Annie

My parents' have this little dog that they treat like a human child. She is a little black dog, a mixture of this and that. A mutt who they saved from the kennels and probable death when she was about two years old. She is at least ten years old now and getting a bit of white whiskers around her muzzle.

Mom and Dad talk to her in baby voices and even buy little clothes for her. Her most recent addition to her wardrobe is a light pink tennis sweater with baby blue and white strips around the cuffs. When she has it on she looks rather uncomfortable. People think because they are cold that their animals are cold and forget that they run around in the wild on cold winter nights in just their fur...no patent leather boots, no raincoats and bonnets, and no snugglies to keep them warm.

Annie is a sweet dog, unless you touch her feet. Then she will practically take your arm off. I was over visiting one day and walked past her while she was eating one of her doggy frosty frozen treats and my toe accidentally kicked the cup it was in and she turned on a dime and left teeth marks in the top of my foot!

My parents like to play games with Annie, despite the risk of pulling back a bloody stump. My father grabs her front paws and makes her play "Pat-a-cake". My mother sets her on her lap and sings "if you're happy and you know it show your teeth" (to the tune of "if you're happy and you know it clap your hands") as she grabs one of the dog's feet and squeezes just enough to make her curl her lips and growl...and show her teeth. My mother thinks that is the funniest thing.

On the 4th of July and New Year's eve when people are blowing off fireworks, Annie trembles as if she is going to have a nervous breakdown. The louder the fireworks, the more she shakes. When we were over there this year I saw first hand what they have to deal with. I hate fireworks. They scare animals, make old people nervous, and get on other's nerves or keep them awake when they have to get up early for work the next day. My mom finally had to give her a tranquilizer pill. This has to be given in a lump of liversausage or she would never swallow it.

Annie is the third dog my parents have owned. This dog looks exactly like the other two...completely black and kind of strange-looking. My bet is that when Annie's life is over, my mother will talk my father into going hunting for another little dog to adopt for their entertainment and to love.