I have been forever proud of my daughter, Rochelle, and that pride grows the more I observe her as a mother of two small children and caregiver to her many pets.
Rochelle's husband works in the arctic north and is gone weeks at a stretch. They live on a hobby farm that includes livestock and five dogs. She has rescued animals from abusive situations since she was a young girl and has become educated in the art of nurturing these creatures back to health through sheer hands-on experiences.
Two years ago, Rochelle rescued a Bernese Mountain dog who had been living in a kennel too small for her 80-pound body. The dog had zero knowledge of boundaries, boundless energy and was not the sharpest tool in the shed. But she was one of the happiest dogs you could ever meet. She loved everyone and showed it with kisses that were not necessarily welcomed. My grandson adopted her as 'his' dog and named her "Charrrrrrlie."Although she weighed 80 pounds, she was still a puppy and had 'accidents.' One time she had to pee and not making it to the front door in time, she peed in the kitchen while shaking her large frame shooting pee across the room and spraying everyone and everything within close vicinity.
At the time she was also in heat and couldn't be left outside without supervision. Because she was in heat, Rochelle put a pair of men's underwear on her. She tied Charlie up to the bedpost while cleaning the mess only to turn around to find her standing there with her leash in her mouth. She had gnawed through it in the course of a few minutes. The underwear was twisted around her ankles. You couldn't help but love this hilarious dog. She's the one in diapers below: