE. THE OFFICER SAID YES. I ASKED WHY HE HAD NOT BEEN PUT DOWN, AND SHE REPLYED THERE OFFICE WAS A NO KILL SHELTER. ( STILL NOT SURE I BELIEVE THAT ONE) THE PAPER READ HIS ADOPTION FEE WAS A $150.00's. I ASKED IF THERE WAS ANY WAY THEY WOULD TAKE HALF THAT, AND SHE SAID YES, BECAUSE SHE FELT HE WAS GOING TO A GOOD HOME. I PAID FOR HIM AND WE BROUGHT HIM HOME.

GUNNER IS PRETTY DARN STUBBORNE. HE IS NOT STUPID, BUT VERY SMART. HE IS A SNUGGLE-BUG AND I LOVE IT. HE ALSO LOVES TO EAT ANYTHING. TREES, SHRUBS, SOCKS, UNATTENDED FOOD, ANYTHING. HE IS A RUNNER TOO. HE CANNOT GO IN THE FRONT YARD WITHOUT A LEASH. HE CAN TRY YOUR PAITENCES TOO. BUT DAMN-IT HE IS CUTE. HE GETS ALONG WITH THE DOGS AND TORMENTS THE CAT. THAT IS A STORY ALL IN ITSELF.

GUNNER HAS A SOLID BLACK PATCH ON THE TOP OF HIS HEAD AND IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT, LIES A PERFECT WHITE HEART. IT IS THE COOLEST THING.

HE HAS BROUGHT A LOT OF JOY TO ME. I LOVE HIM SO MUCH. HE WILL BE ONE OF THE BEST DOGS I HAVE EVER OWENED. IT WILL TAKE TIME AND PAITENCES FOR THIS, BUT IT WILL HAPPEN.

I AM SO GLAD HE IS A PART OF OUR FAMILY.