Save the Best for Last- Anise (Khaleesi)

By: Alicia S.

In early July, I picked up Anise (Khaleesi) from what she had known as a home for the previous month and brought her home with me (as my foster puppy). Her family had decided that a puppy did not fit into their schedule and they wanted her to go to a home that would appreciate the adorable and active girl she is. Khaleesi immediately made friends with her foster brother, Murphy and began pulling on my heart strings. I was told that she had been having difficulty picking up on house training, but she did not have a single accident in the house. She was great in her kennel and was a real snuggle bug. After about a week, she was trustworthy out of the kennel at night, and would sleep on her doggy bed beside my bed all night. In the morning she would wake me up with puppy kisses. I knew that I could not foster her indefinitely, as I was about to start grad school and before hand, we were doing major renovations to her house and I had a trip planned. Khaleesi had me considering dropping everything in order to adopt her. She fit into my family so well! Unfortunately, the timing just wasn’t right.

She went to another foster home for a few weeks and I could not understand why she hadn’t been adopted yet! She was after all, the sweetest and smartest little thing. Khaleesi came back to my house for a few more days before she went to her permanent foster home. I was heartbroken that she hadn’t found her family before I started school.

Cummins (Khaleesi) with her forever family.

Less than a week later, I picked up Khaleesi to take her to an adoption fair. She had recently been featured as the last of her litter in a “Save the Best For Last” Campaign through Manitoba Mutts. I knew that she would finally find her family. After a few nice families came and went with 8 week-old blonde puppies, I feared that there was little hope for my 5-month old, black beauty. Half way through the fair, a nice young man and his mother approached Khaleesi and I, and began to ask about her. Khaleesi was very smitten with both of them, but they needed to make sure they were making the right decision before taking her home. They had decided they would give it a few days, and once they were sure they would contact Manitoba Mutts. As the fair began to wrap up, Mother and Son came back, both smiling from ear to ear. They had discussed it, and could not chance Khaleesi going home with anyone else. They bought Khaleesi a new bed and everything else a puppy needs and were ready to take her home. As I handed over the leash, she happily followed her new family to their car. It was bittersweet for me when she didn’t even look back. Finally, she was home. Khaleesi, now Cummins, has a wonderful new family and I’m pretty sure she’d agree that it was well worth the wait!