Last of the Litter

It's hard to comprehend that it was nine years ago that I happened on the small brown dog, last of the litter, sitting and shivering in a milk crate outside our local Petco on a blowy Sunday afternoon.  Her siblings had all found homes that very day and the human that had brought this disreputable clutter of pups to give away was tired and cold and about to give up.  Don't look, don't look, don't look!  I told myself as I approached the doors, but of course, I did look - she was barely a handful of wild hair with pleading eyes, light as a feather and looking miserable and half frozen and lonely, some unfortunate mix of terrier and Lord only knew what - and I was done for the very second our eyes met.   God granted me no immunity from such sweet, sad faces.  No reason or common sense prevails at these moments and the fact that I already shared my life with five cats and two dogs was eminently forgettable.  I scooped up her tiny body and tucked her inside my jacket for the ride home and have never regretted it for even a second.  This month, on Halloween, she turns nine - and since she spent the first two years of her life on the counter of the photo shop where I worked (winning hearts with no effort at all and delighting customers of all ages), people still remember, still ask about her, still smile when I tell them she's doing just fine.

These days she spends most of her time sleeping and playing with the little daschund.  She's a naturally friendly but timid animal, loving, sweet natured and eager to please, exceptionally well behaved.  I often wonder if she misses the daily car rides and the steady stream of people as much as I miss having her with me.  At times during those couple of years, it was hard to tell who was being socialized.

Being a small dog, nine isn't quite over the hill and she'll be with me for several more years.  I'm glad for each day.  She's more like a cartoon character than a movie queen but then beauty is in the eye of the beholder and as I tell her frequently, we can't all be Liz Taylor.  Some dogs are meant test you to your limits and some are 
just meant to bring you joy.

On balance, I always get the best of the bargain.