This is the face that launched a new love. When Sky died Patty encouraged me to get a new dog right away. I was not too sure but it did hurt to be alone again so I registered with the Adopt A Pet. site and started to get pictures of dogs that were up for adoption. Patty brought me a couple sites also and within a few days I found one that needed a home because the owners were having health problems. Odie was a cute dog but looked nothing like Sky but I connected with him because we were both looking for someone to sit and be with. I contacted the rescue center and they contacted the owners and then I waited, and waited it could take up to two weeks for them to get back to me so I waited. Then one day the Adopt A Pet had that picture sent to me to see if I still wanted a dog and said this one looked like just what I wanted. He was 4 years old and in good health, a pure bred Chihuahua. I took one look and saw Sky looking back at me with those sad eyes asking me to take him home. He was much smaller than Sky and loved to sleep on your lap, just what I needed right now. I promised him I would not try and make him into another Sky, I would not compare them, I would just let Otis be Otis and I called to see if he were still available. They said yes, when did I want to come see him. The Rescue center was up in Palm Bay, they had no center all their dogs were cared for by Foster Parents so I had to get Becca to take after work one day and they had to be home and ready for me to adopt him. This was on Saturday, I spoke to Becca right then and she said she could take me on Sunday so we sealed the bargain right there. Susan then called the foster mother, Heather and told her not to adopt out Otis because I wanted him and she felt from our interview I would be a perfect match for him and I would pick him up on Sunday. Susan called me with the OK and gave me Heather’s number to set up a time convenient to us both and then I waited again. Ohly over night but it was a long night and at noon on Sunday we were on our way.
After I called two other people called wanting to adopt Otis but were told he was gone. One wanted him so badly she came to the home just hoping when I saw him I would change my mind. She got there before me even but when Igot there I saw this one little black dog standing in the middle of all these other cute little dogs that were showing off for the 6 or 8 people that were there to adopt a dog. They were all showing off how cute they were, how much they liked to play and doing everything to get your attention but this one little black dog just stood there trying hard not to get knocked over and I said, “This must be Otis”. Susan laughter and said yes, the others never played with Otis, he didn’t seem to know how and usually just got out of the way. She picked him up and put him in my lap, he curled up and went to sleep. He stayed right there asleep the whole hour I was there. He was mine and liked it. The other woman was so disappointed but said she could see he was meant to be with me so she picked out one of the others. Each of the other dogs came up on the couch either beside me or on the back and looked over my should. They would look at Otis and sniff him then look at me as if to say,”You can’t like him, I’m much cuter.” But I told each one, no I had my dog, sorry I want Otis.” And then they would go to someone else to try and get them to be their forever Mom. We got all the adoption papers signed the the adoption fee paid so they could rescue other dogs that needed it and Otis and I were on our way home. He is nothing like Sky, he found his way into my heart all on his own. At first he was very shy around the rest of the family but they were great and gave him the time he needed to get used to them and to stop missing all the other dogs he was used to at Heathers, most of the time he was glad to be without the others but there were times when he would be out in the back yard he would go looking for them.
This is how he spent most days. The kids would come and pat him but had to keep their face away from Otis, that scared him. He even jumped sometimes when he would look up and see me. He knew me by my smell but he was always surprised when he connected a face with the warm lap he was sleeping on.
Slowly he let the kids pat him from the front as long as they were not too close and didn’t move too fast. When they wanted to play they went into the other room or out side so as not to scare Otis and slowly he began to except the kids as long as they didn’t get too close. They did such a wonderful job letting Otis adjust to this family. It isn’t every set of 7 year old twin boys that would give a dog as much space in their homes as they have.
Otis had his first trip to the vet just to get introduced and checked. That went great and now we are working on his walking with a leash. He does not like someone walking beside him so most of the time just waits for you to leave before he will walk but he is learning I am not going anywhere and neither is he unless he will walk with me. HE likes being free in the back yard but I cannot let him be free in the front yard as there is no fence to keep him out of a very busy road. He is learning and soon we will be able to go to the park for a walk.
Then one day this appeared in his world.
His name is Bullet, he is a pit bull, young but very gentle. He has been raised with two baby kittens and the mother cat so he knows about small animals and is very careful not to be rough with them. Otis didn’t want anything to do with him. Otis was scared to death. Otis knew at Heather’s house when those young small dogs got playing they would roll all over him and he had to run in the corner to get away from them and he was taking no chances with that big thing. Otis stayed right in my lap. As I told you Otis does not like any one or any thing coming up to him face to face. I can’t even kiss Otis on the cheek as I did Sky, I have to kiss him on the back of the head. Well Bullet came bouncing over to us after he got used to the house and come onto Otis face to face before I could stop him and Otis bit him in the nose. Poor Bullet sat back and looked as much as to say, “What did I do wrong?”. He looked at Otis and then backed away. Otis felt like King of The Hill. He felt he had put that big brut in his place and when it came to supper time and George gave Bullet a whole can of dog food Otis decided that looked too good to pass up so jumped down and went over to take the food away from Bullet, being the gentle dog he is he back away to let Otis have his supper. I grabbed Otis and scolded him lightly and left Bullet to eat his supper in peace. Otis felt great and when they had finished their individual supper the two dogs went outside together and have become the best of friends. Bullet is as gentle with Otis as a kitten and lets Otis think he is boss of the house. Otis in turn just follows Bullet around until he starts to play with the kids and then Otis comes back to my lap and just watches. Here are the best friends in the kitchen looking for hand outs as Patty and I were making supper. There is never a dispute over food that gets dropped. w<imgsrc="https://oumapetts.files.wordpress.com/2018/12/48367915_2412697828771255_8907905477782798336_n.jpg&quot; If it is tossed to Bullet he catches it before it ever gets near Otis and if it is tossed to Otis Bullet never makes a pass at it.
Bullet was here two days in a row. Otis stayed awake all day just watching or following Bullet and they both ate everything in sight. So yesterday. Bullet didn’t come and I could not keep Otis awake, he would not eat or drink. He wanted nothing but to sleep. At first I was afraid he was sick because of all he had eaten the last two days. Then I thought it was more than that as the day went on and Otis couldn’t keep his eyes open. Finally about 7 Bullet came to visit and Otis perked right up. He was just tired. This time he did a lot of just watching as Bullet and the kids played but he was his old self again. He went to bed happy knowing Bullet would come back every now an again as his owner and Becca are dating and Bullet is part of the package.
Now Otis eats just his own food with very little did bits tossed to him and he doesn’t mind. He no longer has to try and keep up with Bulle eating, he just likes to be around Bullet. And is happy even when Bullet is not around knowing he will Come back some time.

We had pulled pork and the bone that was left when the pork all fell off the bone was in two piece, one big one and one little one so Otis got his first bone to chew. Bullet went right through his and ate it almost all up. Becca had to watch him so if he chewed off a piece of bone he didn’t just swallow it, He is so gentle she could just reach down and take a piece of the bone away and never touch her. George has trained him well, he knows if he does not let you take a piece, or something he should not have he will lose it all. Otis chewed on his for a while, never made a dent in the bone and there was nothing on the bone to take off so he lost interest soon and we took the bone away because we didn’t want Bullet to get it, he would have brake it up too quickly and just swallow large pieces.
Today Bullet’s at his house and Otis is beside me asleep as I write this, he never goes far away from me. He wants to be touching me and I like it that way so we are both very happy. I hope everyone can find a friend as I have.