My puppies and me

I finished a book about a month ago by the name of "Marley and Me." Its a book about a couple who buys a puppy that pretty much turns their world upside down. The movie actually comes out this winter starring Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston, so its bound to be a good one! This dog, which grows into a 97 lb. labrador retriever, is the most mischievous and misbehaving dog you could ever think of. Thousands of dollars in damage to their home from the pup tearing up doors and furniture due to his fears of thunderstorms to being kicked out of puppy training class, this dog was definitely something. But the reason this book is so great is that, despite all of this dog's shortcomings, he was first and foremost a part of their family. The story focuses on how this dog was able to teach the owners about companionship and loyalty. After all, who will love you more or be there for you more than your own dog! Anyone who has had a family pet can understand and relate to this story, and that's why this book was so great. It was a fairly easy and entertaining read. I finished the book on the day after we put my own family dog, Peanut the miniature poodle, to sleep. He was 13 years old and was in kidney failure. They told us back in August that he only had a few months left, but he almost made it another whole year. But this past month, he began having seizures and really not being able to eat, so his quality of life had really deteriorated. It was a difficult decision to put him down, but I think it was best.

Many of my friends have had the chance to meet Peanut when they were over at my parents' home. The second you walked in the door, he would greet you jumping up and down on 2 feet. You had to watch yourself if you were wearing shorts because his nails were little weapons. He was the sweetest little dog and very well-behaved. I was the only one who could really get him to bark(by playing...I treated him like the the younger brother or sister I never had! :) Whenever you would lay on the couch or in bed, he had to be right next to you so you couldn't even move. If you did try to move him, he'd do his little growl like "what the heck are you doing?!" He loved my mother, and pretty much followed her around constantly. He hated car rides and would shake constantly unless we were on the interstate. This all started around the time we neutered him..... :)

I still remember the day we got him. It had only been a few months since my beloved Droopy(a basset hound) had passed away. There was a pet shop next door to my dad's office, so my mother and I waited there while he finished with his patients. Little Peanut was in one of the kennels, and the pet store worker took him out so I could hold him. He laid his head right on my shoulder, and I was in love. We went out to dinner, and then went back and got him. It wasn't planned, but we loved him from the moment we met him. When I remember this, it is tough to believe that he's really not around anymore. When I left for Texas, he was still jumping up and excited to meet all of us at the door even though he probably felt so awful. And I'm glad that that is my last memory of him because that is the kind of dog that he was.

It is hard to think that someday I might have to make this decision about my Scarlet, the little puppy with so much energy(too much sometimes!). Even though I've only had her a year, I love her so much. The way she plops around with her short legs, trying to jump on my bed and falling short because she didn't take a running start, her sad face when I put her in the kennel, her wet kisses on my arm in the morning when she needs to go outside STAT!, or even the way she lays on her back in what I like to call her "playboy pose" She makes me laugh, she lets me cuddle with her, and she's a great walking companion. There are so many things to make being a dog owner worth it. Its a relationship that is incomparable to any in the human race. And even though someday it may end after too short of a time, those are the things that I'm going to remember and treasure.