TGIF, Pet Lovers! It’s (finally) Friday, and you know what that means – it’s time to Meet a Pet Lover. This week, I am pleased to introduce Cristina Del Bueno and her lab puppy, Thora.
You may recognize Cristina from her blog Home Slice, where she shares her thoughts “on motherhood, owning a business & courting insanity.” You can read her post about Thora’s homecoming here (warning: be prepared to tear up a little at her daughters’ remarks about losing a pet and learning to love a new one).
Pet’s name/age: Thora, around 2 years old
How did Thora come to live with you? After our 15 year old dog Delilah passed away in July of 2009, we visited the Richmond SPCA for some dog love. The girls fell in love with Thora, and she came home with us that day.
Does Thora have a nickname? Yes, unfortunately. It’s Thora the Destroyer. Or the Thoranator 3000. She’s a puppy, and a lab, so the nicknames fit.
Does anyone (including yourself) have an awesome trick? Heh. No. But she’s learning to finally sit and stay; it’s been a process. Actually, she does have a trick. She can eat a bowl of dog food in less than 5 seconds, swallowing it whole.
What’s the best thing about having a rescue dog? She’s the second rescue dog I’ve had, and both times, it’s like they’ve known they have a second lease on life. She loves with extreme passion and nothing makes her happier than being with us. Because she came into my life during a divorce and a lot of sadness, we’re probably over-bonded, but we both ended up rescuing each other.
Do you know anything about Thora’s life before she ended up at the Richmond SPCA? I don’t, unfortunately. I know that she was picked up as a stray in Chesterfield County. I have worked with both the SPCA on obedience and other issues – it is obvious that she suffers from a severe case of separation anxiety. She also cannot stand being crated (one of my favorite Thora-isms comes from our first attempt at crating – using a steel crate. She chewed her way out of it, breaking a canine in the process). We don’t know if this is from the trauma of being separated from her family or something that happened before then. She is also incredibly excited about her food though she wasn’t underweight when we got her. It’s possible she’s just a typical Labrador – meaning she’s ½ piglet.
Where are other Pet Lovers most likely to spot you and the gang (cafe, dog park, etc.)? I run a lot, and Thora is usually with me.
What do your pets know about you that no one else does? That would be giving away all my secrets. She would probably tell you I snored very loudly.
What is your “can’t live without it” pet product? Two things – the Furminator, because she sheds like a maniac and it helps cut down on excess hair, and her harness, which enables me to run without her dragging me into traffic after a squirrel/other dog/leaf/food.
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