The Life of My Dog

When our daughter was four, she was so crazy about dogs that she “became” one herself; she wore a plastic doggy nose over her human nose for nearly a year. Last year, after an eight-year campaign by our in-house canine lobbyist, we finally became owners of a Border Collie. Our daughter was thrilled. And so are we. We’ve seen the timid one year old that we brought home blossom into a joyful dog who is happiest when either playing soccer or snuggling with a beloved.

I grew up in a house filled with dogs. My dear spaniel Dauntless and my feisty terrier Tory were truly my best friends. They curled at the foot of my bed when I needed quiet company, amused me with some silly antic when I needed a laugh, greeted me with sparkling eyes when I needed a romp and loved me when I needed it most.

Some twenty years later, I discovered that my mother had had the foresight to write down some of the capers and unique traits of these dear family members. At the time, writing about our dogs after their passing was a key part of her grieving. Now her words serve to remind us both of all the little things that made these dogs so special. They help us feel close again to our long lost friends. The Life of My Dog was created out of my family’s determination not to let our current animals’ memories fade away and to help others do the same.

Kate Marshall