When I was a child, my first dog was a Toy Poodle-Beagle mix. She resembled the dog from Petticoat Junction. We called her Muffin or Muffy Baby.

 

The next dog we had was Puppy. He was a hound mix. My siblings and I bickered over his name for a long time, and years later, when he passed away, Puppy was still his name. Then, my girlfriend — now my wife — bought me a Golden Retriever. Her name was Princess. After we broke up, I could take Princess in my Camaro and attract all kinds of attention from girls—much to Becki’s chagrin.

 

During my early married years with young kids, we had Sgt. Pepper, a Collie, Bullet, a crazy wild Border Collie, and finally, Sugar. I think she was a Corgi/Beagle mix. Sugar was a sweet dog we originally got for our son Cole. She lived until just a couple of years ago.

 

Growing up and during my first marriage, dogs lived outside while people lived inside. That was a strict rule. Becki, on the other hand, believed that dogs were like people. For a time, it was a real struggle for me to even consider having a dog in the house. We often butted heads over that.

 

These days, I live in an indoor dog sanctuary. We have four dogs: a Golden Retriever named Daisy, two chocolate labs, Rebel and Bully, and Elliott, the gas station dog. We rescued him as a puppy during Winter Storm Elliott. I found him at a gas station and couldn’t let him freeze with the forecasted temperatures in the single digits.

 

Did I mention living in a dog sanctuary? Did I mention that the people in my house are a distinct minority? I certainly do, and we certainly are. As I write this, a chocolate lab is snoring on my bed. Snoring! My, how the rules have changed. If I’m not careful, this dog will end up with my CPAP machine. She certainly needs it!

 

I’ve come a long way, baby. From having no dogs in the house to asking: How can I serve you, my canine masters? I didn’t lose the battle; I became an utterly defeated prisoner of war.

 

Now, don’t get me wrong; I love my dogs. They bring me great joy. If only they could be trained to pay the mortgage, pick up groceries and buy dog food! Alas, there’s still something I’m needed for.

 

Yes, it’s a dog’s world around here. However, as the writer of Proverbs says, “The godly care for their animals, but the wicked are always cruel.”

 

I hope you experience the joy of a good dog! Blessings to everyone!