Throw Back Thursday: Mama & Coco Napping Soundly

This photo was taken several weeks after we adopted our sweet Coco bug back in late summer of 2012. He was so sick. Slightly underweight. A bacterial infection in both ears. A severe case of Giardia. The onset of Sarcoptic Mange. He was on quite a few medications and a prescription shampoo.

What ripped my heart out was his emotional state. While I won't disclose where we adopted him from, what I will say is that Coco was a mess both physically and emotionally. His medical issues were not taken care of. Why? My best guess is that he had been adopted out twice and brought back shortly after. At this point, the "owners" probably thought, "Why waste the money on a dog that isn't adoptable?"

My blood still boils.

Anyway.

Lisa and I cancelled plans and a commitment we had made. While that didn't end on the most positive note, our focus was Coco. Our state-of-mind was (and still is), "He's our son. Whatever it takes. We will swim oceans and climb the highest of mountains."

The biggest issues Coco had, aside from his health, was...

1. He didn't eat store-bought food. This had everything to do with the situation he was rescued from. Long story short, he was rescued when he was about a year old. He spent the first year of his life, in a basement, confined to a crate. Based on his eating habits, he was more than likely fed table scraps the first year of his life.

2. He feared car rides. When you're adopted out twice, and brought back to a not-so-great facility, well, it's not difficult to understand this fear. Coco feared we were bringing him back. It took a long time for him to realize we were not bringing him back.

3. Coco had a difficult time relaxing. He would lounge on the sofa, bed and chair and fall asleep, however, with the slightest of noises, he'd be on high alert. Pace. It took Coco a long time to settle back down. After a few months, he exhaled. He slept soundly. Coco knew he was safe and didn't have to be on high alert all the time.

This photo speaks a thousand words. Lisa and Coco asleep on the sofa. Napping. Soundly. What stood out was that I went into the other room to fetch my camera and positioned myself on the sofa to take this photo. Coco didn't budge.

Coco. Didn't. Budge.

A monumental moment and definitely worthy of sharing for a sweet Throw Back Thursday post.