Sweet Serena

I didn't sleep well Saturday night and wasn't feeling great Sunday morning. I knew that the best thing for me would be a walk, but I wasn't up to wrangling two dogs, or even one dog who might be difficult. Normally that would indicate taking Maya alone, but she's got a sore foot right now so I didn't think it would be good for her. I took Serena alone instead and we had a very nice walk that made us both feel better.

The night that Serena came to us from the former owner, she was very scared and rather growly, but you could tell even then that that wasn't the dog she really was or wanted to be. It took her a few days to settle in, but then the real Sweet Serena emerged from the fear and uncertainty. Too often we expect dogs to adapt, adjust, and love us immediately. In fact, so many of them do that we often forget that it's really an unrealistic expectation.

Serena was the perfect dog for the way I was feeling both physically and emotionally today. She's very happy and excited but she doesn't pull and make it difficult on me -- quite the opposite in fact. When there's another dog with us, Serena is always out front, but when it's just the two of us, she's most likely to be walking right next to me with her shoulder pressed against my left hip and her head in my hand. It's the walking lean, combining several things she loves: the walk, the lean, and having my hand on her head.

Serena has what horse people call "a kind eye"
and you can see it very well in these pictures.