Bonds

I grew up with a pet dog named Buddy. He was amazing and the best pet a family could ask for hands down. When he died I was right around 13, we never got a new dog. Looking back I think it was because my parents knew that no dog could ever replace Buddy and our hearts were so broken by the lost of our “brother” that I don’t think my parents wanted to put my sister and I through that again.

I have always wanted another dog, in entered Kelly our rescued beagle. She has been in our family now for about 4 years and we finally have started to really understand what makes her tick. She had a whole list of issues and she still has skittish tendencies towards strangers but every year she seems to get a little bit better.

Leila has known nothing else then having a pet in her life and boy is that bond strong. Leila treats Kelly like her sibling. When she is angry at anyone she takes it out on poor Kelly, she plays dress up with her, and their favorite game is chase. And Kelly is so gentle about it all, she allows Leila to dress her up all while giving me sad beagle puppy eyes. The happiest for both of them though is up at my parent’s home out in the country running around the property.

Since Kelly is a rescue dog we aren’t really sure of her age, she was full size when we got her but we think she was only a year or two old at that time. If our calculations are right she is close to 6 years old. I am just hoping we have another 6 good years with her, since as hard as I wish I know a lifetime isn’t possible. But I do know that the memories will and can last a lifetime for Leila.