My Friendly Pets

When I was born, my family owned a sheltie mix named Button. He was already a member of the family when I came along. My brother and I basically grew up with him. I giggle when I look at the pictures of my first Easter; I was only about six months old, and there’s Button in the pictures with us trying to get into my Easter basket. I can remember chasing him around the yard as a child, feeding him ice cream, and I absolutely loved playing with his ears. They were kind of floppy and I thought it was fun to gently wrap them around my fingers. He would lick my face and sit there with his mouth slightly open like he was smiling at me. I was thirteen when he died, and still laugh when I think of him smiling at me.

I always loved dogs as a child, I suppose most kids do, but I wanted to have a house full of them. To me, dogs seemed so wise and gentle, like an old friend who’s always around when you need them. My favorite movie was All Dogs go to Heaven; which, I still believe that they do! Several years after Button was gone, my Aunt got a Maltese named Tiny, and so my love for small dogs began. I love dogs of all sizes, but there was just something about that little white, ball of fur that really stole my heart. I absolutely adored her, and I couldn’t wait to get a dog of my own.

When I was 17, my wish came true. It was just a few days before Christmas 1997, when my Aunt came to my house with a little black dog in a card-board box. He was an eight month old toy poodle. It was love at first sight, and I couldn’t have been happier. I named him Teddy, and he quickly became my beloved companion. Teddy has been with me through both of my high school proms, graduation, meeting my husband, and all of my ups-and-downs and milestones throughout the past ten years. He brings life to the phrase “man’s best friend�. When I first met my husband, Rudy, I wasn’t sure how he would get along with Teddy, but he quickly grew to love him just as much as I did. Soon we were a happy little family.

In the fall of 2002, Rudy and I met a lady who breeds toy poodles, and she asked us to breed Teddy with her female. We quickly agreed without hesitation. Christmas morning of the same year, Teddy became the proud father of five puppies. Actually, he wasn’t very impressed, but we were ecstatic! They were all female, four black and one white. We couldn’t wait for the weeks to pass until we could bring our puppy home. When the day finally came for us to choose our new baby, we picked the smallest of the black puppies, and named her Holly. Teddy didn’t know what to think of her at first, but he eventually got used to her, and soon they were romping and playing around the house together.

I truly feel blessed to have these little critters in my life. They are a big part of my family, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I often think of Button, and Tiny who has also passed away. They will always be special to me.

Just a few weeks ago we happily added a new member to our family; he’s a 12 week old Bichon Frise named Remy. Teddy and Holly are still getting used to him, but I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before all three of them are romping around the house together.

Teddy, Remy, and Holly. February 2007.

dogs, pets, animals, puppy