Bones

There are some not-so-pleasant aspects of living in the country, and one of those is that there are people who just dump puppies out here. This little guy showed up the other day with his skin stretched over his gaunt ribcage, and his bony hipbones sticking out. He had a wound on his ear and he was timid towards all the bigger people in our house.I said he was a bag of bones, and the name "Bones" stuck.

Bones and Beth had an immediate bonding. She talked to him and petted him and sang to him as he wolfed down a big pile of our other dogs' food. He plumped his little belly out so far that he waddled around looking pregnant for a few days.

His timid side is diminishing, and he is bouncing around the property now as if he has always been here. When he sees or hears Beth he comes flying to get some of her adoring attention.

She never fails to comply. In fact, the first thing she wants to do after school everyday is spend time with Bones, jabbering away as he soaks up all the love she has to offer.

He might have had a rough start, but if this isn't the look of a now very happy little dog, then I don't know what is.