There’s whiskey in the house… but we’re not talking barrel aged 80-proof! Whiskey is a senior Pomeranian who, despite his diminutive stature, makes sure that everyone knows he’s on the scene with a calculated combination of high decibel noise and a tornado of affection, all delivered with a smile. Whiskey came to The Lily Pond due to his age and medical challenges: he is diabetic and has lost most of his eyesight. He was the beloved pet of a senior lady for many years. Upon her passing, the family sought a home for Whiskey that could properly care for his medical needs with twice daily injections of insulin and a special diet. We were happy to welcome this bundle of floof who immediately appointed himself King of the Castle and stole our hearts.
Our little Shih Tzu pup Happy was especially delighted to have a new friend of similar size who he could relate to at eye level, instead of gazing into the knee caps of Dolly and Elsa. The two “littles” are a team whose interactions with each other bring to mind a state of barely controlled chaos. Whiskey is blind, and although he has figured out the lay of the land, he still sometimes bonks into the wall. Happy can see perfectly well, but his neurological issues cause him to veer from right to left, lose his balance, and bonk into walls. Happy has been known, when returning from outside to do his business, to completely miscalculate the open door and bonk into the side of the house. So the result, when walking from room to room in our home, is the distinct impression of living within a pin ball game machine accompanied by two floof balls constantly crashing into one’s ankles, each other, and then ricocheting back again off the walls.
Whiskey’s favorite activities are knocking the cushions off the couch and chewing on any available paper. This includes Kleenex, toilet paper, that lovely birthday card from a friend, as well as important tax documents. No paper is safe from the ferocious mandibles of this tiny ball of fluff. And did we mention stairs? Whiskey loves to climb stairs. The problem is that he cannot see well enough to go back down them. Now Happy, who must always follow his new friend, cannot climb stairs due to his neurological issues. Furthermore, his method of going down them is to simply launch himself into the air and hurtle through space. We are careful to monitor Happy around stairs! What all this means is that we have found a new purpose in life as an elevator shuttling two dogs up and down the stairs all day long.
Whiskey has also proved to be a helpful watch dog, sounding the alarm at would-be burglars, squirrels outside the window, delivery trucks, the person with whom you are talking on the phone, etc.. As previously mentioned, this dog has a robust set of pipes and can howl like a trained opera singer, with audible intakes of breath as he works up to the proper volume and pitch. Of course, the most he might do to stop a burglar would be to get underfoot and cause him to trip. But that is beside the point! Whiskey does his watch-dog job well!
Does this bundle of cuteness tug at your heart strings?
Please consider a monthly donation in any amount to support Whiskey’s medical care! Sponsorship is tax deductible and sponsors receive updates and a gift.
Thank You!
