Cookson the Third

(Beloved Beautiful Better Half is today's guest blogger.)

I met my little guy sixteen years ago when he was two and it was love at first lick. He looked like an Oreo and we call him Cookie for short.

I read in the paper that a farmer had some Rat Terrier pups for sale. My son’s children wanted a puppy so they all went along to see them too. It was a chilly, wet, sloppy day and all of the dogs were out running around the yard getting muddy. I noticed a little twelve pound, black and white bundle of energy frisking around. No one had ever told him he couldn’t compete with the collies. The first thing he did was run up and put his dirty paws all over my slacks. He was so cute that I didn’t even get mad at him. I found out later that he was the macho pedigreed stud dog daddy of the puppies. They had two when I called, but only one left to sell by the time we got there. I could understand why when I saw them. They were carbon copies, in miniature, of Cookie. They both had the perfect marking of the classic Rat Terrier. Both dogs had great big eyes and pointy ears, with a white stripe down the forehead. Both had orange eyebrows, inner ears and cheeks. Among others, Cookie has a large heart shaped black spot on his back and dozens of smaller black spots on a little white body. The only difference is that Cookie has no tail, and the puppy's tail was about three inches long. Also, the pup hadn’t learned how to control his ears yet. He would stand them up but they kept falling down all crooked. It was hilarious.

In the meantime, while I was playing with Mr. Stud, my son said they wanted the puppy, not knowing it was the last one for sale, or so he said! Needless to say, I was a bit miffed at the time. The old farmer was watching me play with Cookie and he was amazed that the dog made right up to me. He said that was not like Cookie at all. He had kept coming home after being sold to his first owner. Finally, he got to stay home and become a daddy. In the end, the farmer let me take him home with me, as he wasn’t going to breed any more puppies. Much to Cookie's chagrin, we had him neutered and that was that. From that day forth he has been my constant companion.

He loves to burrow under covers or laundry to sleep. He lies on the back of the sofa and looks out the window, and lets me dress him up in jackets. Once I almost lost him when he tried to protect me from a German shepherd. He didn’t think he could possibly lose, as he’s the "man." I understand most of his doggy “talk” and he knows lots of human talk. When I tell him he can’t go and I’ll be right back, he sits down looking totally crestfallen. If I say, "Are you hungry?" he runs to his bowl. He thinks he’s people and would eat at the table if I would let him. He even likes fruit if we’re eating it. If I say,” Let’s go out,” he runs, or I should say jumps, to the door. He loves going in the camper and for car and bike rides. He loves taking walks with David and me, and chasing rabbits. If it weren’t a law to put him on a leash, he wouldn’t need it. He understands "Stay," " Come here," " Here comes a car," "Get down from there," and "Leave that kitty-cat alone.” He is the cutest, smartest little dog and we love him.

He sleeps more now; but he’s still pretty perky. He’s definitely a lap dog as often as possible. He’s a great little companion and I hope to have him for a long time to come.

©2011 Grace JoAnn Lacy