Only Dogs Need Apply

My daughter has been carrying around this section of the newspaper for days now. She puts it in her Pre-K4 bag in the morning and takes it out at night. No day passes by without several pleas for this hamster.

We are a one dog household. We have Fiona, our Bull Terrier.

When Casey came home from the hospital, Fiona was ready to assume her duty as charge nurse.  The two were inseparable. Both of them came to my law office every day for one full year. Casey was a baby and Fiona was 2.

Fiona is the largest bull terrier I have ever owned. She is 75 lbs. of loving. She has the sweetest temperament, barks only when needed, and is grateful for simple pleasures and companionship. Too bad my marriage didn't have the same relationship qualities.

When Casey turned one, I started planning, researching and developing Silly Dilly Tot Spot. When Casey turned two, the website was launched. When Casey turned three, the retail store was opened. 

As I celebrated opening the retail store, Fiona was stricken with spontaneous glaucoma and within days, she went completely blind in one eye.  Her other eye had compromised vision. For one year, medicine helped ward off total blindness.

To help Casey understand Fiona's condition, I wrote this story Fiona and the Magical Skating Pond 

 Today you would never know that Fiona is blind. She walks around toys, and navigates new pathways around objects I have moved. My story is right. Fiona sees life with her heart.  Sure it is back-breaking to lift her into the car to go for a ride, but she loves the wind up her nose.  Sure it is a circus act to walk her with Casey while Casey insists upon holding the leash and collecting rocks and bugs.

One frosty morning, I almost lost it.  I finished my shower. It was still dark out. Fiona barked to go out. Okay, I thought...she has no problem walking into the front yard to do her business and returning inside.  I opened the door and stepped onto the porch.

Superdog leaped off of the porch, bolted through the yard and ran down the dark street. Clutching my towel, I ran after her, screaming for her to stop.   I saw in the distance that she had stopped to visit with a little teacup dog being walked by a very elderly gentleman.

When I reached them, the man nervously asked, "she's friendly right?"  I replied, "too friendly, so sorry." The man and teacup pooch left. Without a leash, I straddled my bruiser dog and marched her up the road. We gave a nod to a city worker and waved hello to our neighbor. Nothing new at our house. . . Me running in a towel after our blind dog on a winter morning...late for school again.

Fiona is turning eight and she still spins in the air when we come home.  I love hearing Casey imitate my voice, "hi Fiona, hi baaaaaaaby."  

Sure a hamster is a cool pet, but our dog is the greatest! 

Note to readers: This blog entry was written for the purpose of being read to my daughter in furtherance of my position that no additional pet: hamster, rabbit, cat, fish, etc...will live with my knowledge at our residence.