It’s Dogiversary Week! Little One and I are celebrating our two-year dogiversary (aka, the day we became canine and human besties and I brought my sweet pup home) this week and I thought it would be fun to celebrate with a week filled with dog posts! If you’re not a dog lover, I’m sorry. I hope you’ll enjoy the posts anyway. Also, what’s wrong with you? 😉
I’m sure it’s quite obvious that I heart dogs quite a bit. Obsessed with dogs are the words some people have used to describe and there are definitely times when I am one of those, “The more I spend time with people, the more I love my dog” folks. So today I thought it would be fun to share my dog story and talk more about my love for dogs before Little One came into my life.
It all started back when I was a young child. I’m not sure why, but I fell in love with dogs and started begging my parents for one. This begging went on for a long time; in fact, I don’t think it ever stopped. Since my parents wouldn’t get me a dog, I decided that the next best option was to pretend to be one. I walked around on all fours, drank water out of a bowl on the floor (I think I also tried to eat out of a bowl on the floor, but my mom stopped me there) and barked. Apparently I even licked my family–which I’m only admitting online because I’m sure if I don’t, my parents or my sister will read this and decide to share anyway. They hated it. Obviously. My mom even made me a pair of dog ears that I could clip into my hair! The rest of my family hated those too, but I thought they were awesome.
Eventually I got over the pretending to be a dog thing and I went back to just begging my parents for a dog.
When I was seven or eight a family member was no longer able to keep their dog, so my family agreed to take her in until a wonderful new home was found. That is how we temporarily acquired a beautiful chocolate lab named Mocha. She was a wonderful dog and I instantly fell in love with her. We lived in Wisconsin in a wooded area and she loved running through the woods. I think it was the dream life for a dog. Two of my strongest memories of Mocha are watching my dad search for (and pull out) a few ticks during the summer after she ran through the woods while I was sitting there eating honey nut cheerios (maybe that’s why I don’t like them anymore), and convincing my dad that I should be able to hold the leash on a walk. As soon as it was in my hand she started to jog and I flew behind her for thirty seconds until my dad took the leash back. He totally knew that was going to happen! We eventually found a great home for her. I saw her once when she was quite old and she was such a calm and happy dog.
My sister decided to get a dog when I was about twelve or thirteen and she took me along to find her new miniature dachshund. I held little Wolf when he was really tiny and quiet. That didn’t last long! Wolf and I quickly became pals and he became one my much-loved canine nephews. He has been celebrating holidays and special occasions with my family for many, many years. He’s getting older now and while he still has some energy and spunk, you can tell just how old he is getting. I want time to stop for him so that he can stay like he is now forever!
A few years later she decided to get a second doxie when a family was looking for a home for little Jake. He was extremely overweight when my sister took him in, so he had some health issues to work through and he couldn’t move very well. They got him down to a good size, but he never lost his extreme love for food and he was never able to walk up the stairs normally (he kind of jumped back and forth to get started and then he’d be able to make it up rather slowly; if something stopped him on his way he’d have to go back down and start again). He was a sweet dog, though, and let my niece put robes and crowns on him when she was younger. He was always burrowed under a blanket (you had to pat them before you sat down if there was a blanket on the couch) and loved to cuddle. I liked to read thrillers when he was around, because we’d curl up under a blanket and he’d be right by my side the entire time. He lived until he was quite old and then died a few years ago. It was a sad day for my sister’s family–and for my dad and me.
A few years ago I was asked to dogsit the cutest Whippet for six months and Jinni stole my heart! This is the kind of dog she is: I fell asleep on the couch, and while I was sleeping she settled in between me and the back of the couch. When I woke up I could feel every breath she took. I felt like I needed some space so I got up and she gave me this look like I had betrayed her in the worst way possible. So I sat back down and she cuddled in beside me. She loves to play fetch, but when she’s not chasing a ball or running through the woods, she likes to sit on a couch or in a chair. She really is one of the sweetest dogs.
The next dog that came into my life is Little One. I’ll save our story for another day.
Tell me your dog story! Or, if you prefer some other animal, share that story with me!
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