Tag Page Dogs

#Dogs
Courtney Casey

🐾 Day 50 with Grace: I got it wrong. Again. 💔➡️💛

I came home late today. Not crazy late, just later than usual. The lights were off, and the house felt too quiet — like something was… off. And there she was. Grace. Sitting by the front door. Not lying down, not sleeping — just waiting. But the second I stepped inside, she bolted down the hall and hid. My heart sank. I thought, “God, what did I do wrong this time?” I started spiraling. Was I gone too long? Did I leave the TV too loud again? Did I forget something? I stood in the kitchen, completely still, just staring at nothing. I felt like I failed her. Again. Then — I heard it. Soft pawsteps behind me. I turned around, and there she was. Tail low, eyes cautious, but… she came to me. She licked my wrist. Just once. Then sat next to my feet. And I realized — she wasn’t scared of me. She was scared I wouldn’t come back. God. That hit hard. 50 days in, and I still get it wrong. But somehow, we keep finding our way back to each other. #Pets #Dogs

🐾 Day 50 with Grace: I got it wrong. Again. 💔➡️💛
Courtney Casey

🐾 Day 18 with Grace: small steps, shaky trust 🌱💛

The room was quiet, the kind of quiet that makes every little noise feel loud — the hum of the air purifier, the occasional creak from the old floorboards. I was sitting on the couch, book half-forgotten in my hands, my mind swirling with the events of the day. Two days ago, things had felt so hopeless. And tonight, I was bracing myself for more silence, more distance. Then I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye — slow, hesitant steps crossing the floor. She stopped about halfway across the room, just close enough to feel present without fully committing. I didn’t reach out. I didn’t speak. Just held my breath and hoped this was progress. Minutes passed, and she settled down nearby, her presence a small comfort in the growing dusk. It’s not a grand gesture, but it’s something. Trust feels fragile — like a shaky line that bends and breaks but somehow keeps moving forward. Some days are quiet and cold. Others hold the faintest warmth. And I’m learning to hold onto those small moments, because they mean everything. We’re figuring this out. One slow step at a time. #Pets #Dogs

🐾 Day 18 with Grace: small steps, shaky trust 🌱💛
Courtney Casey

🐾 Day 16 with Grace: she hid, and I felt lost 😞

Tonight was tough. I came home after a long day, thinking maybe Grace would be waiting by the door like last time. But she wasn’t. Not there, not anywhere obvious. I called her name softly, then a little louder. No response. My heart started to sink. I found her hiding under the dining table, trembling. Her eyes wide and scared, refusing to come out. I guess… she’s still carrying the weight of losing her old owner. Maybe being sent to the shelter and moving into a new home has made her really anxious. And some things in this apartment probably scare her — like sudden noises or movements she can’t predict. I think she’s afraid because she doesn’t know what to expect. I knelt down slowly, speaking softly, trying to coax her out. But she backed further away, ears flat, tail tucked. It hit me hard. I felt helpless and frustrated — like I was failing her. Like maybe I wasn’t the safe place she needed me to be. I sat there on the cold floor for what felt like forever, just whispering, “It’s okay, Grace. I’m here. You don’t have to be afraid.” After a long while, she finally peeked out, and I felt a tiny spark of hope. It’s not perfect, not even close. But it’s progress. This journey isn’t easy. It’s messy and painful. But I’m still here, and so is she. And that has to mean something. #Pets #Dogs

🐾 Day 16 with Grace: she hid, and I felt lost 😞
Courtney Casey

🌙 she walked over, and she stayed

It was just another Tuesday evening. I was sitting on the floor, nursing a cup of tea, mindlessly scrolling through my phone. Grace was on her blanket across the room, quiet as usual, just watching me. Nothing out of the ordinary.↳ Then I heard it — the faint sound of her nails clicking on the hardwood floor. Slow, careful steps. I froze. My heart started racing without me even realizing why. She was coming closer. Closer than she ever had before. I didn’t dare to look up or move. I was scared she might change her mind and run back. When she finally reached me, she rested her chin gently on my knee. Just for a few seconds. It felt like the smallest, most fragile gift I’d ever received. In that moment, I couldn’t hold back the flood of emotions — relief, hope, and something like happiness all wrapped into one. I wanted to cry but didn’t want to scare her away. So I stayed still, letting her decide how long to stay. She didn’t pull away. She didn’t run off. She stayed. For the first time since she came into my life, Grace chose me. And honestly, it felt like the first time I could breathe again. Like maybe, just maybe, we were going to be okay. #Pets #Dogs

🌙 she walked over, and she stayed
Courtney Casey

the first time she wagged her tail

It was almost two weeks after she moved in. I had just come back from work. Opened the door, and there she was — not at the door, just a few feet back, watching. I didn’t expect anything. She usually stayed in the hallway or under the table until I walked past her. But this time, when I looked down, her tail moved. Just once. A tiny little wag, hesitant like she wasn’t sure if she was allowed to be happy. I didn’t say anything. I didn’t move. Didn’t even breathe too hard. It felt like I’d just seen something incredibly delicate and rare. Golden Retrievers are known for their tails. But this wasn’t a big happy tail sweep. It was a flicker of hope. A test. Like she was saying: “I remember you. And maybe… I’m starting to trust you.” #Pets #Dogs

the first time she wagged her tail
Courtney Casey

the shelter didn’t tell me she cried at night

They said she was quiet. They didn’t say she cried at night. Not barking. Crying. It was so soft, I didn’t realize what I was hearing at first — a kind of whimper that didn’t even sound like a dog. More like something breaking very slowly. I brought Grace home on a Thursday. She’s a 5-year-old Golden Retriever. Her owner had passed away and she was surrendered to the shelter. She didn’t eat. Didn’t drink. Didn’t look at me. She just curled up under my table and didn’t move. At 2:13 AM, I woke up to that sound. I thought it was the pipes. Then I realized it was her. I lay down on the cold floor next to her, didn’t try to pet her. Just whispered, “It’s okay, baby. You’re safe now. You’re home.” She didn’t respond. But she didn’t move away either. We just lay there for maybe an hour. I was trying to prove I wouldn’t leave. She was trying to decide if she could believe that. #Pets #Dogs

the shelter didn’t tell me she cried at night
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