twenty one.

Princess. She is my dog. She has brought me more joy than I could have ever imagined.

I grew up with dogs, but this little stinker is very special.

Princess came to us in a very unusual and special way. On Thanksgiving eve 2001, we got a call from our next door neighbor. She said that they had found a little Chihuahua curled up in their recycling bin. They were leaving town for the holiday and asked if we would come get the dog. [Our neighborhood used to be a hot bed for drop-off animals. People would go out of town or decide they didn't want the pet and just release animals into our neighborhood.] Of course we agreed & went off to collect the dog. It was freezing cold and raining that day, so we knew that the dog had to be cold. When we found her (not a Chihuahua but a Rat Terrier), it was one of the saddest things I have ever seen. She had managed to find some sheep skin and had pulled it into the recycling bin to lay on. She was so scared and shivering. We brought her into our garage and tried to coax her out of her makeshift home, but she wouldn't budge. She wouldn't move to eat or use the restroom or anything.

My parents were reluctant to keep her at first because they didn't want another dog. We put up flyers that we had found her, but no one claimed her. She quickly grabbed hold of our hearts and all the cold reluctance of my parents (hehe) was shattered. She was meant to be in our family. She vise gripped my dad's heart first (not surprisingly.) Dad would go out in the garage and try to get her to come to him with food or milk. She finally gave in and very hesitantly came to him. From then on, she was his dog. If dogs imprinted then that would explain their relationship. She is glued to him at all times. Even now.

My then 8th grade self conned my parents into letting her come inside. "But it's the holidays & its cold" *Cue Brittany's puppy dog eyes and pouting lower lip* With a "She can come inside, but she has to stay in the kitchen," I got my way. :) After that, she made short work of us. 12 years later, she rules our house! She sleeps with us and expects us to cater to her at all times. Hence, why her name fits her so well.

My parents say I torture her, but my form of torture is hugs and kisses. I figure that if that is her torture, she has a pretty good life.

She is getting old now. We have now become her "doggy elevator," picking her up and placing her on the couch or bed. It's sad to see her get older, but I know that she has made her mark and had a fabulous life of luxury here. We have never and will never have a dog like Princess. She doesn't like anyone else, but to our family, she is the be all end all of pets. We love her like a human and she will always be the most special dog to us. It doesn't hurt that she is pretty too!