“See you in a few.”
He had a little time before Griz and Calla showed up. Once back at the place where he was staying, he took the new dog inside and found a rope he could use as a leash, then took the dog outside.
Frog seemed to be there to keep the new dog in line by grumbling when the dog tried to pull at the leash or bite the leash. It was interesting to see how the puppy reacted to Frog. Maybe this would be a great thing because having a dog trained by Frog would be good.
The new dog peed, and Thario told her she was a good girl. Frog peed, too, and Thario praised him also, hoping the new dog would get the idea that she was supposed to pee outside.
While he waited for his friends to show up, he searched for a vet, recalling one of the names from a magnet he’d seen on the side of Elowen’s refrigerator.
He called the office and set up an appointment for his new dog. They could see them in the morning. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day.
A knock sounded at the door, and he opened it, making sure the pup didn't run out. He was glad his buddy was there to help him.
The new dog was hesitant at first, but then approached Calla and Griz, licking each of them. Having Frog around to show her the ropes probably helped.
“Wow, what a sweet dog. Where did you find her?” Calla asked.
"So this guy in a truck almost rear-ended me, but I avoided getting hit. He had some kind of medical emergency, and I heard where he lived, so I went over to deliver the news to his family, if anyone lived with him. But there was no one."
“So the dog,” Griz said.
Thario nodded. “Yes. And he can’t have her back. I found evidence that he’d chained up two other dogs and let them die. They hadn’t been dead for long, but this girl was still alive.”
“Shit,” Griz said.
“Exactly. I won’t give her back. The man killed two dogs in a horrible way. He can’t have her because I don’t want her to suffer the same fate.”
“Poor baby,” Calla said.
“Now I need to name her.”
Calla scratched the dog’s head as she stared at her. He liked how Calla turned her head to the side to study the dog.
“So you rescued her from a terrible situation. She needs a name that is hopeful.”
Thario nodded. “I like the name Hope. It’s short, succinct. A great name for a dog who has been through as much as she has.”
Calla turned to the dog and cupped her face. “Do you like the name Hope?”
The dog licked Calla, then barked. Thario appreciated the dog's response. She seemed to like them. Hope really liked Frog and Calla. That was good enough for him for now.
Thario reached down and scratched the dog’s head. “Okay, Hope, it’s time to get cleaned up.”
“I brought dog shampoo, and I can help you bathe her,” Griz said.
“Thank you. That would be great.”
They wrangled Hope into the shower. He was glad there was a sprayer in the shower that had a flexible hose long enough to get the spray right on Hope’s body.
She wasn’t in love with the idea of a bath, but she didn’t complain too much. They got her clean and got the fleas off her. That was enough for now.
After drying Hope, she ran around the room like a wild dog. Frog was excited, and Thario realized he was in for some in-depth training with Hope to get her to calm down enough to obey him. But she needed time, too. Frog had been older when they met. Hope was very young.
Griz headed to the pet store in town to pick up some supplies for the new dog. At least his new house had a backyard, and the dog would have room to run around.
Calla sat next to him on the small couch and took his hand. “That’s great that you rescued Hope.”
"I wish I had gotten there before the other two dogs died. I hate that they suffered."
