HAPPY BIRTHDAY, STARLIGHT

 Starlight came to me in March of 2008.  She was 3 1/2 years old.

 Starlight had been kept in a windowless room (former garage) in a crate.  It was dark, she had cruddy food, and there was a urine soaked pillow in her crate. 

 She was only 10 pounds (she is now 11.3).  She had ruptured ear drums, her eyes needed attention, and she had a bladder infection.  She was a mess.

 She was afraid, but for some reason, she trusted me right away.   I think she knew we saved her.

 She was so cute, even with her cujo temperament.  I knew we would find her a home in no time.

 She did fine here with my gang.  This is my Cranberry, who is gone now, but she allowed Starlight to get on the bed with her.

 Starlight loved Matt right away.  She loved to help him read the morning paper.  She became such a Daddy's Girl!

 She absolutely loved the grandbits.  She was always really good with them. 

 My thought that she would be adopted quickly was wrong.  She is a beautiful, small Peke, BUT...

 She can be a "pill" as we say in our family.   She would not let anyone adopt her-- she became aggressive, ugly, barky, anything to get people to NOT want her.  She had already decided to stay.   I tried for a year to find her a home, and finally (I'm slow) realized she had already decided she wasn't going anywhere.   Shortly after we adopted her, she has a massive seizure.  We got her to the vet, and she was still seizing.  They immediately took her back and got the seizure stopped, but then it began again, and again...   She was in special care for three days and put on medication.   She has been on seizure meds over 8 1/2 years now and has done great.  We watch her meds carefully, she is monitored (with bloodwork) and continues to do well.  Seizures are in the top things that happen to Pekingese, and she has not had more seizures since then. 

 She is one of the prettiest Pekes I've ever seen-- small and mighty, too.   She has many on facebook who love her.    She still isn't great with strangers, but some have been able to break through this by sitting on the floor to let HER make friends with them. 

She turned 13 years old yesterday.  AND this year, she is our calendar cover girl!  I think I will have to frame this!   (I'll be doing a blog on ordering our calendars, which are now available.)   Happy Birthday, sweet girl!  We sure do love you!