Dog in My Profile Picture

Throughout my time here as a member of WA, have received a number of compliments on the dog in my profile picture. For the record, his name was Cooper, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. It is with a most heavy heart that I must inform my fellow members, especially the dog lovers out there, that I had to say goodbye forever to my little fur buddy last week. This is why I have been missing in action as of late.

When I moved back to my hometown of Philadelphia in 2005, I had a little Cocker Spaniel mix named Joey (named after Joe Cocker). He was about 6 years old at the time. I was feeling as if Joey could use some company since the move may have been a bit of a trauma for him, As fate would have it, within a week of having this thought, I was walking Little Joe and we happened across a young lady with a young puppy on a leash, patiently waiting for it to stop going in circles and do his "business". I asked her if it was a cocker Spaniel.

She said, "No. It's a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Want one?" I said, "A what?" She repeated, "A Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Would you like one?"

I asked, "Him? Or are there other puppies". Turned out she bought him, and her landlord wouldn't let her keep him. I took her number and told her I'd think it over and let her know. As soon as I got home, I Googled "Cavalier King Charles Spaniel". Turns out, they are a very sought after and expensive breed of dog. Known for there exceptionally friendly personality and good looks. I called her, we met and she handed Cooper over to me with all of his papers, a crate, a bag of food, and some treats. I didn't have much money at the time, and I wasn't expecting to be acquiring a puppy all of the sudden, but I knew she had just spent a lot of money on him and even though she didn't ask for anything in return, I gave her a hundred dollars. It was the best hundred dollars I ever spent in my life.

Cooper and Joey were inseparable till the day Joey died. After that, it was just me and Cooper. About two weeks later I got a little mixed-breed named Keegan to keep Cooper company. Keegan was an older dog when I adopted him and in time, he went over the to the other side of the Rainbow Bridge, too. So until last week, it was just Coop and me.

And now, it's just me. And I'm just writing this because it's therapeutic. I'm missing all of my little fur buddies tonight. Joey, Keegan and now Cooper.

I may get a new dog eventually, but for now, I need to take some time to grieve and go through this process or whatever it is. I feel sad not having a little furry friend to greet me when I come home from work, shopping or visiting friends. Hopefully, sometime down the road you'll see a new photo of me with a new...

dog in my profile picture.