Womans best friends

  I love my dogs.  Maybe because I never had children, my dogs are the first thing I think of when I make a decision about almost everything.  I have had many dogs throughout the years that have made a major impact on who I am.  There's no way I could mention all of them and most of these dogs shared my life together for periods of time.
   Scooter was a 6 pound Maltese.  He went to work with me every day when I was driving a mobile grooming van.  He loved everybody and one year got more Christmas cards than I did.  Whenever I would put my turn signal on, he would climb out of my lap to see where we were going.  You could feel the excitement when we neared certain places.  I couldn't figure out why he was whining on one occasion. I then realized we were nearing a Taco Bell.  His favorite lunch was a soft taco with no lettuce. He was almost 17 when his heart gave out.  I still tear up when I think of him. 
  Chico was as you can probably guess by the name a Chihuahua.  He was gift from my business partner after my constant remarks about the tiny dog in the pet store window.  Chico was so tiny as a puppy that I had to fashion a sweater from a sock to keep him warm in the Florida winter.  He rode in my pocket and people would be shocked when his huge ears would pop out.  Somewhere around the age of two, he decided that he hated people in general.  He basically hated everything and even the largest dog would run from him. I think he loved me. I know he was excited to see me when I came home.  We took a 3000 mile van camping trip one time.  Chico hated car rides but we did kind of bond on that adventure.  He lived to be 18 years old.  I admired Chico, he had spunk.
   Joey was the perfect dog.  He was a gorgeous Golden Retriever with all the qualities one loves with the breed.  Even Chico loved Joey.  My favorite Joey memory was when he saved a little boy from drowning.  Well, he thought he did.  I was throwing sticks for him to retrieve at the beach when we heard a friends child yelling for help.  Joey dropped the stick and swam to the child.  He actually grabbed his waistband and dragged him to shore.  Turns out, the kid was not actually in danger but it amazes me that he knew what to do.  When we moved to Connecticut we lived in a camper van for a while.  The children at the campground would come over and ask if Joey could come out to play.  They taught him how to play soccer.  He would swim out to the floating dock, climb up the ladder and dive off again and again.  What a fun dog.  We moved into an New York suburb apartment in a sketchy neighborhood soon after.  We were out for a late night walk one night and Joey suddenly crossed in front of me and growled.  I couldn't have been more shocked.  I then saw the young guy backing away from his bared teeth.   I can only imagine what could have happened.  Joey died of cancer at the age of eight.
  I had always loved Poodles and had several growing up.  Deco was a 70 pound Standard sized gentleman.  He had an air about him that everybody noticed.  He had his day in the show ring but was happiest when he could run free in the woods.  Deco was leader of the pack and I loved him dearly.  I lost him to stomach cancer when he was only 7 years old.
   I got Cricket quite by accident.  A friend fell in love with a brown Poodle who came to the vets office where I worked.  She found one online for free because the nine month old puppy had a bad leg.  She named the dog Bonbon and had the needed x-rays and surgery to fix the leg.  I groomed Bonbon a few weeks later and realized that she was pregnant.  We called the previous owner and she admitted that she was in heat when she sent her and she had a male toy Poodle as well.  The vet said that there would be no way that the puppies would be viable and recommended that we spay her immediately.  I talked my friend into waiting a few more days and she delivered three healthy pups.  I kept Bonbon and the pups until they were old enough to go to new homes.  Cricket was the smallest and not as healthy and I just couldn't bear to see her go.  Five years later I have not spent a single night without her snuggled beside me. 
  Gable is now four years old and is a Brown Standard Poodle.  He is lovable and goofy.  He answers to Moose which is what he looks like and Dufus which is what he acts like.  Not a mean bone in his body and like Deco, he lives to run free in the woods.
   Last but not least is Liza.  She is Crickets puppy and now 7 months old.  Liza is my black sheep of the family.  She has selective hearing but is smart as a whip.  I've never had a dog that was so excited to see me when I get home.  She literally squeals with delight.  I'm so lucky to have such great friends.
 

 
  
  Deco aged seven with Cricket aged nine months.