I hooked the leash on a door knob and approached my three eager babies. I looked back at Precious and she simply sat there, heir head cocked, and her ears pointed straight up.

I knelt at the gate and chatted with Chief, Bailey, and Harrigan who were keenly aware of dog smells through the gate, their noses pressed firmly against the gate to sniff the remains of SICSA.

Finally, I knew it was time to make they introduction. My dogs are really people in fur who walk on all fours. They’re not fond of other dogs, at all.

I brought Precious to the closed gate. Barking. Sniffing. Barking. Sniffing. And, repeat.

A few minutes passed and there was no growling from either side of the gate. I eased it open and allowed Precious to pass through. Immediately, there was a blurred swirl of circled anxious sniffing.

SniffFest 2018 subsided and Precious (ugh, the name!) began exploring the kitchen, bathroom, guest bedroom, and study with the others in close pursuit.

I opened the door to the deck and they all moved out to the yard. So far, it was going better than I had anticipated.

I sat on the deck watching this newly bound quartet move in all directions, but always the original three returning to sniff around Precious.

Back on the deck, Precious stopped and sat at the top of the steps. I had jotted down thirty names that I considered for new name. I called out each name and paused as I awaited some kind of response – I honestly had no idea what the response would be.

“Abigail?” (Abigail Adams). “Katharine?” (Katharine Wright). “Nedda?” (Nedda Logan). And, on it went.

At about the seventeenth name on the list, my preferred name, actually, I called out, “Erma?” for the Dayton born, internationally popular columnist and humorist, Erma Bombeck.

Precious’ ears pointed straight up, her head tilted, her tongue emerged. She rose and walked to me. Erma it was! And, as the first week moved along, she seemed to fit her name, more and more.

Asa former Centerville Cushwa Drive neighbor of the Bombecks said, “I think Erma [Bombeck] would have been thrilled with her beautiful namesake.”

That was the christening moment for me.

“My precious Erma” is my affectionate phrase-name that I call her, acknowledging her original name and her unbelievable sweetness. Erma’s love and gratitude are shared with me dozens of times throughout the day and I feel enormously blessed.

Happy 3rd Year Gotcha Day, my precious Erma! You’ve made such a difference in my world and the world of The Haasienda!

For more information on how to adopt an older dog, please visit the SICSA website.