The Dog of My Life

Most everyone (those who are animal lovers) has been lucky enough to have one special animal touch their life... some have been lucky enough to have more than one. I have been very lucky to have had many special animals pass through my life from the time I was very young.

There was one that was, what I call, "The dog of my life" - we had a special bond and he was truly mine and I was truly his. His name was D.O.G. and he loved everyone and he loved other animals. He was amazing!

We don't know much about his history before we found him when he was about 7 months old but we know enough (a bb in his butt, fear of a lit cigarette, fear of gunshots and fireworks, flea and tick infested, etc) to tell that his first 7 months or so were not happy ones. He was a theater dog - I found him at the community theater where I volunteered. It was rainy and miserable and he was covered with more ticks and fleas than I have ever seen on one animal. We spent hours picking them off before taking him the next morning to the vet to get him totally de-flead and de-ticked!

From the moment he came home with us all he wanted to do was make us happy. He never went potty in the house - NEVER. He never chased or hurt our cats and he knew which ones were his. He would bark and chase the neighborhood cats that wandered in to our yard by mistake! He even let our 18 year-old cat curl up with him and play in his hair. And then when baby Mouse came along he let her do the same thing!

He never tore up shoes or carpets or furniture - although he did tear up his own toys quite well. He loved stuffed animals and would tear the stuffing out of most of them... except for one little penguin we named "Chilly" - it was a Christmas gift from his "Aunt Loretta and Uncle John" and that was the only toy he ever had that he didn’t tear apart. He loved that toy and would squeak it gently and just hold it in his mouth! He also loved presents and loved to open the wrapping - if you weren't careful on Christmas morning he would open your presents too!

He was a herding dog and though he never actually herded anything he always worried about his herd... his family and any other animals in the house. We also believe he was a dentist in a previous life because he loved nothing better to look in your mouth. It was a weird little thing he started doing as a puppy and kept doing all his life.

He was truly a wonderful and amazing dog. He had hip problems (arthritis and dysplasia) in is later years and during his last year suffered a ligament tear (that couldn't be operated on) that made walking and standing even harder but he kept on being the best dog ever... just at a slower pace. He was with us for almost 12 years and when he left us last October, after several painful months, he left a huge hole in my heart that has yet to heal.

No other animal has ever affected me in this way. For months I still expected him to greet us at the door, or worried when there were fireworks or car backfires because he hated loud noises and would run and hide. For awhile I thought I would never be able to let another dog into my heart. But a run in with a bouncy, adorable bearded collie/sheepdog mix changed that last week and "Hamlet" will be coming home with us tomorrow. He is between 7-10 months old (and already stands mid-thigh on me) and was rescued from the shelter the day before he was to be put down. With that name... well, he was destined to live in a theater family!

I know that chances are slim that there will ever be a bond with a dog like there was with D.O.G. but I think I'm finally ready to make room in my heart for another dog - John has been ready for a long time and Mouse, well, she just doesn't know she's ready yet! I think D.O.G. would approve and I know he would love Hamlet because he never met anyone that he didn't love.

More on "Life with Hamlet" in the weeks to come. It's been a long time since we had a puppy in the house -- should be interesting.