The Pooch's Birthday

Yes, I've become one of those millions of Americans who, in some form, celebrate their dog's birthday. No, I haven't gotten to the point where I put silly hats on him, nor have I crocheted or knitted pajamas for him, but I spoil him nonetheless.

Gideon's our ten year old, four-legged child. My hubby and I adopted him two years and a month ago and have never looked back. He's a beautiful whippet who is just as lazy as I am, enjoying couch, rocking chair, crate, and carpet naps every chance he gets. He's considered the true epitome of an older whippet who's spent all his energy in his younger years and is just looking for a warm spot to curl up and sleep in.

My family had dogs when we lived in Jamaica. They were all outdoor dogs, but as kids, you do the usual names -- Lassie, Bingo, Cindy (don't know where that last one came from). Anyway, when my family moved to the States, we no longer owned pups. So I was only too happy when my husband who's lived his whole life with bad allergies, finally agreed, after growing up in a house FULL of dogs, cats, birds, and snakes, to get a dog. We looked for dogs considered hypo-allergenic, but realized most listed as such didn't fit my low-level energy lifestyle. A friend of ours mentioned whippets and before we knew it, we were looking at Gideon.

He prefers human to other dogs (part of the problem why he needed a new home), but that was great for us, because one would be enough for me to start with. Two years later, we're still wondering how he contorts his body into the weirdest of positions, but we couldn't be happier with the decision we made.

Happy birthday Gid! Thanks for keeping me warm :)


"Blessed is the person who has earned the love of an old dog."
--Sydney Jeanne Seward