Name/Age: Norma Jean - 12 y/o
Family Members: Hailly, Matthew & Stewart – dog (12 y/o)
How long has Norma Jean been in the family? 9 years
Professions: Nurse & IT Architect
Location: Atlanta, GA.
Nicknames: Norms, NJ, Normie, Python Pig, Python Pig Turtle Squirrel Dog, Ladybug, Baby Girl, Piggy, Merper
5 words/phrases that best describe Norma Jean?
Talkative
Goofy
Intelligent
Affectionate
Gregarious
What makes Norma Jean unique? Norma has SO MUCH TO SAY all the time! She’s so smart, funny, inquisitive and I’ve never met a dog who will tell you exactly what she wants! She knows the difference between a car ride and a walk and she’ll tell you what she’s in the mood for. She’s also a very loyal companion and even though she’s had a rough past she has so much love to give and wants to make you happy.
Earzzzz!!
Rescue Story: Matt’s friends owned a dog rescue and asked Matt to foster Norma. At that point in his life he wasn’t ready to own a dog but as a lifetime dog lover was willing to help out. After a few weeks of fostering the dog rescue owners came to Matt and said – we are shutting down the rescue and can’t find anyone to take Norma so if you don’t want her we will put her to sleep. =( Of course he couldn’t have that happen! He had fallen in love with her silly personality. She’s been a very loved member of the family ever since.
What is your favorite pastime as a family? We enjoy going on family walks around the neighborhood, playing with toys, having barking parties and snuggles on the couch.
What is life like since your adopted Norma Jean? Poor Norma came from a life of abuse, she has doggy PTSD and can’t be around other animals of any kind. When I came into the picture 6 years ago with Stewart it was a challenge. She has come to tolerate her brother, they even have their own love language but we are still on a crate and rotate program. While crate and rotate may not seem ideal to some they both love their crates and we love them! I couldn’t imagine my life without Norma. She brightens up every day with her goofy antics, is a fantastic snuggle partner and is just so darn lovable! Everyone who meets her falls in love.
Photographers Note: First of all as I was typing up this story, I had to do a double take when I saw her age. I met this girl, there is no way I would have guessed she is 12….7 maybe! She has so much spunk and those speckles on her ears, come on. Everyone always talks about the pit bull smile, which is just big and goofy and adorable; pretty much every dog of this type has it. What I love even more are those dogs that have that shape & definition to their mouth that even when their mouth is closed it looks like they are smiling or smirking in Norma’s case. You can definitely see the marks of Norma’s past on her body but what I love most is this girl lives in the now, as all dogs do. I mean her favorite toy is the Sophie Giraffe teether toy for human babies (which she may or may not have stolen from a baby), seems like she is taking full advantage of her current situation to me!