Cockapoo

It was in 2007 that little Maddi joined our family. My kids came home from school one day all excited about a black dog that followed them home. It was immediately obvious from the tag, however, that the dog belonged to someone else and we could not keep it. We phoned and found out that it belonged to a local breeder; somehow it had made its way outside of her yard and wandered several miles down to the schoolyard.

The breeder came right over to get her lost dog and we found out that its name was Sweetpea. My kids must have been wearing their best 'devastated' faces when she came to pick up the dog, because the breeder told them to come to her kennel the next day and pick out a puppy from Sweetpea's latest litter. All signs of sadness disappeared as they amped up with excitement. It was like Christmas Eve -- they just couldn't wait until morning.

We were met by the breeder, who talked to the kids before showing us her dogs. She explained that dog ownership was a long term commitment and that before anyone could have one of her pups, they had to agree to one requirement: that they would come back the following week and take a 'mini' course on how to care for the dog that they would choose. It would cover everything from diet to grooming and what they could expect in veterinarian expenses. Of course, they eagerly assented, and I was glad they would get their lesson from a professional, rather than have dog care become an item of continual nagging in our home. I was smiling and nodding, thinking this was a great idea. The breeder then looked over at me and said, "Of course you must come, too." I was surprised, but figured I'd be driving the kids over anyway, so I said I would. With that agreed, off we went into the kennel area, where we quickly chose Maddi, the smallest of the litter and the only female.

It wasn't long until Maddi was old enough to meet the kids down at the schoolyard just like her mother did several years earlier. The kids and Maddi have grown up together and they are happily inseparable. One day, Maddi and I will be too old to accompany them out into the world -- but we'll enjoy waiting for them back here at home.