Having a Dog With Cancer

Animals are awesome. They have the amazing ability to feel discomfort, yet still act as if nothing is wrong. I mean, there are dogs hobbling around on 3 legs, acting as if it's a perfectly normal thing. People on the other hand, whine & fuss, complain & evoke sympathy, when we are in pain, sick with the flu, or just don't "feel right". When we're not feeling well, most people know it.....unless we have the physical stamina of an animal, & can hide our discomfort well.

What I've Learned From My Pets

From Pepsy

When I was eleven years old, my parents gave me a fluffy bundle of cute for my birthday. I named my new puppy Pepsy. What I've learned from that wonderful little dog in the 15 years I was blessed to be able to have her in my life is:

• Give a puppy a bed & some snuggling, & they'll give you a lifetime of hugs
• Teach a dog to say she's sorry, & you'll be the one feeling bad when she wraps her legs around your neck & presses her face to yours, as she's trying to say "please don't be mad at me; I didn't mean to go potty on the carpet"
• A dog can catch another animal for sport, & not kill it, but instead let it go. Humans can learn a lot from that.
• Don't catch a frog with your mouth, unless you want a foamy mouth.
• Going to the vet, like going to the doctor, is unpleasant, yet necessary.
• Who cares what others think about how you look, when YOU know you're fabulous!
• It doesn't matter if you're little - you can still make your voice heard.
• When you want something badly enough, jump high until you get it!

My Pepsy

Me, Pepsy (in front), & my sister's sweet dog Frosty. 
I've obscured my friend's image behind me, out of 
respect for her privacy.  

I'll never forget my birthday in 1972. I was eleven years old. My parents had surprised me with a tiny, brownish-black, squirming bundle of cute. I remember the delight I had when that little puppy entered my world. I loved drinking soda back then...still do. Although I am a Coke drinker now, the cola brand that graced our refrigerator shelves when I was growing up, was Pepsi. Not being quite sure what to name my new puppy, somehow, the color of her fluffy fur reminded me of the color of the Pepsi in our fridge. Of course I didn't want to spell my puppy's name the same way that the cola was spelled, so her name became Pepsy instead.