Meet Nugget!
Genus: Canis
Species: Lupus
Subspecies: Familiaris
Sex: Male
Age: approx. 10 years old
Approx. Weight: 16.8 lbs.
Approx. Length (Snout to Tail): 22 in.
Color(s): blonde, beige
Likes: bananas!!!
Dislikes: his feet being touched
Traits: excitable, cuddly, particular
(For context: we are unsure of his exact breed. Vets suspect him to be some kind of terrier/shih tzu/ Lhasa apso mix)
I adopted Nugget when he was only about a year old. I was about 14 years old at the time, and was hesitant about finding a dog, as I had just lost my previous dog to cancer about a year prior. That dog, named Cricket, was an exceptional pup. He never barked or bit and he was tolerant of just about anything. I was worried we could never find another dog like him. Nugget proved me wrong.
Don’t get me wrong; Nugget is nothing like Cricket. Nugget is full of energy, while Cricket was a couch potato. Cricket never bit anyone in his entire life, while Nugget has definitely tried to take a few nibbles out of me before. Cricket was tolerant of just about any type of interaction, while Nugget is more particular about where and when we pet him.
However, I realized that even though Nugget was quite different than Cricket was, he was just as special. He loves to play. In fact, he greets me at the front door with his favorite toy all the time. Nugget loves to curl up on any of my clothes- even if it’s just a sock, because it smells like me. He does little dances at mealtime because he gets so excited about it.
The point is, through raising Nugget, I was able to discover that during the process of grieving a pet, it’s not about trying to “replace” their memory with another dog that is “equal” to or “better” than the previous. There is room in my heart for more than one special mutt, no matter how different they may be.
Nugget is 10 years old now. I am diligent with his vet appointments, and some may even consider me to be too quick to worry. I just want to be able to spend as long as I possibly can with this pup. I am so blessed to be his momma.
“Happiness is a warm puppy.” -Charles M. Schulz