Gotta barkday here

HAPPY BARKDAY to MY QUEEN and DIVA SHASTA!

(starting before she was born)

In 2005 Shiloh began proving himself to be the wonderful therapy dog I knew he could be when we began visiting a nursing home and a hospice on a regular basis – it was his personality and overall beauty (ok, I’m his mom so maybe I’m a little biased here) that led me to the decision that if his runt sister had another litter that was healthy, I wanted one of the little female pups. Tess, Shiloh’s sister who was a runt, had already had one litter that was totally healthy and it did not harm her in any way. I notified the breeder however she was not really planning on breeding Tess again. I will never know for sure if it was my decision or not that swayed her mind but lucky for me, Shasta was born on October 8th of 2006. 

 There were two little females in the litter and the breeder had already promised one of them to her sister although didn’t say which one and because I made my choice first, Shasta would be coming home with me-

(This is one of my most fav pics of Shasta at any age)

 Shasta did come home  with me, the Sunday after Thanksgiving, 2006.  She was an early birthday (12/5) present to myself - one of the best.

Part of my dream and intent when I decided I wanted another Beagle that was related to Shiloh, was to make her my 2nd therapy dog like him. However, please don’t think for one second that if Shasta had not achieved this that she would no longer be wanted around here – nothing could be further from the truth. Anyway, she did finally pass her therapy dog evaluation last fall (just 4 days shy of her 3rd birthday) but because of different things in my life going on, it was not until mid January of this year when she finally got her ID badge 

(we could have visited without it – I have the acceptance letter) but I sometimes have this thing about looking official. Then because of my long and drawn out problems with my vision and then getting back to work, she has yet to visit - a situation that will be corrected this Monday, 10/11/10 since it is a holiday for me (Columbus Day - Federal employee).

There was another reason I decided  I wanted another dog.  Shiloh had grown up with another dog - my Angel Oreo at the Rainbow Bridge.  He was still going pretty strong when I brought Shasta home but I knew his time with me 

would not be much longer - finally on 2/3/07 I made that most difficult decision.  As I said, Shiloh grew up around Angel Oreo - they had become best buds despite the obvious size difference and age difference.  Shiloh needed the companionship of another dog and I had grown to love having two dogs in the house.  And I talked to many Beagle owners online who owned multiple Beagles  and told me that there was no end to the fun (and challenges) 

of owning more than just 1.

When Shasta and Shiloh were out in the yard a few days after she came home

I should have known from this picture of all the hilarity to come-

She still will not back off from him much - she even tried to claim a treat from him on her first Christmas Day - not a smart move-

this is a tag a friend made from the picture I took AFTER 

Shasta had to go to the vet for a stitch on Christmas Day-

she quickly learned not to try to take food from Shiloh.

(The bite  did not go through her ear but 

it was oozing just enuf to need a stitch)

Ok I gotta do something here - please induldge me a little on this trip down memory lane - haven't seen these pics lately-

Shasta sez "I wanna be just like my big bro"

She was a stubborn little pup

This was taken before the ear 

 nipping.

And she hasn't changed much since-

You mite want to bigefy these pictures

so you can get a better view of how selfish (I'm trying to think of a kinder word to use) my little self-proclaimed queen and diva girl she 

can be.  She will not let Shiloh have a toy - maybe she can't forget what he did on that first Christmas and this is her way of pay back.  If he starts sniffing at or chewing on a stuffy then she pounces on him and takes the toy away.

Anyway, that's enuf of my trip down memory lane - at least for awhile.  

I just wanted to tell my sweet little Shasta-

these first 4 years of you being here have been wonderful and 

I wouldn't have missed them for anything.

I am so looking forward to the next four and beyond-

I wonder what they will bring?

This is one of my most favorite tags that someone made for me for 

Shasta's first barkday.  While she has gotten a few gray hairs around her eyes, the adult Shasta hasn't changed much since then.

Shasta will always be my "perpetual puppy"

that's her personality.