Dat’s My Dawg!
Okay, gather 'round lil childrens, because I've got a little story for ya , and trust me, it's a howl! Here's the thing: I had it all figured out. Now I told 'em what I wanted, I thought I had spelled it out loud and clear. This is what I want… a lil, teeny-tiny Yorkie, a Frenchie or a Shih Tzu, you know, the kind of pup with a sassy diva ass-titude that you could carry in your pocketbook, take on a leisurely stroll, whose energy level matched my own: cozy and low-key and have a full-blown conversation with while sipping on a caramel latte.
Frenchie
Carry in my pocketbook or take a leisurely stroll…
But, oh no, the millennials flat out ignored it. So, what did they bring home? A supercharged, never-sit-still Australian Cattle Dog named Sheila E. It's like I asked for a ticket to a broadway show and they got me a ticket to the front row of WWE Smack Down!
And girlfriend had other ideas, too, as she brought a whole new meaning to the term "active lifestyle." Her plans involved herding me down the stairs every morning as if I were a straggling heifer. To her, I was just another farm animal, like I was in a cattle drive! Head 'em out!
Yorkshire Terrier: Also known as a Yorkie, is a British breed of toy dog of terrier type.
Oh, the places we will go….
And poor hubby, I thought he would never be able get into bed again, because she would bark, nip and block his way. He thought this was funny; I was horrified. However, once he was in, she was fine. So he had to try to get into bed before me and her. Would my life ever be normal again? And on top of all of that, I saw where one of these dogs lived for 30 years and as I have stated before, bad things tend to last a long time in our household…(We had a tuxedo cat, named Menace that lived to be almost 20 years old. He came into our home when my kids were like 4 and was still here when they came back from college.)
When Sheila E needed water, she'd tap her little paws impatiently and loudly, making her demand sound like a 4th of July fireworks show. If we didn't hop to it fast enough, she'd turn our living room into a water park without the sunscreen and lifeguards. Oh the splashing!
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So, what did I do? I went from imagining sipping lattes with a petite pooch to chasing this furry whirlwind of a Tasmanian devil around the house. I've got to tell you, that kind of energy should come with a warning label.
Several years later...
Still, as the days turned into weeks, and the weeks into months and the months into years, I discovered that this medium-sized bundle of energy brought a unique kind of joy to our lives. She made sure we got our daily exercise as she dashed around the house like a maniac. She herded more than just me; she herded laughter and vitality into our home.
While my pocketbook dog dreams may have been shattered, I found myself appreciating the quirks of a high-energy pup like Sheila E. She didn't need a pocket; she needed a whole park to contain her personality. And though her antics were far from what I had imagined, they brought a breath of fresh air and joy into our lives.
But, get this...In the midst of all this madness, I found a new kind of joy. Sheila E wasn't just a pet; she was a full-time cardio workout. Naw, she wasn't the pocketbook dog of my dreams, but she became the center of attention and laughter in our home.
So, remember, folks, life has a funny way of giving you what you didn't know you needed. In the end, my super active Australian Cattle Dog turned out to be just the adventure I never knew I wanted.
Sheila E is 4 years old and she is still a riot, and I wouldn't have it any other way!