I was sitting here today looking at some old pictures. There I was holding Anneliese 7 years ago, when we flew to Germany. She was going to meet her “lover” Isegrim. It was her very first mating, and I was so excited.
That breeding produced four healthy and handsome puppies. Two boys and two girls. All are still alive and well, and happy with their forever families.
But as I looked at the picture of the two of us, taken at JFK Airport, I realized just how much love I have in my heart for this small dog.
Oh, I love all my little (and big) beasties, but Anneliese now goes into the “special” category, where the names of Fritz and Shubi are listed.
Anneliese started special. When she was born, she came out kicking and screaming and I turned to Hubby and said, “Oh, I’m not keeping that one!” How wrong I was.
A few weeks into her life, this little miracle, climbed the fence from the puppy room into the kitchen, and then sat on the stack of newspapers, watching me cook dinner. When I turned and noticed her, I laughed and realized, she had decided all on her own, that she was staying, and I was her forever person. She always cuddled and kissed me when I would pick her up, and if I was sitting down, she would snuggle up next to my leg and fall instantly asleep.
Her two litters of pups couldn’t have been more different. The first time, all went well, and she safely delivered her four pups right here at home, into my waiting hands. I slept next to the whelping box and we shared her babies. It was such a special time.
The second time we bred her, the only pup she carried died at birth. She’d had a cesarean and as she slept, I dealt with the death of her puppy. I sobbed and sobbed and then I prepared how to help her when she woke up.
Anneliese knew she should have a puppy and we gave her a small toy lamb to keep in her bed. She nurtured that toy for a few weeks, and when she had gotten her strength back we took it away. We kept her on tranquilizers during this time, and once she was de-lambed, we weaned her off the drugs, but it was so painful to watch this.
I spayed her shortly after, as I could not put her through that again. In my book she had done enough with the first litter and deserved to be retired.
Now Anneliese is retired and is my constant companion. She is such a delight for me. Here are a few of her silly habits, that I find so endearing.
When we let her out to do her wee-wee, she will go out onto the patio and stand at full attention, and bark like crazy, announcing that big bad Anneliese is on patrol!
She loves ice cream, and when she sees me having some, she races into my lap, where she sits and waits for her taste!
During her wait, she will look straight ahead, and then do a quick peek at me, and then back to straight ahead and then the peek, until I am done and ready to share her little taste! It is the cutest thing ever!
She still snuggles my leg and sleeps wither her leg on my lap.
When we go to bed, Anneliese commando crawls under the covers and then will snuggle my belly, where she stays all night long. I never feel alone at night because I have Anneliese by my side.
When I traveled with her to Germany, Anneliese was such a great little traveling companion. The TSA Agents loved her. I had to remove her from her traveling bag, to go through the screening machine, and when the saw her little panties, they all went “Awwwwww”.
She is the only one of my dogs that allows me to trip their nails, strip their coats, and trim their ears without causing problems.
When I have had my surgeries, Anneliese is always first in bed with me, or in my lap. She somehow just knows. So, my sweet little Anneliese has joined the special ranks, of dogs I will never forget and will remain in my heart, always.
