Dogs

So, I've never been much of an animal person. The "pets" I've taken care of mostly consist of the few plants I've managed to take care of and keep alive; mainly my Succulent plant, which I've named Ereshkigal, after the Sumerian Queen of the Underworld.

Also in recent life are the two new kittens that terrorize me in the mornings, and throughout most of the day... actually pretty much any time their little eyes are open. It's a good thing they're cute.
Leonard

















Sheldyn
(Yes the names are inspired by characters from "The Big Band Theory")

But despite the presence of the kittens (who aren't actually mine), I've never really been in touch with animals, much less dogs.

Dogs have also seemed pretty normal for a pet. I don't know what it was historically that first connected man and dog, but they seem to be a made to coexist in a full symbiotic relationship. Dogs are fiercely loyal, and the perfect companions for most human beings. They're pretty strange too. I don't know how often anyone thinks about the existence of a hidden "dewclaw", but anything that doesn't exist on the human body is fascinating to me.

I never thought I would be one to really be exposed to dogs. As a child the barking dogs of the neighbors would frighten me. When visiting any childhood friends I knew who owned dogs, I invariably would cause a normally placid dog to begin to bark at me. They didn't seem to ever like me. Any dog. Furthermore, I have always been mildly allergic to dogs. Not to quote movies here, but when it comes to dogs, I constantly "Had. A bad. Experience."

So along comes my Lydia, who you may know to be my fiancée, and the love of my life. She has always loved dogs. When I began dating her, I was exposed to her old dog, Jesebel. While she was certainly a nice dog (didn't bark at me, for once), I never really felt comfortable around canis lupus familiaris. It wasn't until Jesebel sadly passed away that I was exposed to a different dog.

Tori, short for Victoria (After the queen, since this dog certainly thinks she is one).

This is the tiny little dog (a cross between a Papillon and a Long-Hair Chihuahua) that was rescued by my bride-to-be one fateful day. The dog is generally quiet, friendly, clean, and enjoys attention. Constant attention. Still, the little gal has really began to grow on me over the years. I think she likes me because I'm thin. When I sit in a chair, I sorta act as a nice concave lap to sit in; bowl shaped. I believe this is the base of my friendship with this tiny dog.

Dogs are always going to be a part of my life from this point on, since my future wife is going to want to have them around. She makes accommodations for me, though; Tori is bathed nearly every week in an effort to limit my allergies to her. Which his fine, because it's nice to sleep in a bed with a tiny animal curled up next to you, and let's face it: cats are far too aloof for that.