To Love A Dog...

My whole life, I've been surrounded by pets. Growing up, my brother and I had dogs, rabbits, pigeons, cats, hamsters, fish, etc. You name it, and we probably had one, at least for a short amount of time. My family quickly discovered, our love for dogs and had a few breeds over the years, including; a couple of mix breeds, two dalmations, and a yorkie. In 2005 though, I discovered my love for Shi Tzu puppies and just HAD to get one! I begged and pleaded but it never got me anywhere due to the fact I was back in my parents home after a move to Little Rock. And then, one Sunday, I had the best surprise!

My husband, whom I was dating at the time, and I were headed to make an offer on a home in Sherwood, and we caught sight of the cutest, sweetest Shi Tzu puppy I had ever seen, lost in the middle of the street. Of course, I had to pull over, and when I did, the puppy ran over and jumped in my car!! (Josh argues with this point, but I beg to differ. Putting his paws up on the frame of the car, for a puppy, is the same as jumping in, as far as I am concerned!) I asked around, but no one knew who he belonged to, and therefore, he joined us at the realtor's office. The next two days, I attempted to find an owner, and finally got a call that Tuesday. After returning him to his rightful owner, Josh offered to purchase the puppy from them, and well, the rest is history!!

Max instantly took over our lives and our hearts!! His unique little features and ecstatic personality made us love him even more, and even today, I don't know how we got so lucky to find such a wonderful dog!! Everyday we spend with him is a joy, and we can't imagine our lives without him!

For those of you , non-dog lovers... I understand this may be a little over the top, but to love a dog is so much more than I ever expected. I've always had a liking to my dogs in the past, but it's something different. They were always the family dog, the outside dog, or most recently mom's dog. This time, Max was MY dog. I had the responsibility to pay for him, care for him, and ensure he had all that he needed. It's definitely been worth every minute. I wouldn't give up a moment I've had with him and hope for many more happy memories with my dog, my Max!!!