CHANGES...HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, TANNER

Saturday, April 13, was Tanner's four-year anniversary with us and we wanted to share it with you. It feels like only yesterday that we brought him home from the Agoura Hills (L.A. County) shelter, an underweight, over-anxious creature that panicked at the slightest noise or movement.  from GIMME SHELTER: "Watching him bounce along on our walks, it’s hard to recall the skittish rescue dog that used to slink behind me, head hung low, bracing for the danger that loomed at every turn; the malnourished stray that ate in fits and starts, stopping constantly to check for unseen assailants. Now he gobbles down his food without a glance. Then he runs to fetch his toys, kicking off each day with affection and exercise instead of threats and abuse. He has grown buff from all that exercise, packing on ten pounds of rippling muscle. He prances proudly, eager to demonstrate his tricks for anyone willing to fork over a treat, or two. Sorry, Tony. He used to pull and strain to greet other dogs. Now he sits patiently (okay, not all that patiently, especially with puppies), until we signal that it’s okay to play, which he does with a gusto and good nature that never cease to amaze me. The homeless dog that slept on the street or, when he was lucky, on a tattered shelter pad, now bunks down in one of three comfy beds, nestled in plush blankets. 

Tanner, 4 years later