4 of 79

Write now Article Tools

"They are so ugly, they're cute!" was the popular statement heard by my family and me for the twenty years that we owned Boston Terriers. With their flattened faces that look as if they have run into a wall and their big, pleading eyes, they were always adorable companions. My beloved Boston Terriers were my "siblings" when I was in middle school and high school.

The eldest of our terriers lived 19 years. When he came home to join our family, shortly before Christmas, he was only about 5" tall. It would have been hard to imagine that he would still be living so many years later when I was out of college. His name was Buckshot. He was the first of our Boston Terrier family.

To add to our family, we decided to get a female to be Buckshot's mate. We searched for weeks before finding Missy. She was born at a breeder's home in Florida. She was six weeks old when she came to live with us. She was sweet but shortly became feisty. This may have been in part due to my new hobby - harassing her.

My stepmother was Missy's human. Missy claimed her and never left her side. When my stepmother was in medical school, Missy waited patiently for her to return home from school. When Missy heard her mom's car, I would hold her and not let her run to the door to meet her. This aggravated Missy, to say the least.

My father decided Missy was a great target for his own jokes and torture. He joined in the fun and we both began harassing Missy when her mom wasn't around. Missy was a smart dog. She plotted her revenge. Once we would start harassing her in her mother's presence, Missy would lower her head and then jump up and hit us in our faces. We called this a Missy punch.

Missy spent years punching my dad and me and teaching us not to mess with her. We both ended up with bleeding noses a time or two. We did leave her alone when she was pregnant though. She had two litters before we had her fixed. The first litter produced Jabeau. Jabeau was to be sold with the rest of the litter but she wouldn't hear of it. She knew she was already at home.

Jabeau planned her future from her crib. When people would come to view her and her siblings, she would cry and scream and refuse to be held. She was so terrified of strangers that she would shake and tremble. At least that is what she wanted everyone to believe. It was no surprise to her when she was told she could stay with us forever.

Jabeau was the most active dog I've ever met. She played ball from the time she woke in the morning until the

• 1
• 2
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about Memoirs: My beloved dogs?
We want to hear your view. Write now!