My best friend…

AdoptiveBlackMom was talking about their search for a new dog friend and it got me thinking about my sweet little friend.  Where does the time go?  Ten years ago, my little dog came home.  The last ten years have both flown by, and dragged on, a never ending stream of endless days looming before me.  The redeeming factor on those endless days?  My dog.  My little friend always by my side.

I can’t remember the exact date she came home, but I remember the day, and how long it seemed to take leading up to her coming home.  I’d been searching for a new friend, checking shelter websites just knowing that when I saw her, I’d know.  I did.  I excitedly emailed, please pick me to be her new guardian.  I heard back, I would be considered.  I had to fill out the adoption form, answering all sorts of questions, I quickly complied and sent it back.  More emails were exchanged, my one concern was how she did with big dogs, the answer was that she regularly played with a Rottie and a Shepard out in the field.  That was the answer I needed to hear that she wasn’t afraid of big dogs seeing as Big Puppy, the King of the Home was three times Little Puppy’s size (yes, they knew about Big Puppy and his size).  I was picked.

Before she came home, we’d decided that I should take her into the back yard and that would be the best place for her to meet Big Puppy and hubby.  That didn’t go so well because she spotted Big Puppy’s ball and went running over to get it, Big Puppy wasn’t impressed and took the ball away.  Sigh.  Not the best start to a new relationship.  We persevered and did everything possible to make sure she felt loved, but Big Puppy didn’t feel jealous of the attention paid to her.  Not too long after my over-protectiveness towards Little Puppy lessoned seeing them playing like they’d been best friends forever, despite the size difference between them.  Big Puppy seemed to know just how to play, and semi-rough house together with her, while still being a sweet gentle giant at the same time.  Never have seen anything like it before.

Shortly after she arrived, I got sick and was gone for days and days.  Little Puppy spent her days sitting in the chair looking out the window, pining for me for me, hubby said.  After I came home she spent the following weeks, months, laying patiently besides me on the bed as I slept, sitting on the couch next to me, or following me around the house, and best of all, out for short walks as I worked to regain my strength.  She did get plenty of other exercise in the back yard chasing Big Puppy and being chased in return, playing their version of tag, when they weren’t chasing the ball (he chased the ball, she chased him).  As I write this she is sleeping on a blanket in the doggie bed next to my chair (this post has been worked on three different days, and each day when I get to this point I look down, and there she is).  When I get up, she follows me wherever I go and walks are her absolute favorite.  My best friend who knows how I feel, and when I’m sad, does everything in her power to make me feel better.  Ten years she’s been home and in a few short weeks she will be eleven years old.  The time goes by so quickly, and before I know it, she will be as old and creaky as I am…