Pets

Hello my friends.

Earlier I was looking through some old photo albums on Facebook. It is amazing to me that due to my activity on FB, my life is now chronicled on the web. There are pictures and comments dating back to my early high school days. I don't often peruse those long-ago posts, but today I was looking at pictures of when we first brought our Cavalier King Charles Spaniels home. They were so itty bitty! We welcomed two little boys and one tiny little girl into our family in early July of 2010.

One of the boys was mine and I named him Samuel. Over the years he has accumulated a wealth of nicknames and now we mostly call him Tab or Tabby (pronounced with a stuffy nose). Tab has always been a huge snuggle bug and can often be caught staring lovingly into my Mom's eyes. My sister got the other boy puppy and named him Luther. One of my young cousins used to call him "Dooter," so now we usually just call him Doot for short. Luther is a smart, loving, and burly creature, and he is more independent than the other two. My parents got the little girl whom they named Honeysuckel, after an actress on the British TV series "Foyle's War." Honey is the leader of our small dog pack. She's bossy, sassy, and completely loveable. She keeps the boys in line. Unlike the boys' nicknames, Honey's pet name is much longer than her original name. We like calling her Honeysuckle Susan Marie or sometimes simply Hunnuhmuh.

Before we got these dogs we conducted extensive research into different dog breeds. We wanted to get dogs that loved people and were easygoing. The Cavaliers have definitely lived up to the breed standard. They greet strangers with wagging tails and bright eyes. We have to warn guests who visit our house that the dogs will attempt to catapult onto their laps. The dogs love being showered with affection and with thinly sliced deli turkey and cheese. They are intensely motivated by food and snacks.

As time went by, my sister and I realized that the three of our dogs belonged together. We couldn't possibly take one with us when we moved. They were a unit of three and that is how they have remained. All three dogs live with my parents now and they love the stink out of them. I ended up getting a Papillon, whom I named Tank, to keep with me as I grow up and travel around for school. The Cavaliers tolerate my new puppy. Honey takes it upon herself to teach him manners. Tank loves following the dogs around and making a nuisance of himself.

I am so grateful for our pets that we have now and all the pets we loved growing up. I'm not going to go into the dynamic relationship that humans have with their pets, but I will say that without pets, my life would be quite boring. The dogs make me laugh and smile constantly. They have taught me responsibility and patience. They also are excellent snugglers.

Long live the pets!

Love,
Charlotte