Dearly Departed Doggies

Dame Patches was our first dog.
She became our deputy in charge of kid defense, demonstrating decency and discipline.
Her young masters might check her ears or her dentition, and never did she complain.
She played along with childish whims, and did not disappoint.
Her only drawback was ... well, once, when we kept chickens, the chickens kept disappearing.
We thought a neighbor dog was responsible...until the day I detected Patches inside the chicken coop with feathers in her mouth. This, she could not deny. She seemed desolate and distressed in her dishonor. We fixed the coop and forgave her the disastrous lapse.

Patches was our family companion for 14 years.
Then came damsel Molly,dashing, darling, and sweet.

She loved to play in snow, hike with the family,

swim in any water, and fetch anything in sight.

She was ideal... Except... well, there was the matter of the disappearing hot dogs, but who can blame her? Dinner was served, and no one else was around...

Almost always, she was demure, in bark and deed, a dream dog.
And even to her last hike, she was willing, until she had to defer to her diminishing energy.

We had our damsel Molly for a delightful 14 years.

Gone, but not forgotten.

But we could not descend into the doldrums, for dynamic Daisy took up the post, a disciple of dame and damsel who demands our dependence, and will not let us down.

Being a dog owner may be daunting, but never dull.

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