Woof! Have noticed? It is getting a little chiller and I must paw up, I am yappy about this. I wuv the chiller weather; not only because my great, great, great grandparents were bred for colder weather, but I get to strut around either in my sweater or scarf. Oh yeah, watch me wiggle and strut. The only part I do not like, the skies leak and makes the ground wet. Yuck! I do not like to get my paws wet. Double yuck!

The other day, Mom had us out, of course yours truly leading the way. I saw this woman with a puppy coming our way, I knew this would be a pawfect time to show the new puppy how to sit and be still. As Mom was talking to the nice lady, I heard Mom tell her that we were special needs; the lady did not believe her, she said that we looked fine. Furiends first, of course I look fine; after all, I am the alpha of the Lhasa Apso’s and may add puporable too. Mom asked the lady, what did she consider to be a special need. I have to bark, I too wanted to ask that question; what does special need look like? Blind puppy like Betty Boop? A furiend with a wheelchair? Or, perhaps a senior pet? Arf! What about the furiend that is hurtin’ inside and doesn’t trust?
Furiends, what does special need mean to you? With my beloved sister Betty Boop, she was a special need little angel. When Mom would introduce her and say she is special need puppy, people didn’t believe her at first. Mom would explain that Betty Boop was blind, didn’t know how to walk a straight line; and, had neurological problems. Some still didn’t believe Mom, Betty Boop was able to look at anyone; furiends, it was almost as if she was able to see them, always smiling. Arf! This is one example of a medical special need. How about our furiends that roll around in a wheelchair? Like Betty, I bet your kibble they will bark to you, of course they are special, not different, simply beautiful and special to inspire those in need. Hmm, does that truly make them a special need? Or, if they are special and inspiring those in need, make them beautifully special for those in need?
Then, you have pets like Carla Mae (ok, myself and Mini Me too); look healthy, playing and running having a Grr8 time. How on kibble could anyone of us be a special need? In my book, I paw up about Carla Mae’s journey; Grrrr those clowns that did terrible things to her, no pawonder she lashes out. There it is furiends, Carla Mae lashes out when she feels threatened. Sad to say, it is almost everyday; Mom, does what she calls “reset Carla Mae” time. Every day for the past seven years, Mom will pick up Carla Mae, cuddle with her and tell her over and over that she is loved and has a family. There are days when Carla Mae is Grr8 and then there are other days when she tries to bite Mom. Mom doesn’t yell at her, in fact furiends, she does the opposite! She hugs Carla Mae and tells her that it will be alright. Now furiends, knowing this is what she does with Carla Mae everyday, how special is that? I hate to admit it, I have my own needs; I don’t like being left alone; I don’t like loud noise: I don’t like fast moving people; I do like to lick my paws over and over and over and over (woof!) again. Yep you guess it, Mom spends time with me keeping me calm and relax. Then there is the new pup in our family. Poor Mom, she is going to have her hands full with Mini Me.

The tail point being, special needs does not know a fence, loves to visit any yard, and, most of the time likes to stay around for a very long time. The pawonderful thing though, when a special need does pay visit to a yard, ever notice how it brings both humans and pets together across the World? I would have to say, that the visiting special need is an angel from God, and in my yard, that makes for one bootiful special angel that only has one need…spread wuv.
What about you? Do you have a special need? How about your furiends? Or, any humans that are in your life with a special need? Would wuv to hear your stories how these angels have made your life that much more special?
Speaking of special, I need to give Mom a hug for giving us a chance…
