My Crazy Dog

My parents didn't want a pet, but Janell did. So when out neighbor's dog had puppies, Janell was determined to have one. Mom and Dad agreed as long as Janell paid all of the dog expenses and took care of the dog on her own.

Janell and her faithful friend Laika had many adventures together. Janell would often go rollerblading while holding the leash. The next thing you knew, she was speeding down the street being pulled by slobbering dog.

Laika was trained and learned many interesting techniques. She could high-five, roll over, sit, stay, lay down, shake hands, crawl, and other silly tricks.

When Janell moved out Laika went with her. On the days she had no one to talk to, there was always her happy dog to attack her with affectionate licks on the face.

Janell later moved back home and Laika was put back in her pen. Our funny friend was growing old, ten years to be precise, and she was cursed with a hip disease. Laika is part Lab, part Boxer, and part German Shepard. German Shepards often have hip problems at about this age. Now when she walks she looks more like a drunken man than a once-hyper puppy. Every day her legs seem to get worse.

Laika loved to run. Whenever she was let out of her pen, she'd run circles around the yard and sprint up to whichever human was currently in the yard with her and try to jump on top of them to the point they were laying on their backs in the grass giggling their heads off. That, or screaming.

Now Laika's pathetic attempts to run or even jog are heartbreaking. She stumbles around before collapsing on the ground and grinning up at you with her usual happy-dog smile. Whenever she has a scratch on her ear, she can no longer reach up with her back leg, but bends in half trying to do so before deciding it's a feeble idea and just rolls around making weird noises...

We now often find Laika laying in the corner of her pen, tucked up against a tree. She lays in the shade for hours, getting up to use the bathroom or take a drink.

Even though she started as unwanted by my parents, she's licked and jumped her way into our hearts. She's a sweet dog that loves everyone and is still a puppy at heart. I dread the day we'll have to say goodbye, but for now I'll just enjoy my crazy dog.