In January 2012 my husband came across the ABTCR website when we were looking to find our new girl. My husband had always wanted a B&T and we are both firm believers in the importance of rescuing a dog. While searching your website daily (OK, I may have gone a little hogwire, reading every bio, every Happy Ending, and every Memorial with a box of tissues by my side), I fell in love with a breed before I had ever even met one in person! My husband was looking for a one year old, whereas age was of no importance to me. As we were waiting for the right opportunity in California, and I of course being impatient, I saw the need for fostering and we decided to open our hearts and home to those in need. After bringing home our first foster, Tine Kellogg asked if we could take 2 more. Never in my wildest dreams did I envision the outcome of that fateful day we met Tine to pick up Reba and Creola. As soon as Tine opened her truck door, I heard my husband gasp! If this had been a movie there would have been the bright lights and music playing as my husband's gaze was locked on this petite little girl with the most gorgeous mahogany coloring. I knew he was a goner as he knelt in front of her with her face in his hands, talking oh so sweetly to her (he doesn't talk to me like that!). In an instant, my husband, daughter and I all knew that she was the one for us.
Life with our little Reba has already been an adventure. I had read about the counter surfing, but then you experience it..... at 3:00 in the morning, wondering who on earth is in the kitchen at that time? Yep, it's the dog, on the counter, licking the already clean pans. Serves me right for not putting them away. Needless to say, she sleeps in our room at night now in her own chair with the door shut.
Reba is a petite little girl with a really big personality. The bigger the dog that she tries to take on the better, in her eyes at least. This is something we are working on and I'm confident that she will learn that she just doesn't need to take on the world.
Reba loves to dig for critters in the yard with our shephard, Mac. Every morning and every night these two are guaranteed to be digging like crazy, trading off, in desperate search for what may be living down in that hole. Finally their hard work paid off the other morning, they actually caught a field mouse, only for Reba to run off with it, hiding in a big Juniper bush, keeping the bounty for herself with Mac standing there trying to figure out how exactly he could squeeze in there with her, but to no avail.
Reba can often be found trailing behind my 2 year old son, especially when he has a snack in hand. I know Toby does it intentionally because if she stops following him he will walk up to her and put his hand in her face just to remind her that he has food. It is so heartwarming to watch these two together and I often times hear my son laughing hysterically. I have to decide at that moment, do I really want to peek around the corner and see what these two are up to, or should I just let them be and enjoy the sound?
I could go on and on about our little Reba May, but will end with our heartfelt thanks to ABTCR and the amazing group of people associated with them. We have not only found our forever girl who we love dearly, but have made so many new friends that have forever changed our lives. Thank you for all the wonderful work that you do!
Justin, Lisa, Devon, Hailey, & Toby Rich
