Gone to the dogs

Lately our entire household has turned dog-crazy, when previously it was solely Bianca who was adamant about her love of dogs. I guess the catalyst for all this was Cooper’s arrival.

The little brown bundle of joy has managed to win over the hearts of my parents. My mom fawns over the pug every day. Nowadays we set aside money for brand-name dog food and dog treats so Cooper can be comfortable running amok in our house. Thanks to Bianca’s efforts he even knows how to fetch things—granted, it’s the only trick we’ve taught him so far, but it’s a start. Now that we’ve taught tricks, I’m surprised how smart dogs can be. To my biggest surprise, even my dad has taken a liking to the little runt, actually letting him inside the house from time to time.

The attention to Cooper hasn’t left our old mutt Tango out in the cold. Tango shares Cooper’s benefits of dog food and treats and my mom’s affection. He was never really a hard dog to love, after all—just not the kind you can teach tricks to because of his fear of balls. In the heat of the summer, nothing is more welcome for him than a long nap inside the dining room. Tango actually outdoes Cooper because he’s housebroken. In contrast, Cooper the “pooper” can be all too eager to leave his mark on the dining room floor.

Soon I’m told there’ll be another addition to our dog family apart from the slobbering Cooper. Our next door neighbor wants to sell off their Shih Tzu puppies. Since we’re simply next door and they could always check with us, they decided to give one to us.