With Dogs Comes Happiness

“Dogs are man’s best friend,” this I have heard repeatedly throughout my life. 

I have always had at least one dog in my life. As a child, we had what I would call a pack of dogs; there were always at least five family dogs. When I grew up and moved away, I took my dog, Daisy, with me to my new house. On my daughter’s first birthday, my dad brought her a yellow lab puppy. We named the new puppy Sandy, after much debate. After my dog Daisy passed away, I couldn’t bear the thought of “replacing” her. As Sandy grew into her role as the family dog, I did not feel the need to get another dog to be “my dog.” As I reflect on those years, I can see that Sandy was never really anyone’s dog but Annabelle’s; Sandy was always watching over her, following her, and “protecting” her. To this day, Sandy follows Annabelle in and out of the house, an observer to the young child’s adventures.

One day, I decided that I had to have a dog for me, a companion that would fill a void that no other creature can. I began my search and within weeks found a perfect match, an intelligent husky mix puppy named Buddy. He was a wonderful dog; loving, caring, sweet, and he had those eyes that can look straight into your soul. I only had him for just over a year before we lost him as well, he was hit by a car. It still hurts so much to think about it. Our dogs are so much more than just pets, they are our friends who never tell our secrets, comfort us, and love us unconditionally. They enrich our lives so much, offering such love and support while asking for so little in return. These canines are faithfully our companions for life, as long as we will let them be a part of our lives. 

After this devastation, I felt that I could never have another dog. Nothing could replace what I had lost, and I did not even want to try. As the days grew to weeks, I noticed Sandy was acting differently. She did not want to play anymore. She did not go outside and romp or run. Sandy spent her days sleeping in a depressed state. I could see that Sandy had also found a true friend in Buddy, and she was mourning his loss as well. The breaking point for me occurred when I saw that an acquaintance was giving away puppies; they were only four weeks old when she said they had to go. I knew that these puppies needed to stay with their mother, but this lady was only concerned with getting rid of the pups. I was forced into action, I knew that we could provide an excellent home for some of these puppies. Honestly, I wanted to take all nine of them, they needed to be in a place where they would be cared for properly and allowed to grow up. Unfortunately, that was just not a feasible option. I convinced my husband to go and save at least one of those pups, to give it a better life, and to give Sandy something more to live for. 

There is nothing cuter than watching nine pups toddle around, rolling in play, and sleeping in piles. It was so hard to pick just one puppy to bring home, to become a member of our family. Within moments of arrival, I noticed two puppies, one tan female and one black male, curled up together sleeping as the others played. I kept watching them, trying to see who they were under that sleepy facade. We must have stayed there for three hours observing the puppies, the owner of the mother dog, and waiting for indication as to what we should do. Finally, the two sleeping pups awakened. The tan female toddled directly to me, plopped herself on my lap, and began licking my fingers. She had chosen me! As I looked up to my husband, the little black male had found his spot nestled on my husband’s feet. Now, we had a dilemma. It seemed as if these puppies had chosen us. Two puppies? Sounds like an adventure!