Sunday, March 18th, 2012 marked the 2nd anniversary of my feisty little Toto leaving for the Rainbow Bridge. I choose not to remember the last year of her life – a sad time watching her decline and then that final day seeing the emotional and physical pain in her eyes. Instead, I want to call to mind the time I brought her home that March day, 18 years ago.
I found her at the Central Bus Station in Jerusalem, Israel. Some young boys were teasing her and I asked them who this tiny creature belonged to. “Not us” was the answer. No one claimed her so I decided to take her out of harm’s way to my home and my life.
A neighbor was interested in adopting a dog, so I brought this little pup to her. But after a night spent listening to her cry, the neighbor decided she was not a dog person. So Toto found her forever home with me. The name Toto fit her perfectly as she looked so much like Dorothy’s Toto in the Wizard of Oz.
My GSD, Samantha, took to her immediately and they became fast friends. Sammy was the only dog Toto ever befriended.
Totes, as I called her affectionately was a lap dog and followed me everywhere. I never trained her to walk properly much to my regret as I soon learned that even little dogs are strong enough to pull.
