Nadine J Walters – My Life

Question for me today: Why do I love my dogs and why do they love me?

My answer: Because we both need something that makes us feel safe and wanted.

Technically, I only have one dog—Andy. But right now, we’re visiting my daughter and son-in-law, who have a doodle named Marty. Marty is Andy’s dog crush, and he’s my favorite grand-dog. Together, the three of us form a little pack.

At the moment, they’ve taken a break from what I like to call Doodle Dog Wrestling (DDW) and are pawing at me for attention. When else in life do I ever feel this needed?

Marty and Andy have very distinct personalities. Marty is a master toy thief—any toy Andy has is fair game. Andy, on the other hand, couldn’t care less about toys most of the time. But when he does find one he likes and Marty inevitably snatches it away, I can tell he’s a little bothered. Because it’s Marty, though, he lets it slide.

Dinners are a carefully orchestrated event. Marty, the picky eater, won’t touch his food unless he gets a few pieces of Andy’s kibble first. Andy, meanwhile, eats anything as fast as he can, as if he’s never been fed before.

Looking back at old photos, I found one of Marty as a puppy—a tiny, red-colored Goldendoodle who looked just like a teddy bear. That was a few years before I adopted Andy. When Andy, my Bernedoodle, came into my life, he looked more like Dobby the house elf from Harry Potter than a cuddly puppy. Eventually, he grew into his features, put on a little weight, and now looks more like a curly white Poodle-Doodle than the multicolored Bernedoodle he technically is. They’re both equally adorable in their own way.

Now, my 18-month-old granddaughter is joining the fun. She teases them with food, then giggles and shouts, “NO!” She mimics me telling them to sit, keeps track of their whereabouts, and gets so excited when Andy appears on FaceTime or comes to visit. Marty is a constant presence, but Andy is the superstar.

I suppose from here on out, it won’t just be the three of us—it’ll be the four of us, living our best dog lives together. And honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way.