Tanda had a great desire to be a mommy, she often nested with her toys and was extremely gentle around children and puppies. Unfortunately, due to medical reasons I had to have her spayed. A decision I've often regretted.
Our neighbors had had some bad luck with dogs but at least they were persistant. They got a little white puppy they named Paloma, which is spanish for Dove or popcorn. Either way the name was fitting since the puppy was this rolly polly little buttterball of fur. Being neigbors, we had made an agreement to watch each others houses when we knew the other was out.
One rainy day, I came home early from college. I had been up all night studying and decided to lay down on the couch to take a nap. It was comin down hard outside and Tanda kept going over to the window and coming over and poking me with her nose. Anybody who's had a dog can appreciate how disturbing it is to have a cold-wet nose stuck in your face when your eyes are closed. Eventually I got up and went over to the window to see what she was so upset about. There was little Paloma, out in the rain, chained to a fence with no cover to get out of the rain.
I looked at Tanda and her expression and tail clearly said "Help the puppy, pleeeease!!". I was NOT looking forward to going out in the driving rain after a dog but...
Several minutes later, a soaking puppy and I returned through the door much to Tanda's delight. I dried Paloma off as best I could and Tanda and the puppy curled up in the corner together and went fast asleep.
That afternoon, after the neighbors had come home, I took Paloma back over to their house. I explained that the lil thing was out in the rain and I took it to my house to keep it dry. She said she didn't realise it was going to rain when she put Paloma out that morning and that she had been worried all day. She said "but you didn't have to go out in the rain for my little dog." I said, "Yes I did because Tanda wouldn't leave me alone until that puppy was dry and warm..."
