Our newest Rockstar Doggy Momma feature is Anita Paris! Anita is mommy to two doggies, Thelma and Louise. Read her story of how she became a Rockstar Doggy Momma!
Tell us the story of how you became a doggy momma! Did something in your life happen that influenced you to get your doggy? My beloved Scrappy passed away in July 2012. At that point, I told my husband, no more dogs! We can just do what we want and not worry about finding sitters, and my heart won’t break when they eventually pass away. I lasted 6 months. Christmas was so sad with no doggies to buy presents for, that in January I began the search. I came across Thelma’s picture and story; she was one of 31 abandoned dogs on a rural West Virginia road. I fell in love and told my husband, “This is our girl.”
Six months later, we decided to get Thelma a sister because she had so much energy and needed someone to play with. In March 2013, we moved back home to my husband’s childhood home so I could be a full-time caregiver for my in-laws; my father-in-law had terminal lung cancer and mother-in-law had dementia. There were days that my father-in-law would ask if hospice was coming and if I said no, he would holler, “Nurse Thelma!” and she would come running and hop up on the bed. When he passed away, she laid there with him until the funeral home came. Even after he was gone, she would not leave the bed.
As my mother-in-law’s dementia progressed, the dogs were a constant comfort for her, giving her kisses and snuggles. Louise is so tiny that my mother-in-law would hold her like a baby for hours.
What is the #1 thing you love about being a doggy momma? Their absolute, unconditional love for me. They know that I am their mama and that I love them and will keep them safe. There is nothing that I don’t love about being a doggy momma!
Let’s talk momma/doggy health! What do you do together to stay happy and healthy. We have a trail near our house and it is always nice to take them for walks. We also like to do 5k walks, even though at some point I end up carrying Louise.
What is the biggest gift you have experienced being a doggy momma? Just their love. There are days that I might not feel loved, but the minute they rest their head in your lap or give you a kiss, any worry or concern melts away.
What are your favorite health and/or pet products that you cannot live without? My girls love their Nature’s Recipe grain free food and any type of homemade cookies.
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Thank you, Anita! You truly are a Rockstar Doggy Momma!