Puppy # 7

As I walked to my local Starbucks this morning, I saw the most adorable little puppy. The pooch couldn’t have weighed more than 8 pounds. He was jumping up and down against a hydrant trying to bite and untie his leash which was linked to the hydrant. When I saw him, I couldn’t help but stop and say hello.

The doggie was very approachable and started hopping up and down my leg. He licked my hand and then proceeded to bite my shirt with his tiny teeth. I asked him if his friend was inside. He didn’t respond except to jump up and down more. By looking at this little fellow, I knew he was the same breed as one of my doggies.

I remember when I first got her. She was in a playpen with the rest of her litter but I didn’t actually see her. She was playing under a blanket while her brothers and sisters were rolling around on top of the blanket. 11 little spotted puppies frolicking in a playpen. It was a precious sight. Out of nowhere popped puppy #7 from under the blanket, which covered her head like a little bonnet. She had the smallest face but the biggest eyes – orbs that created a halo around her face. She walked her front paws up the playpen to greet me. She licked my hand when I greeted her and I was smitten.

She came home with me that night adorned in red bow around her neck. She was in a little carrying case and she whimpered the whole train ride home. When I bought her to my apartment, I cordoned her off to the kitchen with a wee wee pad and a little bowl of water.

As I tried to fall asleep, I could sense her looking at me. I turned myself to not face her. She then began to whimper which quickly turned to yelps. I decided that I couldn’t have her do this all night and wake my neighbors so I went to get her. She ended up sleeping on my chest that night and that was the first wrong parenting step I took.

She had so much energy back then. She would zoom around my apartment, jumping on my bed, jumping off, running into the kitchen and back, spinning around in circles for 20 to 30 minutes at a time – like whirling dervish. She was a ball of electricity! We’d go for long walks together and I’d occasionally put her in my purse for the longer distances. My little shadow accompanied everywhere I went until she could jump out of the purse and would run into the street to tell the oncoming traffic that she was the king of the world.

She has become a pal to my sister, a beggar/treasure to my mom, the tempest to my dad and a tv buddy to my husband. She often reminds me to quickly close the door to the bathroom. Otherwise, I’ll have a visitor. She often pretends to hate her sister, only to give her a big lick when she thinks no one is looking.

To think this little puppy outside of Starbucks was what my little pooch once looked like. It made me want to get another little terrier to add to my duo. But I know Bonnette won’t be too happy with another sibling.