After we had nursed Sugar back to health, we wanted to get her a four legged best friend.  We contacted a few rescue groups and visited a number of them.  On a Sunday morning, before heading out to church, one of the rescue groups brought 3 black lab / german shepherd puppies that had been abandoned on the freeway to our home.  We let the puppies play with Sugar and watched to see how they interacted.  It was fun to see the individual personalities already there even though they were so young.

Sugar and the 3 puppies played, though one seemed to run over and check in with us humans.  She was all black, but had a big white stripe down her belly and some on the tips of her toes and tail.  She looked like the runt of the group.  As they were playing, I jokingly said, well, whichever one jumps in the pool is the dog for us.  I always wanted my dogs to swim with me.  Sugar, for obvious reasons avoids the water.  No sooner had I said that, when the little one with the one stripe ran to the edge of the pool and jumped out into it.  My wife and the lady from the rescue group yelled dog in the pool.  I, in my Sunday best, with my wallet and checkbook, dove in after the puppy.  However, I forgot the pool water temperature was about 55 degrees that time of year.  As I was looking for the puppy, it swam to the side of the pool and got out.  The other dogs all stood at the side of the pool looking (probably laughing as well).  I shook my head as my wife laughed hysterically.  As I swam to the side, the little puppy jumped back in and swam to me.  I scooped her up and said “Here’s our new family member”.  To this day, she rarely will go in the pool.  Instead, she and Sugar stand as lifeguards watching those in the pool.

Zoey is our love.  She wants nothing more than to be loved.  She looks you right in the eyes and wants eye contact.  She is wonderful around children and is my young daughter’s best playmate.  I love to see my daughter having a tea party with her dollies and doggies. 

Quite often, when I’m working on the computer you will find both dogs laying on either side of my chair.  To them I say, thank you for all of the love and devotion.