perfection not required

So, for those of you who haven't seen me coughing up a lung recently, I've been super sick for over 2 weeks now with a nasty upper respiratory infection that is apparently going around.  Last week, it got even worse and I was so sick I couldn't speak without coughing, along with other cold symptoms, like sore throat, achy, and unable to really think straight.  I did not go to work Wednesday or Thursday, and went to work for a solid 45 minutes before being sent home on Friday.  While I really hated using half my sick days in one week, it did give me ample time to snuggle on the couch and in bed with my #1 black and tan wild child, which was heaven for both of us.  While laying on the couch (between episodes of my 3 day long Doctor Who marathon) I thought a lot about what a good dog Sienna is, and how she is worth all the effort, money, and training I did in the past year, and continue to do now.

She was so bad before we sent her to get training that I nearly sent her back to the rescue.  The main reason I didn't was because I didn't want her to go back to that god-awful compound where they wouldn't work on her problems, and wouldn't work the find the cause of her allergies (which I didn't know the root of at that time).  Sidenote - the allergies are under control, and she is earning her keep through a trial at NCSU CVM - I'm about to get 6 months free food and $200 credit to the vet school thanks to her.  Basically she was in a study to test 2 new foods for dogs that are allergic to chicken, but not allergic to corn, and if they did not cause the allergies to flame up, I get the above benefits.  She was a super star and did not itch at all, and gave us more opportunities to see our fave vet Petra over in dermotology at State.  I really cannot sing their praises enough because everything they've told me has been spot on, has worked, and I really do adore Sienna's vet there.

I think now, how not sending her back was one of the best decisions I've ever made.  She is an AMAZING dog - brave, sweet, extremely intelligent, loves people, funny.  She acts like such a puppy some days; she makes me laugh.  The list goes on and on.  Her only issue is the dog aggression, which continues to pose minor inconveniences because it requires monitoring her at all times when she's out and about, but even then, it's just until she introduces herself to the other dog, and then she's good (and wants to play!).

I guess the moral of this story is that in the past year (one year on March 22!!) Sienna taught me that some things are worth working for. They are not always cheap.  They do not have an instant fix.  And when they are fixed, you have to work to make sure things stay stable so they do not fall back into a state of disrepair.  Who would've thought a little black dog would've taught me such an important life lesson?  Its a great one to know, and I for one am thankful that Sienna did not give up on me.