Some of my fondest memories of my youth were spent with my dog. "Tar" first appeared when I was 10 years old and was with us until 12 years ago. I will never forget that cold January morning when he arrived, a 6-week-old purebred black lab pup, small enough to sleep in a shoe box. We had just had a significant snowfall, but Tar loved snow; he would try to jump his way through it. He was with us for some great times, and later on, some bad times; but he always was that one constant that never changed, despite the fact that everything else seemed to.Meet Sammy. She is my newest attempt to rekindle my youth. A two month shih-tzu/havanese cross; Sammy has thankfully brought some well needed energy to a somewhat sedentary and reclusive lifestyle. In short, she's a chick magnet. Actually, she's an everything magnet. Chicks, guys, dogs, cats, you name it, she wants to meet it. The last two weeks have been a lesson on just the level of commitment that is needed to raise a dog. Some might suggest that I might have got her for an ulterior motive, to which i retort. If I did, I sure am spending a lot of time working on it. Which maybe says a little something about me. But since she is young and cute, I may as well make the most of it.
Sammy will never be another Tar. She will never be housebroken in one day. She will never be able to ring the door bell. Most importantly, I will never be 10 years old again. Sammy will be special because of the era of my life that she influenced.
I have never considered my self a subscriber of religion, instead opting for spiritual enlightenment. But I have to think, that for a brief moment, when Sammy was dropped in my lap, that Tar stopped chasing his tennis ball for a brief moment and wagged his tail.
-S-
