No bones about it

If you have read the newspaper for any length of time, or been a subscriber and gotten a renewal card in the mail, you've seen my best friend. You may have seen her in Facebook posts, reminding you that when it's cold out, you should make sure your pets are staying warm too.  You may remember that time I used her as a scapegoat for a late printing on a BEST magazine.  (It was as good an excuse as any.)

She's hard to miss with those big brown eyes and happy smile.  

Abby (or rather Abigail 'Piranha' Reed if you'd like her full name)  is my American Bullweiler. (Yeah, that's what they refer to them as.) She's basically a Rottweiler and American Bulldog mix.  

Typical of her designer breed, she's a super-protective and fun-loving dog who also happens to be an absolute unit.  Not that she's fat mind you, but she's rather large and heavy for sure. 

Her brindle color makes people often ask if she's a pit mix. Nope. That's her bulldog side showing through. 

If I were to write a dating profile for Abby... it would probably go something like this:

Large, muscular girl who likes going for long walks. My favorite activities include finding sticks, burying bones and chasing squirrels. (Actually, my favorite word is squirrel, too!) I'm not a picky eater and am always down to share your food. (Unless it's banana. I do not like those.) An ideal date for me would be a few laps around the yard as we bark into the pine trees, share a venison steak and have a few rawhides for dessert. 

Ok... maybe I shouldn't be thinking of my dog's dating profile, but it's Friday afternoon and she's a single girl in the prime of her life. (I mean, she'll only be 6 this May.)

Since National Love Your Pet Day was yesterday, I figured now was as good a time as any to wax poetic about my furry favorite. 

National Love Your Pet Day seems like a better holiday than Valentine's to me. 

On February 20th, pet lovers everywhere observe National Love Your Pet Day.  This holiday focuses on giving extra attention to our pets.  The day encourages pampering our pets and focusing on the special relationship pets hold in our lives.

Did you know that most households in the United States have at least one pet?  While there are more cats than dogs in the United States, more households have dogs than cats, but not by much. Pets are not limited to the canine and feline categories.  There are quite a few who prefer the companionship of birds, reptiles, fish or rats.  Whoever your pet companion is, we are sure you will enjoy spending a little extra time with them on National Love Your Pet Day and reap the benefits, as well such as stress relief and lower blood pressure.  So on February 20 (and every day) show your appreciation to your pets!

In her younger days, Abby was always with me. The best way to train a puppy is to have it by your side as much as possible. She loved car rides, office life and the fact that Little Lake Erie was just a splash away from my desk. (I literally can't tell you how many times I had to mop the floor of the office up after she decided to jump in when I wasn't paying as much attention as I should have.)

Though she generally stays home now to keep her furry siblings in line, she's still always up for a good R-I-D-E in the car or the truck. (And honestly, I think she figured out how we spell that word because I can't even say those letters without exciting her. )

I can dress her up and take her out, plop a kitten in her lap to take care of, or a chicken on her back. She really is a very intelligent dog with a great personality, and I'm not just saying that because she's mine. (But if you're curious about her middle name, ask me when you see me. The tale will have you in stitches.)