She bit me! However, let me provide the full story as it wasn’t her fault or mine. I had only briefly met her once at the shelter before deciding to adopt her. She was a Chihuahua, believed to be around 12 years old, and her previous owner had passed away. Afterward, she spent about six months with a friend of her original owner until they also passed away. Then she had another temporary home before being taken to the shelter by her last owner, who didn’t provide proper care for her.

The shelter noticed a mass on her side, so she underwent surgery at their vet clinic to have it removed. I was supposed to pick her up from the vet and bring her home for recovery. This led to an uncomfortable situation as she was groggy, in pain, and understandably scared. She didn’t really know me at all since our brief meeting in the shelter had been several days ago. She had been through a lot, and when I tried to help her out of the carrier, she unexpectedly bit my hand. The two punctures bled, reminding me that I needed to update my tetanus vaccination. I settled her in a comfortable crate and hurriedly went to my doctor’s office before they closed for the day. It was a rough start for us.

Things got even more challenging before they improved. For instance, she was hesitant to relieve herself in my unfamiliar yard, even when my other dog, a mellow elderly male, demonstrated. It was an awkward period, but every day became a little easier. After that initial incident, she never attempted to bite again. It was fear, pain, and confusion that drove her in that moment. She got to know me and my other dog, understanding that she was safe and loved, and that our yard was her space too.

Once she had healed enough to explore the entire fenced back yard, her expression mirrored that of a child at Disneyland, exclaiming, “This is really MY yard!? Wow!” She would dart off, exploring all the scents, and it was evident that she felt better and far from the elderly dog she was believed to be. However, another surprise awaited us: she went into heat! It turned out the Humane Society had made a mistake by trusting the person who brought her to the shelter, claiming she had been spayed when she wasn’t. While my male dog was neutered, convincing him of that fact was impossible. Due to increased medical risks, I chose to wait to spay her until she was out of heat. Those were the longest 3 1/2 weeks of my life. (Fortunately, the shelter provided a voucher to cover the cost of her spaying at the vet.)

Eventually, we overcame that challenge too. Why am I sharing all of this? Because despite the initial difficulties, she was worth every inconvenience that came with adopting her. She is one of the most personable dogs I’ve ever known. She’s intelligent, silly at times, affectionate, cuddly, and a watchful and protective companion. Moreover, she gets along well with my other dog. So, don’t let initial challenges discourage you from adopting a dog. When I reflect on how incredibly fortunate I am to have found this little gem at just the right time, and how easily I could have missed out on her, I’m filled with gratitude for having her in my life. She may be the oldest dog I’ve ever adopted, but given that my other dog is over 16 years old, I didn’t want a young dog. I wanted one that would fit in, and I couldn’t have found a better dog for me, regardless of price or source. By the way, the only Chihuahua I had known before her belonged to a relative who encouraged obnoxious behavior like constant yapping, but I kept an open mind. I’m so glad I did because this one is completely different and brings immense joy to my life.