Photo taken 5 years ago by Cutie’s wonderful foster mama Angie.

How about putting a little love in your heart today?

I’ve got a treat for you–a selection of adorable photos of our two little loves, Cutie and Benji. Come along to this doggie love-in!

Love is love!

We adopted these darling dogs in 2018, when the top photo was taken. They were senior rescues turned into the shelter by owners who were moving (!) and they were a hot mess. They had not been treated kindly, nor had vet care. Surgeries, dental extractions all paid for by their rescue group and time with loving foster mamas gave them more solid footing. We fell in love with them.

We knew they were older and we would not have them a super-long time. But love is love, right? We treasure them. No regrets–they make us smile every day!

That’s Cutie on the left. She’s a 12-year old Maltese who thinks she’s a puppy. Full of personality and so smart! And of course, Hilarious. Benji is on the right, 15 years old and such a love bug. A total velcro dog, stuck to my side or Michael’s or his pet sitter’s.

Benji loves a good sleep. Now that he is mostly deaf, nothing disturbs him. So he sleeps in most days. His eyesight is failing, too, but everyone on Team Benji roots for him. More on that later.

What is it about doggie ears? See Benji’s photo and now hers. She looks like she’s going to take flight!

Even though he’s got a touch of doggie dementia, he is very decisive and stubborn about some things. But, just a love bug.

Cutie is a curious girl! A few years ago in our western NY home she injured her doggie ACL, called a CCL, in the dead of winter. She went into intensive physical therapy including underwater treadmill, and luckily, the rehab center was in our town of Webster, NY. (Remind me to tell you about Michael getting the car stuck in a snowbank in front of the center!)

When we got home to California, the nearest underwater treadmill therapy was 50 miles north. But one of my best girlfriends told me a vet tech near our California home ran a rehab by referral only in a private pool. Cutie’s vet knew about her, approved, and Cutie started swim therapy three times a week.

She healed well. Our vet told us that her injury meant she’d be more likely to re-injure that leg or the other, and that she would benefit from swimming regularly for “maintenance”. Now, she and her daddy go to Miss Connie’s pool once a week and she swims. And LOVES it! It’s her special time. And because of it, we see no sign of her old injury. She walks just fine now.

Benji also has special time–with his veterinary chiropracter, Dr. Deb, a key member of Team Benji. Benji’s back and hind legs are weak and she works with him weekly to keep him as stable as possible. At 15 we know he is getting up there and we want him to have the highest quality of life. And while he can get a bit squirmy in his sessions, he mostly tolerates me and Dr. Deb.

When the weather is good, our patio is a big draw. Cutie is a sun bunny and likes to ‘tan’. Benji enjoys a cushy bed in the sun. Or under our patio heater when the weather is cooler. When they first joined us the weren’t accustomed to being around people. Cutie has been known to take a nibble out of people. That was back in the day– but now they are a fixture at our regular patio get-togethers with friends.

My fun girl in a great shot taken by her petsitter.

Our old gentleman in a velcro position on my tummy.

Cutie is a Daddy’s girl. But she likes her alone time. We have a little cushiony bed behind the couch for her when she has had enough of us. She enjoys going back there for “me-time.”  (Not that every minute isn’t me-time for Cutie!)

Benji is Mama’s Boy. As you can see.

Looks like she’s tired of us, so we’ll say goodbye for now. Hope you enjoyed our puppy love-in!