We had lost our beloved dog Maverick to cancer almost a year prior when Starla came into our lives last November. We were expecting a new puppy that next February, so adopting a senior dog wasn’t something we were planning at the time. We were missing having a dog in our lives and wanted to “temporarily” foster Starla until a permanent home could be found for her.
She fit right into our lives, hopping up onto our bed the first night and cuddling with us. She is such a sweet and loving girl, we immediately fell in love with her – and her with us! We knew we couldn’t part with her, and we became what they call a “foster fail” when we adopted her and became her “forever home.”
She now shares our home with us and our new puppy, her “little brother” Capone. As a senior dog, we didn’t think Starla would be very energetic – boy, were we wrong about that! Starla is an expert retriever, and if there is a ball or any object to be fetched, the human involved will tire long before she will. She likes to sit as close to us as possible, preferably with her foot or a paw resting on one of our feet – or completely in our laps if she can get away with it! She wrestles and plays with her brother Capone, puts up with all of his puppy antics, and has taken on the job of helping us teach him to be a great dog – just like she is.
We just celebrated Starla’s 12th birthday yesterday at the dog park with about 15 other dogs. None of the other dog moms and dads could believe she was turning 12 – she has a spring in her step, a happy heart, and she has brought immeasurable joy to our family.
We’re so thankful to Top Dog Foundation for the opportunity to have her in our lives!
Steve and Caroline Melberg
Wayzata, Minnesota