I am not the world’s most patient person, and I am eager to have another small dog to love and live with and write about. I have also come to be especially fond of Bud given what I am hearing about him.

We loved Gus, and he whetted my appetite to learn about the appeal and nature of the small dog.

I am grateful to Carol Johnson, a great dog lover from Arkadelphia, Arkansas who is fostering Bud for these many months.

FOHA specializes in heartworm dogs, once unique to the South, now in every state in the union because of the traffic in rescue dogs to the Northeast. You can learn more about heartworm here.

It now illegal to transport a dog with heartworms from the South to anywhere else, and this means it will be three months from adoption to actually having Gus with us. An understandable delay.

I used to see heartworm as a Southern problem, it isn’t any longer. Heartworm, transmitted through a simple mosquito bite, is now a problem for anyone with a dog.

A good exercise in love and commitment, I am waiting restlessly but patiently for Bud. I am fortunate to have in Carol Johnson a diligent communicator. A fosterer with FOHA, she sends me regular photos and updates. Gus was a mess with FOHA got him, he had been abandoned out in the woods.

Gus. Ears Up!Carol is fun to work with, once she finished investigating me. They don’t take shortcuts.

Bud was very sick when he was adopted, and FOHA nursing him back to health and paying for all of his medical costs. They are also transporting him North when the time comes. They care about people as well as dogs.

I think they are quite worthy of support. They have inspired me to adopt them as a cause for the Army Of Good.

Bud was frightened and battered when he came to Carol, and  terrified of men. He is getting more affectionate, and  adventurous, even to the point of stealing bags of spicy jalapeno chips. Fate will love him.

I noticed that in most of the photos, But had his ears down. Carol took some shots above of Bud with his ears up, a sign of happiness. Bud looks like a mellow old soul, even though he is only 10 months old. We will loosen him up here on the farm.

It was almost eerie, I came upon their site for the first time and saw Bud’s face looking up at me. I heard a voice saying “this is your dog,” showed him to Maria, who said “this is our dog.” Enough said, that’s how it happens.

Several days a week now, I now look at the FOHA/RI site for possible adoptable dogs for people. These are heartworm dogs undergoing treatment and in need of home. Take a look at BB, a mixed breed Lab. And think of donating to this group on behalf of the many thousands of heartworm dogs in need of help.

I think this will be an especially rewarding experience for me.

There are all kinds of good ways to get a dog, from reputable breeders to conscientious rescue groups. I think the right dog kind of yells at you to pay attention. Gus is is yelling at me in every photo: “Let’s get a move on.”