Greta here. I have helped take care of lots of dogs at Desert Haven. (One day I'll count them.) I fall in love easily so it's basically love at first sight over and over. Their mere existence equates to love to me.

Then I get to know them. I take them for walks. I snuggle them. I learn what makes them tick to help them get adopted. They get adopted. I cheer! Then, I do it all over again. Somehow my heart and soul stays protected, mostly intact. Never breaks. Love, care, cheer. It's a good life if you can get it.

Those newer to following the happenings at Desert Haven might not know our darling Roxie's history so I can catch everyone up. Here are the CliffsNotes.

We rescued Roxie as a feral, one-year-old dog back in December of 2022. She was a nameless feral pup and Desert Haven made her family. We named her Roxie. Once with us at Desert Haven, everything was new and scary for Roxie. The presence of people frightened her. It took us weeks of laying and sitting with her in her kennel and oodles of hotdog bits before one of our work campers was finally able to get a leash on Roxie. It took several more weeks to help her cross a threshold of a gate. It took months before a second person gained Roxie's trust and could then get her leashed up for fun times around the Desert Haven grounds. Getting her to enter a vehicle was another months long process, the first trip to the vet, and so on and so on. Every single little thing your domesticated, socialized dog does normally and easily, had to be painstakingly taught to Roxie.

All along the way Roxie was a willing, eager, albeit cautious participant in all her lessons in How to Be a Domesticated Dog. However, because Roxie's training was so time intensive, we decided that a foster home was the best place for her to continue her lessons. Since September 2023, she's been in foster care.

We have experienced the definition of a long and winding road in rescuing and domesticating this precious girl on the right, Roxie. I have buried the lead but here it is: since March 2, 2025 she's been adopted! This long and winding rescue road ended in adoption. Roxie is adopted!

Roxie is adopted! That has rung over and over in my head the last few weeks and each time it does I stop what I'm doing to send her my positive energy that she will allow trust-building with her new papa. Allow him to take care of her. Teach her. Love her. Bond with her.

Roxie knows how to trust. She learns. She loves. Bonds. Roxie's love is magic. Her smile is life. Her loyalty is legendary.

Transferring those beautiful abilities to her forever family has given me the greatest challenge and the biggest love. The amount of joy I feel that she now has someone to love her as much as I love her overwhelms me. She has a dog-sister, Sassy. Sassy will show her the way. Her papa will guide her. Roxie has what she needs.

Please join me in wishing Roxie well! Congratulations, sweet girl! We did it!



Be brave. Be open. Choose trust. We love you!