Old English Sheepdog

It always amazed me how Puff could manage to see his way around with that hair completely covering his eyes. We tried to keep his bangs trimmed or parted but they never stayed that way for long, and he was definitely the cutest when they hung down.

Puff was the perfect 'shaggy dog' and should have been in the movies. But instead, he was destined to spend his whole life entertaining us.

If you have an Old English Sheepdog, or are researching this breed with an eye towards making one part of your family, you already know that many can be quite neurotic and suffer anxiety attacks when left alone. And Puff had some of that, too. We always hated to have to say good-bye, knowing how he would suffer until we got home. They can also be very exuberant, especially when they're puppies, and they can be bouncy almost to the point of being dangerous. Potential owners, take a good long look and you'll immediately understand the tremendous amount of work that's involved with caring for their coat and overall health needs.

That said, Puff was worth it a million times over. Neither as neurotic as some nor as anxious as most, he was the perfect family companion. Playful but mature, loyal but independent and most important, he was lovable and affectionate. I'm not saying he wasn't a lot of work: I'm just saying that he was worth it. As old as he got, he always remained youthful and he passed that exuberance for life on to each of us. His passing was one of the saddest days any of us have ever had. Fortunately, the good memories carried us through that day last year when we said our last good byes to Puff. As one of the boys said, there are no sad stories about Puff. Only stories filled with smiles and laughter.