He seemed very much like my white dogs of before.
With a raggedy coat, pointed ears and much more.
But the likeness soon ended to my friends gone away.
For he’d never known kindness or love in his day.

He didn’t know words, didn’t even know stairs.
His nose through his kennel was rubbed raw of hair.
Boredom was passed licking fur from his paws.
His overgrown feet harbored long, ragged claws.

He paced back and forth mostly all of each day.
Slept in a tight ball to keep cold nights away.
Wary of children and grown men alike —
Startling sounds made him cringe out of sight.

He was hungry and thin, I could feel every bone.
He stayed with me like glue, was afraid left alone.
He wolfed down his food in an uneasy rush.
He didn’t know combs and was scared of a brush.

But time has now passed since the dog came to stay,
From that cruel, lonely place on a hill far away.
This little white dog now seems mostly like them–
My former white terriers, my wonderful friends.

He now spends his time like before, by my side.
But something has changed – now he’s not there to hide.
With all of this good there is even much more–
He now plays with his toys and will ask for the door.

He eats with good manners, sleeps sound on my bed–
Stretched out there beside me as a happy dog should.
He loves his car outings and with a new spring,
Will explore all the pathways our daily walks bring.

I’m so happy to have him as he rests on my lap,
Or sleeps by my feet for his afternoon nap.
He never will know all the bad things again.
His life will be happy with me as his friend.

As good as it’s been for this dog to find me.
To learn love and to trust and from suffering be free.
I too have been blessed one more time from above,
With this little white dog to protect and to love.