I grew up like most kids, loving animals! I was and still am obsessed with animals, most especially dogs. I think they are such amazing animals. I begged and begged my parents for what seemed like an eternity to get me a dog! There were two major problems with my request. The first was, my Dad, my Sister, and I are all allergic to animals, (I still don’t see how thats fair! How can an animal lover like me have allergies to them!?!), the second was my sister was/is terrified of big dogs. I of course wanted a big dog! Obviously the first step in getting a dog was conceding the big dog and agreeing to a little dog. That wasn’t hard to sell me on, I wanted a dog so bad I couldn’t have cared less about the size! The first problem however, didn’t seem easily fixable! Well leave it to my Mom, she found out about a breed of dog called a Maltese. The Maltese is one of the oldest known breeds of dogs, dating back to 500 B.C. They don’t exceed 7 pounds, and have hair NOT fur, so they are both small and hypoallergenic! All problems solved! I got my first Maltese JoJo on October 3, 1989!
JoJo was literally the best dog! He was actually perfect! We never even had to correct him, he was just so happy to be a part of the family! He was dear and loving and everything you could ever want for a dog! JoJo’s health started to fail the summer of 2001, (months before my senior year of high school). We of course tried to keep him as comfortable and happy as we could, but were only prolonging the inevitable. We had to put JoJo to sleep that fall! It was devastating of course, and I vowed I would never have another dog, there could never be another JoJo! I was right, there would never be another JoJo, but my love of animals and of course Maltese led me to once again begging my parents to get me a dog!
This time, it took all of my efforts to make the sale to my parents. I begged and pleaded, left notes all over the house, and even sent faxes to my Dad at work! Just so you know the squeaky wheel does get the oil! LOL! I brought Windsor home on January 27, 2003! It would be 6 years later I’d be begging to get another dog, but it didn’t take me nearly as long to convince my newest victim! LOL! Doug bought me an early anniversary present, and we brought an 18 ounce Bentley home on February 18, 2009!
On what would have been JoJo’s 23rd Birthday, it’s hard to believe JoJo has been gone for almost 11 years. JoJo truly was the best dog! JoJo spent 12 years with us! I still have his collar, (though he never really wore it), in my closet. Not to get too, “Old Yeller” depressing, but like the poem, Rainbow Bridge says, “when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.” We love you JoJo!!
Lots of Love,
