Living on Love: Happy Birthday Gracie!

I wish I knew if today was really her birthday or if it is next week?? When I picked her up, the owner of her mom just said he thought the puppies were around 9 weeks?? So I guess she was born somewhere in between October 7-14th? So lets just say today is her birthday!! I do know for sure she is turning 6! I can not believe I have had her that long! Time flies by!! I love my Gracie but she wasn't the easiest puppy that's for sure. She had SEVERE separation anxiety. I hear people say their dogs have that but then their stories are nothing like my sweet Gracie. She would not just cry but SCREAM, YELP, BARK whatever you want to call it for the entire day I was at work..not just the first few minutes. Needless to say, my neighbors didn't care for her too much. My sweet Gracie also didn't like new people. She really didn't care for me to much the first few days, she was the cutest puppy ever but was scared to let anyone hold her. Once she got comfortable with me, she wouldn't let anyone but me hold her. She really hurt a lot of peoples feelings because she was scared. Til this day, she only has a hand few of people that she trust enough to let you shake with her...not really pet...just shake :)
Gracie also had a terribly weak stomach. One time I changed her food (without realizing it) and man did I come home to a nasty mess at lunch. She spent the rest of the day with Aunt Jodi! She never slept through the night. We were up like 4 times a night so she can go outside. I believe she slept through the night the first time when she was a little over a year!! I felt like I had a newborn!
OH...she hates to get wet. When we lived in Aiken in my townhouse, I would let her go outside but if it was raining, she REFUSED. She would just whine and pace for hours until she finally got the nerve to get a tiny bit wet! Oh the joys of Gracie's childhood!
Every time a friend of mine would get a new puppy, I would warn them of all the hard work and they would call me and say that their puppy slept through the night or didn't whine when they left for work. When we got Callie, she was the easiest puppy. So I think Gracie may have been special that way!
Anyways, I was just going to make this post full of pictures but then I got carried away. I don't want you to think Gracie is a bad dog. She is my baby and to me she is the best dog ever. When I moved to Aiken, I didn't know anyone and I just had her. She got me through living there!! Wherever I am you better believe Gracie is right there under my legs. She isn't AS skiddish as she used to be but she is a little better (and no, she was never abused, that is just her personality). So if you are ever lucky enough to have Miss Gracie (or as Wes and Jodi calls her...Princess) shake with you...you must be alright!! :)