The tone used in telling about how one met his or her pet is almost identical to the tone used in the stories of couples to be wed: “It was Easter, rare sunny day in Portland. I’d driven to the coast to unwind. In a small beach side cafe, I met a pair of hitchhikers, hell bent on match making…”

OK, so it isn’t your average love story, but 20 bucks and a pack of cigarettes later, I was sitting in the back seat of my car with a 9 week old pup named Stony. “People are Strange” played on the radio, and I quietly confessed my entire self to the small black creature in my lap.

We were told he was a Jack Russell terrier, but 9 months later, he’s 42 pounds and still growing. In the meantime, we’ve collected a huge assortment of guesses as to exactly what he is. Pitt, lab, border collie, boxer, blue merle….regardless, he is loved. We renamed him Stranger after the Doors song. Stranger was incredibly spoiled by his hitchhiker guardians, and although it may seem ironic, he didn’t walk much. He was accustomed to being carried on their shoulders. He was terrified of stairs and loved to eat flowers.

He is my first dog, and I will always proudly call him one of the great loves of my life. Over the past couple of months, the two of us have learned a lot about how to take care of each other. He knows that there are better ways of waking me up than pawing my eyes, and I know there is nothing greater than the “nobble wobble,” the only toy we’ve found that’s survived the tenacious and curious teeth of Stranger. A combination of Dog Whisperer marathons, my own research, and my experience with Stranger have all contributed to my canine education. In this blog, I hope I can pass on a few practical truths, a few gushing vignettes, and some interesting stories. And, I hope you will respond with your own.

Yours Truly,

The K9 Amiga