I call Baby my hurricane Andrew dog. I brought her home the Christmas of '92, she was probably 8-12 weeks old. I wasn't looking for a dog, but felt she would be better off with me that the guy that planned on keeping her.
She is a mixed breed appearing to be a cross of Corgi and Golden Retriever. It took me a couple years to get attached to her. She spent more time with my girlfriend, who was dog sitting for me, than me since I was starting a business and working long hours. We finally came to understand we belong together and miss each other when we have to be apart.
Now 14 + years later, Baby has lost most of her hearing, her muzzle is going grey and she has put on weight that will never leave her. She has rear hip dysplasia with arthritis and needs her rump lifted to climb the porch to the house. She has sebatious cysts, allergies to fleas, memory loss and no doubt she is tormented by all these changes that she doesn't understand that it keeps her awake and pacing the floor at night. She is in good general health, just getting on the downside of that hill.
She has me up at all hours letting her out and applying allergy meds. She forgot that she has never bit anybody, when I try to give her an allergy pill. She forgot that I have never hit her, nor would I ever, when I call her to go out and she runs away from me. I love her and will be here for her for the rest of her life.
Our dogs' life cycles are so short, but a reminder to us that we are on the same path of life.
I had parrots in the house before Baby came. They taught her the pecking order and made her believe she was only a weird 4 legged bird. Baby is the only dog I have in the house I would trust to leave the birds uncaged with.
Undoubtedly I will outlive Baby and our other 2 dogs. Chances are my birds will out live all of us except Jeremy. Hopefully Jeremy will care for me and my birds later on as we now care for our aging canines.
Molly
