Happy Cappy

Thank You Sandra!

In May 1999, Sandra Dearnley asked us to foster our fifth dog. My Nana Darling, who we had fostered for six months, was going to be adopted, so Sandra knew our home was available.

We drove to Williamsburg to pick up a two-year-old, neutered, male golden retriever from his family who wanted to give him away. The older couple who owned him said he was too much trouble to take care of. They gave us all of his paperwork and signed the release form.

Our new foster family member had several names. His pedigree said Online Coffeehouse Blend. His owners called him Cappuccino. His nametag read Cappy. He didn't respond to any of them.

After being an only dog, he was surprised (and terrified) to meet his foster sister and brother. He barely ate, and when he did, he had diarrhea for the first two weeks he lived with us. He trembled at his first bath; and the bed literally shook the first time we put him on it so he could sleep with us. He didn't play with toys or rawhide chews for weeks. And he had nightmares.

Poor baby. How could we make him try to adjust to a new adoptive home- We never planned to adopt one of our foster dogs, but Cap NEEDED us!

It's almost a year later now and as we write this, Cap is laying on his back, rawhide bone in his mouth, making gurgling noises while trying to engage his foster brother in play.

Again, we want to thank Sandra for bringing Cap into our lives.

Joe & Pat

Cappy's the handsome blonde on the left. His canine pals are Holly and Steve, his humans are Pat and Joe.