Happy Tails Rosie

Rosie

| January 1, 2024
Happy Tails

It’s hard to believe, but Rosie has just recently celebrated her 5th gotcha day (and 8th birthday)!  She was of course thrown a big party to celebrate and spoiled with countless toys, bones, and treats.

In some ways, it feels like yesterday that I brought her home from the shelter, with both of us feeling nervous while we acclimated to our new living arrangements. Safe to say that we’ve got it all figured out by now and Rosie is definitely living her best life.  She is SUCH an amazing dog, and I’m SO grateful that I’ve got to spend the last 5 years with her.  She is just the perfect companion for me.

When I last communicated with you in the winter of 2019, we hadn’t even experienced our first summer yet! And this girl definitely has an extra pep in her step when the sun comes out and the weather warms up. I honestly don’t know if there is a limit to the distance she wants to walk when we go on our summer hikes along the Humber River or the Don Valley. And when she’s not walking, she loves to bask in the sun for hours on end on my balcony.

Some of Rosie’s highlights include –

  1. Road trip out East – Rosie and I set off on an epic journey together to Acadia Park in Maine this past May.  Her first exposure to the Ocean.  And first taste as well (let her have one sip, and she was definitely caught by surprise!).  She loved hiking along the Ocean trails and sniffing the unfamiliar coastal scents.
  2. Annual cottage weekends and family visits in Sault Ste. Marie.  Rosie loves spending time catching sun rays in my father’s backyard, hanging out with my 3-year-old niece, and exploring the endless trails of Northern Ontario.
  3. Swimming!  The biggest development of 2023 by far.  Rosie has always loved fetching sticks along the beaches of Lake Ontario but never had the courage to proceed to any depths where she would have to leave her feet.  I wasn’t sure if it was a physical limitation or a mental block, but she would get very flustered and felt helpless when a stick floated beyond her reach. That all changed this spring.  There was one stick in particular that she was very passionate about.  It wasn’t pretty, but she wasn’t giving up, and ultimately left her feet to paddle no more than 2 feet to the stick.  2 months later, and after a lot of practice, she is a very capable swimmer and can cover any distance necessary to reach her target.   It’s her favourite activity in the world.  There are times I get concerned she’ll try to swim across to the US.  Needless to say, I’m extremely proud of her.  It’s just heart-warming for me to witness her continuously step out of her comfort zone and embrace life!
  4. Time with Family & Friends –  Rosie has burrowed her way into the hearts of all of my close family members.  She is considered a grandchild to my mother and father.  She is adored and treated like royalty whenever we visit.  My father likes to write poems in her honour, and there is always an annual summary to celebrate her birthday.  She is also incredibly popular with all my friends, and the vast majority of our social outings need to be dog-friendly so that Rosie can tag along.

I should also mention that her best dog friend is Levy, a dog that my friends Heather and Jeff Charlesworth adopted from Toronto Humane Society in February 2022.  He is also a massive success story.

I owe so much gratitude to Toronto Humane Society for connecting me and Rosie. Cliche, but I really can’t imagine my life without her.  This little (big) diva is my entire world!


If you would like to share your Happy Tail on our website and social media, please send us a photo and story at happytails@torontohumanesociety.com.