Sookie- my shelter Poodle

by Angela Scheres
(Spokane, WA)

Sookie (14 weeks) and Draco

I work at SpokAnimal, and animal shelter, in Spokane, Washington. This past July someone came in one Friday and surrendered a young Standard Poodle and her two eight week old puppies. They didn't want to be bothered with them anymore.
I have wanted a Standard for years, but the mom was very shy and other dogs terrified her- she would not have done well in my home with two other dogs. The puppies were so cute, also timid and unsure of everything around them. The puppygirl had the most human eyes I have ever seen, kind and warm. I told myself I didn't have time for a puppy, and left work until Monday.
Monday morning, the puppygirl was still there and I knew it was just meant to be. I adopted her, my first puppy. At eight weeks old, she was totally emaciated- just skin and bones. They hadn't bothered to feed the pups much, if at all- she only weighed 11 pounds.
Sookie has come a long way in the two and a half months since she joined the family. She goes to work with me in the afternoon, and is well-behaved and polite with all people, dogs and cats. She gets loved by the staff for hours. She is now a healthy 30 pounds at 18 weeks old!
She will graduate from the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy Class next week, then on to get her C.G.C.!
My Sookie Monster is a fabulous girl, and I am so lucky to have her. She will be cherished for the rest of her life.