EXILED ROYALTY IN SEARCH OF A NEW KINGDOM!!! MEET DUCHESS!

Picture: MEET DUCHESS--a four year old female black lab who needs a home.

As most of you know, at Dogwood, I am accustomed to being in the presence of Royalty.

Queen Lucy rules the roost, Prince Charlie keeps the peace, Hines the Conquistador keeps away all enemy invaders (sorry Mr. Trash man), and Duchess Daisy keeps the energy level pumping. Added to the canine blue blood, I have the two feline felons: court jester Bart and Sebastian the water wizard.

You would think that I would be all bowed and curtsied out. But a couple of weeks ago I was introduced to yet another canine with royal tendencies.

And as usual, I fell head over heels in love.

I wanted very much to visit the Waverly Animal Shelter. They are a sharp, hard working, excellent bunch of ladies and volunteers that do A LOT for the animals in Humphreys County. Because I have been tied up with the organization of our current house hold and the endless renovations on the one I left behind, I haven’t been much help to them since we moved into the community. I wanted to give them some kind of support.

So, Better Half and I had decided to use our first real "free" Saturday to attend the  Adoption First event that they hold the first Saturday in each month.

Let me tell you, of all the things I was hoping to find that day, another royal mistress was not on the list.

But low and behold, as soon as I was led into the kennel area for a tour, there she was: a four year old, beautiful, dark eyed, black lab (didn’t see that one coming did ya?) named: DUCHESS.

Duchess’s story is a mirror of so many other pitiful tales of yore: an exile of a lost kingdom, abandoned on a lonely road in territories she did not know, by those who cared not what happened to her.

But she was rescued by a later day Robin Hood and brought to the Animal Shelter, where she could be free from the perils of the roadside and protected from the goblins of hunger and want.

The attraction between us was immediate, it was intense, and ….well…painful as she eagerly stepped up and put the full weight of her stocky form on my foot.

But that’s just part of her charm.

I immediately found myself sitting in front of this sweet heart’s kennel,getting kisses thru the gate and being offered the ladies hand for shaking and holding thru the gap in her door.

As it was my first visit, and there were other babies to meet, I gave her ladyship lots of love and then tried to move on. But then the royal barking began. The Duchess was lett ing me know, rather insistently , in the royal manner  that ,"We are VERY DISPLEASED!". So I had to bow in her presence once more to calm her.

After the Duchess and I had visited for quite a time, she accepted my request to withdraw from her presence, and I did so. I met many little (and big) furry faces that morning—but the Duchess has been on my mind ever since.

Of course, at the suggestion to Better Half that we add to our own Royal Household, I was given the option of living in the garage. So in other words, there will be so SWELL in the House of L.
So though I adore this lady, I cannot commit to her.

But I can put her face and her story out there for all to see.

This royal trooper is four years young, gives sweet, sweet kisses, and LOVES toys and chewy things. Like any lab I have known—idles hands (and jaws) are the devils playthings. So she would need things like Kong toys with treats hidden inside, etc to keep her busy when left to her own devices.
Even a Duchess can get bored, ya know!
She is already “altered”, and though I cannot confirm it, I think house broken. Her kennel was unsoiled, for that much I can vouch.

If you should feel the need to enter serfdom as the Better Half and I did years ago, and take on the job of serving in the court of this lovely DUCHESS, I am sure she would be pleased. You may even be honored with a royal hand shake!

Currently, this exile of kingdoms unknown is residing at the Waverly Animal Shelter in Waverly Tn. You can call the shelter at 931-296-7319 or email them at waverlyshltr@hotmail.com .