Nikki's Story

I love how my pets all find me. Even if it's not a rescue situation (like Mike, the cat), they all still have such great stories.

I have a best friend named Mimi (mentioned here numerous times) that lives in Orlando and has a dog named Naya that LOOKS and ACTS just like Max. She had some pics posted on her Facebook and low and behold, they did look like they could be siblings. I even got to meet Naya back in June when we were at Disney World. (that's a story for later and it's a doozy.)

As you all know, I did a post on Max's friend Foxey who got hit by a car. I was telling Mimi all about it and how depressed Max was and how much he cherished having a companion and someone to play with every day.

I mentioned how I had put in a phone call to my vet to let them know that I was on the lookout for a new dog and she said something to the effect of "I bet Max and Naya (that was her name before we got her) would love each other" and I agreed but thought nothing of it at that moment.

A little while later, she asked if I wanted Naya because she was going to have to give her up because her house was too small for Naya and that Naya really needed to be somewhere where she had space to run and play and live.

I thought she was joking.

Seriously, I thought she was joking.

But she was dead serious.

However, due to my smallish car and lack of finances to rent a car, there was no way I could meet her halfway to pick Naya up.

So......she offered to drive all the way from her house in Orlando to mine! It's a 12 freaking hour drive! Each way! And, she had just driven to and from Arizona on a vacation with her boys!

Talk about friendship!

So, the plan was set for her and her mom and Naya to drive up from Orlando on Saturday, stay for dinner and some visiting, go to their hotel room to stay the night and leave the next day as Mimi had to be back at work on Monday. (and yes, I offered to put them up for the night but she said her mom would be more comfortable in a hotel)

I could NOT believe that she was willing to do this for me (and for Max).

Of course, she said it was because she knew Naya would be going to a good home, but still........that's a true sign of friendship right there.

Anyway, Naya settled in quite nicely with our little family. She's endlessly fascinated by the cats and tolerates Max's, uh, how do I say this.....sexual advances. Yes, even though they're both fixed, Max still tried to prove how much of a man he is any chance he gets. However, I keep telling him that he needs to read some instruction manual because last time I checked, her, uh, "love center" was not located near her shoulder or in the middle of her back.

Yeah, Don Juan he's not.

Anyway, Mimi had told me that since she had only had Naya for about 6 months, she still wasn't responding 100% of the time to her name and if we wanted to change it we could.

I liked the name Naya but Maggie wanted to change it. She wanted something that went with Max a little better and we came up with the name Nikki.

It seems to fit her.




Here's Max and Nikki in the yard. She how much bigger she is? She's probably just over 50 lbs. Max is around 26 or so.

Here they are in my car window Wednesday morning when I was seeing LOML off to the bus. I love how Max is trying to keep up with Nikki.

Here's a short vid of them playing in the yard yesterday afternoon. This is for Pseudo at her request!

Later,

Mama Dawg (boy, I'm sure living up to that name these days!)