When I was a young boy, my father felt it was a good idea to have a family dog. He'd had one in his youth and found a similar one, which he then brought home. Chum was an interesting dog to say the least. She didn't care for a bath at all (I have great memories of my father closing the bathroom and entering into mortal combat to give that dog a bath), didn't seem to care much for my brother or I, and made out with the dog from down the alley. However, during an insurance salesman's sales pitch, Chum gave birth to a litter (that's another great memory of this poor guy trying to sell insurance while a dog is howling and giving birth... ha!).
So, Snoopy was born into our house. The mysteries of birth were somewhat revealed to me, and my brother and I were privileged to have the pick of the litter. We picked the only brown and white one--the other's were black and white--and Snoopy turned our hearts to mush. They say a boy and his dog share a very special connection. That's absolutely true. Snoopy will always be the pet I think of when someone talks about animals. That dog was smart, cute, happy, and completely adorable. I'll never forget her (yeah, we named a girl dog, Snoopy).
Pets serve a really important function for children, as pets are completely reliant on their owners for their care. Kids need something to care for, to nurture, and protect. There's a special love kids and pets share, which will never be touched by any human being. It's a magical thing, really. I'm in awe of the connection my kids have with our two cats. Amazing. Personally, I'll never forget Snoopy as long as I live.
- M
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