Puppy Love

Bobbi Sue (12) and Tobi Ann (4)

As any dog owner knows, canine family members are a never-ending source of entertainment and love. Tyler and I cannot imagine a morning without Tobi's snuggles and kisses punctuated by her puppy breath, or an evening without laughing at Bobbi's hacking and grunting. (At 12 years, her behaviors are humorously similar to those of a stereotypical old, wrinkled man we can imagine in our minds - the fact she's a female makes it all the more laughable!)

Hanging out in the backyard

Adding to the fun is getting to be a parent - in the simplest sense of the word, of course. The morning ritual with my girls includes an allergy pill and half of a banana for Bobbi (to keep her muscle spasms at bay), and then a Denta-bone for those beautiful teeth - which the vet commented on at our last visit, thank you very much! Working from home, I'm able to exercise Tobi on breaks with the ever-popular dog sport of fetch. After Bobbi's outdoor excursions, I wipe her down with a cold, wet washcloth to keep her itching to a minimum. And of course, there's the ear scratches, belly rubs and kisses that a loving doggie mama must give her children in abundance.

Tobi in action

For the love of our dogs, I have gotten over the constant presence of black hair on our bedroom comforter and our white kitchen floor. I have relinquished the cushy chair in our living room to a weathered blanket always occupied by one of our labs. (And sometimes, when I'm not looking, the couch somehow gets claimed, as well.)

For the love of our dogs, I have purchased two personalized dog beds - one resides in our patio room alongside our recliners, the other in our bedroom for Bobbi to sleep on at night (we've tried two dogs in our bed - Tyler ended up on the floor so we decided that wouldn't work). I have packed an overnight bag for Tobi upon weekend trips to grandma's. I have cleaned up puke, poop and urine from linoleum, carpet and bedding. I have sat, slumped and crying against our front door as Tyler was outside, forced to make Tobi drink hydrogen peroxide after she devoured a bowl of chocolates that I had absent-mindedly left in her reach. We had to induce vomiting; I could not stand to watch. Poor Tyler had to go through this process one other time when both our girls got into rat poison.

But any inconveniences or tears are so completely worth the soft bundle of love who won't leave my side when I am sick in bed. Worth the sight of my husband kneeling down to be greeted by the one who is always so excited to see him that everyday, she races across the yard, jumps into his arms, then back to the ground to bask in her belly rub, squealing with pure joy. Worth the unexplainable way they will quietly sit with me when I am sad, occasionally touching a tender paw to my leg in consolation. Worth the knowledge that between you and this animal, there exists one of the purest forms of love.