A five-year-old female Shi-Tzu, found as a stray, arrived at C.A.R.E. at the perfect time. Named Liza by C.A.R.E.'s staff, she had just settled in when Sherri Huffman visited the shelter to adopt a dog as a surprise for her husband. Sherri and her husband had always admired the beautiful dog one of their friends had adopted from C.A.R.E., and Sherri's husband had said to her that if she ever gets a dog to get it from C.A.R.E.

Now, Sherri thought it was time to add a furry member to their family and a furry assistant to their Cypress Vac & Sew store in Ruskin. Looking around the kennels at C.A.R.E., her eyes caught Liza, the small dog she wanted. Without hesitation, Sherri adopted her. Renamed Diamond by Sherri and her husband, the little Shi-Tzu instantly became the center of her new mom and dad's life.

Right away, Diamond was very loving and liked to be held, Sherri said. Despite teeth problems and toothaches Diamond had suffered as the result of being a homeless dog and the pain she was still experiencing when she moved into her new home, she was never grumpy. She also, without fuss, resigned herself to the limited food she could eat. However, once some of her teeth were pulled at C.A.R.E.'s clinic, as part of her adoption arrangement, Diamond has started to eat whatever she likes, dry food and chewy treats, and has become a very happy and healthy dog, her mom said.

Diamond lives an active and rewarding life at her new home. As a morning dog, she rises early with her mom, runs around, eats breakfast and then waits for her dad to get up. She enjoys the company of people, and though she doesn't suffer from separation anxiety, she doesn't like to be left alone. Working as a greeter at her parents' business is, therefore, the ideal job for her. Although her mom was a bit leery in the beginning about allowing Diamond to run around in the store for fear that someone would step on her and hid her in the back room, Diamond turned out to be a great assistant, charming all the customers. She has developed a special bond with children and keeps them occupied while her mom talks business with their parents.

As much as Diamond loves her work at the store, she loves to come home in the evening and turn her attention to the grasshoppers. She chases them but does not harm them and instead, plays with them. Lately, she has found out that geckos are fun to chase, too, but the grasshoppers remain her favorite playmates.

Diamond also loves to take walks with her dad, and both head outside for 30 minutes of quality time every evening. After they come back inside the house, Diamond makes sure her feet are clean, licking her paws over and over again. Then, she is ready for a good belly rub, rolling on her back expecting to get petted.

Diamond not only likes to get brushed, she also likes the baths her mom gives her. Afterward she gets all crazy wild, her mom said, chasing her towel and running around the house for 20 minutes. Sherri said Diamond brings a lot of fun to their lives, and she and her husband now ask themselves what they did before they had her.