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I had worked on my husband for a few weeks to get the okay on the dog ownership thing. I started well before October. I gave him all the reasons we needed a dog. He works out of town and a dog would be a good alarm system. We have this big yard for a dog to run in. It will be so nice to have someone greet us when we get home. He gave in. Finally! The neighbors adjacent to our back yard, Keith and Aileen, let us know their dog Molly had puppies. They were born on Thanksgiving Day and if I was still interested, to come on over and pick one out, free of charge. Harley. I knew her name before I met her. It just came to me.

It was two weeks before Christmas and the puppies were ready for viewing. I fell in love with her the minute I saw her. She was all white with one black spot on her back and a black heart around her right eye. She has those hound dog ears that hang below her muzzle. She had chocolate brown eyes that melted you when you looked at her. She came right up to me and did not want me to put her down. She was the gentlest dog I ever saw, and also the runt. She was timid and quiet and very loving. I ran home like a five year old who just got to see Santa. I told Bill, my husband, all about our new family member. And, that we could have her right around Christmas. The husband who was wary of getting a dog, came in the next day with doggie things. Beds, bones, food and lots of toys. I don't know who was more excited, him or me.

Finally, two days before Christmas Eve, Aileen called to let me know I can take her home. I ran across that yard quicker than those reindeer could fly! As I approached the door, Aileen laughed and let me know I got the rowdy dog. What? My quiet, sweet timid puppy rowdy? I did not know if this would go over so great with Bill. I looked into the kitchen and sure enough, there was Harley barking orders at her brothers and sisters. Running and playing and herding them all into the play area. When she saw me, she stopped. She ran up to me and licked me all over. The best smell in the world to me, next to a new born baby smell, is puppy breath. I picked her up, tucked her under my coat and hugged her close to my chest, and heart.

When Bill saw her, he melted. He began talking "baby talk" to her. She loved it. And, so did we. But, in the course of raising puppies, we soon gave her a middle name. Sue. It rhymed with Harley Sue what did you do? I soon went through 12 pairs of underwear, two pairs of boots, three pairs of socks, one pair of jeans, and a leather belt. She had developed a taste for my clothes. Bill thought it was funny, till he came up short a pair of his underwear and a pair of socks. She would pull those through the clothes basket and chew on them under the bed. Harley Sue what did you do soon became a repeated phrase at our house.

She did grow out of it. She is my shadow. She is my rock, my best friend and best playmate I ever had. When I had back surgery and could not get out of bed, she was there. She never left my side. Even when I got stuck in the bathroom for four hours until my husband got home. I could not get up off of the commode. She laid right there, next to my feet, to make sure I was OK. I tell her my secrets, she tells me hers in her doggie way. She is my husband's best Frisbee catcher, when she is not eating them. And also, his best outfielder. She is his companion in the garage when he is working on something. She is mine in the kitchen. Always waiting to see what could fall. She is also the best blanket on a cold winter's night when we are curled up reading a good book near the fire.

I tucked her under my coat and close to my chest the day I took her home, and she has remained near my heart since that day.

Learn more about this author, Katie Ross.
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