80 Million People Can't Be Wrong

on going post in a blog www.lifeandmaine.blogspot.com About life in Maine for a New York City Girl

It is said that there are 80 million people in the U.S. have at least one, me included. We love them and it is returned. They care about us sometimes more than we care about them. They seem to know us better than we know ourselves.  They will never forget us, leave us, or forsake us.  They have character and they are characters. They are as much part of us as family, by God, they are family.

Mine is 10 pounds of pure love.  She smiles all the time ear to ear, when she knows that I am right there.  Full of personality, spunk, and sometimes territorial,  she is blue when I have to go, as I am blue without her.  

Sweet Pea is her name, a long haired chihuahua.  Gary added her to our family as a birthday gift, 3 years ago, and I can’t imagine life without her.

Whirling back to the first weeks she joined our home, were some of the most sweetest memories.  

As a young child my nickname was Sweet Pea, I love the song from the late 60’s and would dance around the room to it. Gary had decided that would be her name on the birth certificate.  So it was.  

He wasn’t so sure about this addition to our nest.  He had never loved an animal before, all that soon changed.  At first is was no dog on the bed, well that ended the first night, Sweet Pea was lonely.  What was I to do?  Then, it was no dog under the covers. Really, she is cold. No dog on the couch, Did he want her to lay on the floor? Well, Sweet Pea, now has two spots on our couch.  We have a large sectional, one part for her bed and blanket, only to be used for naps, maybe.  One part covered with another of her favorite blankies. To hold her granola bars and toys.

My honey wanted her to go to finishing school, I got in touch with one right by us.  They offer classes, day care, and a beauty salon.  It is a point to remember that Sweet Pea, does not see herself as a dog, no sir.  If I hold her up to the mirror, she will not even look at herself. No…. in Sweet Pea’s mind she is a human. Probably because Mommy and Daddy treat her that way.

Finishing school was getting really important for her.  Sweet Pea would nip at her brother every time he walked in the room and then run away from him.  It was getting a little upsetting for the nest.  So, off to finishing school, Daddy, Mommy, brother, and of course the student.

We arrived to see other students with their families, class starts and learning to walk in a large circle just behind mom was not working.  Sweet Pea would walk three steps and take her usual position on her back, wagging her tail, smiling for me to pick her up.  No way she was saying… I am NOT walking like those others.  Mommy will carry me like always.  At the end of her graduation from school, we discovered that she doesn’t like to walk like others, she doesn’t have 4 legs, but 2 arms and 2 legs, but what was most enlightening  is the reason she nips her brother.  It is a food chain issue.

In Sweet Pea’s eyes, she is at the top of the food chain., then Daddy, then Mommy and last is her brother.  The little nips are for him to remember who is in charge.  Thankfully we all understand her position and happily content in the ones that she has assigned us.

Fast forward to present day…...Sweet Pea fully in charge of the house now, taking her position extremely seriously, we are all here to serve her.  People know her at the local Tim Hortons and she always leaves with her own bagged Tim Bit. The local barber knows and ask for her regularly, at the bank and the pharmacy she is sure to have a treat waiting for her. She is a regular celebrity around town.  She consistently takes her position on her back for her non-discriminatory  demands of belly rubs. When her distinguished daddy carries her, she knows he is putty in her hands and he can’t resist her, but knows to afford her all the Princessly wishes she commands.   On return she does afford him the luxury of being a chick magnet.

Day to day life is enriched by her sharing her life with us and we truly are better people for this gift.  She is daddy’s little girl and mommy’s baby.  With the least bit of disruption or loud noise, Sweet Pea transforms herself into the jaws of death and speedly goes for the closest a*s there is and claps down, refusing to let go. We are considering mental therapy, to help her with this unusual way she finds comfort for being disrupted by loud noises.  We could not imagine having the bed to ourselves anymore., or getting a good night's sleep,  And God forbade that you don’t take your place in bed before her, a fight will ensue.  But all in all, Sweet Pea knows how to handle these situations with expertise.  She now will lay directly on my head, not next to my head, on top,  continually sighing  until I move and make room for her between Mommy and Daddy making sure she has contact with both of us.  Just before her little eyes drift off, I am the receiver of the look,.  “Oh and Mommy, don’t forget to cover me.”  All of  this before she starts to snore.   Perfect.   

Reviews

[TrifectaNiteshade]

LOVE IT! This is exactly how I feel about my pup, a 4 pound papillon named Tyr. :) Well done!