Animal House

I’ve fallen in love, and it’s not with a man. Standing just shy of one foot, little Rufus who is a mix between a dachshund and a Jack Russell terrier has won my heart. While I wish I could claim him as my own, he is in fact my friend’s puppy. After about a week of begging to meet the puppy, I suggested my services as a dog walker. To my surprise, my friend actually took me up on it. Now I walk and play with Rufus two to three times a week. Our time together helps me resist begging my parents to send me my dog, Stella. My family has quite the array of dogs, which happens to be an interesting story.

I haven’t always been a dog person. When I was growing up I was literally obsessed with cats. I can’t really explain the obsession other than the fact my sister was allergic so I couldn’t have one. Owning a cat was just out of my reach, which made me want one even more. Then one Christmas morning, I awoke to mewing on my front door step. I rushed out of the house to find a bright, red box in front of me. I quickly removed the lid to find my first and to this day only kitten. I loved that cat to no end but when my family moved to Oklahoma, I was forced to give her to my older sister because of my other sister’s allergies. I was heartbroken. Leaving behind a pet doesn’t exactly make moving any easier.

When my family moved to Oklahoma, we owned one dog, Taylor, a yellow lab. Shortly after the move, we decided Taylor needed a friend. Our search ended with another yellow lab, Blondie. The two enjoyed three years of bliss until my family’s pet population exploded. As a tradition, each daughter receives a puppy for her 17^th birthday. In the scheme of things, this is a terrible age to get a puppy because in two years each of us was on our own with the puppy still at our parents’ home. For my middle sister’s birthday, she picked out a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and named her Maddie. A year and a half later, it was finally my turn to pick out a puppy! While I considered an array of medium-sized dogs, my choice had pretty much been made the day my sister brought Maddie home. Cavaliers are extremely well tempered and very loving. I brought Stella home two weeks after my birthday. The runt of the litter with light brown markings, I had known instantly she was the one I wanted. Stella and Maddie bonded immediately. To this day the duo hates to be separated, which is why Stella is not in California with me.

If you are keeping track, my family’s dog count is now up to four. Next came Piper, who was my sister’s replacement to Maddie after she realized her and Stella were a package deal. Piper thinks she is my sister's third child. She has no concept of the fact she is a French bulldog not a child. Then my oldest sister got Scout, who is a black lab closer in size to a small pony than a dog. Then Lucy, a hyperactive black lab who thinks she is a lap dog. Finally Banks rounds out my family’s dog collection. While Taylor died a couple of years ago, during family get togethers dogs still almost out number humans. Now I get my dog fix with Rufus instead of the pack of dogs at my house.