Oh, Daisy! I love you. Let me count the ways:

I love the joy you can barely contain when you first greet me. The way you wiggle and jump around and wag your tail. Your beautiful brown eyes are shining stars as they beam their gaze upon me, watching every move I make. And you put yourself on REPEAT MODE the next time you see me, whether it’s only been an hour, or a full month before we greet each other again. You make me feel like I am so very special, and so fun, and that you just can’t wait to walk with me.

I love walking you over to my neighbors’ back yard. Mike and Maritza are like family to me, and generous with their property. The three-to-four acres that make up their backyard are fenced in, and your anticipation is pulsing off your blonde, furry body because you know here you can run and do your “zoomies” as many times as you like. Boy! Do you love to run! Like a runaway train you gallop around that big rectangle, careening to the left, tilting to the right, racing up the grassy knoll and waiting for me at the top. Your tongue lolls to the left side of your mouth, and your eyes dance with happiness! Me? You make me laugh out loud as I reach your side. I just feel so alive! I check my pulse, 116 beats per minute, my respirations 32 per minute, and my inner thigh muscles are screaming at me about the third time around after hiking up that hill. But you, sweet Daisy, can go on and on.

I love to play hide and seek with you. You make it easy, as you run ahead of me, and I slip to the side of the pool, tucking in, barely breathing a breath in and out so you won’t hear me. But that doesn’t really matter because your nose is suddenly sniffing the air, or skimming over the grass, and Bingo! You’ve found me!

I love the way you try to calm yourself, try to sit when I ask you to sit, try not to jump on me because you know I don’t like you to jump on me. It seems to me you are much better at accomplishing these well-behaved dog feats after you have run a few “zoomies”. I get it. A girl-pup has to get lots of that energy out and what better way than to run? And run again!

Reddogg loves to greet you on the other side of the fence. He is fifteen years young now. I am afraid to put you both in the same playground as there is a big possibility he can’t keep up with you. Which would probably hurt his feelings, and an even bigger possibility that he would pull a muscle in his legs or back. So I protect him a little, the way an old dog needs protecting. I am sure you understand sweet girl, though it will be a long time before you will need such protection. When you do, Kennedy, my niece, your favorite person, and your dog-mom, will take care of you. No worries.

You look adorable in the picture above, with your frisbee around your head, all ready to play and spread your joy in a way only Daisy can do. You are good for me, Daisy, bringing me reasons to laugh, keeping me in shape. I am so grateful to have an older dog like Reddogg in my life, but you spice up my life, for sure! Thank you, Daisy-Girl!

c   Love, Joan