Cleo, my love
It has been a year since there was a dog in my life. I had forgotten what a wonderful addition they are to a person’s life, especially a single-person-who-spends-too-much-time-in-front-of-a-computer-keyboard’s life.
A few weeks ago Cleo entered my world and I remembered all the great reasons for having a dog around.
Cleo and me
We’ve gone for long walks together, visited leash-free parks where Cleo has been able to make new friends and play to her heart’s content. She insists I take frequent breaks from the computer to go outside and toss her favorite ball so she can chase it down.
Cleo is an amazingly well behaved and calm puppy. She’s only 17 weeks old yet behaves better than other dogs I’ve taken through training classes and spent months trying to impress. She goes to work with me every day where she is now the official greeter. The customers love her almost as much as I do. Some of them bring treats from Petco, half a block away. We even have customers who come in just to visit with her though they don’t need to purchase anything.
Everyone who meets her remarks first on her interesting appearance, then on her mellow personality. She not a barker, not a digger and walks on a leash like she’s been doing that for years.
I could go on for many more sentences extolling her virtues. She is a dream dog, the dog I’ve been hoping to find all my life.
She’s also the last dog I’ll probably ever own. I’m 54. If she lives out a normal lifespan of 12 to 14 human years I’ll be in my late 60s and too old to find another companion. I may still have cats as I do now, since they’re rather self-sufficient. But most likely Cleo will be my last canine roommate.
Please, if you like dogs but don’t currently have one, consider adopting one from your local shelter. There are so many wonderful dogs there waiting for a good home. Many of them are only in shelters because their families just couldn’t afford, in money or time, to properly care for them anymore. They will introduce an element of joy into your life that no other creature can.
If you’re ever in my neighborhood come by and say hello to Cleo. She’d love to meet you.
