A Sunday Salute to Pups and Puppy Parents

Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our life whole.
Roger Caras

by Skip Cohen

It's Sunday morning, and I rarely write about business. Last night, Sheila and I were talking about "our girls," Lucy and Belle. Before Sheila talked me into the idea, I'd never had two dogs at the same time. So, five years ago, Lucy and Belle joined the family.

We've become full-time dog people, and it's wonderful. The day starts with their morning routine. After they "get busy" outside, it's inside for brushing and a handful of morning kibble, followed by lots of hugs and lovin'. Throughout the day, the pups take turns hanging out with us. They've got a vocabulary of hundred or so words, to the point that we have to spell words like "r-i-d-e" if we're considering taking them with us.

The day ends with Sheila's routine for both pups as they're tucked in for the night. While it might seem like total overindulgence, we go to sleep every night with full hearts, often talking about how less full our lives might be without these two little knuckleheads.

I know so many of you understand - it's that unconditional love our pets bring into our lives and fill our hearts.

I don't really have a point this morning—I'm just having fun expressing my love for what's become our lifestyle and saluting all of you pup parents out there.

​On Facebook the other day, somebody posted the four ways to know your dog thinks you're a mom: They follow you around the house, make eye contact all the time, seek out your affection with snuggling, licking, and even a hug, and finally, share their toys with you.

“Animals have come to mean so much in our lives. We live in a fragmented and disconnected culture.
Politics are ugly, religion is struggling, technology is stressful, and the economy is unfortunate.
What’s one thing that we have in our lives that we can depend on?
A dog or a cat loving us unconditionally, every day, very faithfully.”
Jon Katz

Wishing everyone a day ahead filled with lots of time with the people (and pets) most important in your life. Go for those eleven-second therapeutic hugs I've written about for so many years - they're even better with a four-legged friend. And grab a picture now and then - each image is another chapter in your story, especially with pups.

Happy Sunday...or Monday on the other side of the world!