I have always had dogs in my life. My parents chose our first dog, a blue healer, after their honeymoon. I was three. Skeeter and I would tromp through the woods often. We moved to the Middle East when I was 9, and we had to give her to another family, but when we returned, we were contacted by the family: they were moving and wondered if we would like her back. It was a very happy reunion. She passed away when I was 18. In my third year of college, I decided to get a dog of my own. It was a dumb idea because I didn't have the forethought to think about how being a dogowner would limit my housing options over the next 10 years. Baloo was a German shepherd mix. He was a rescue from a Native American reservation in AZ, what we call a "res dog". He and I had several adventures over the decade I could call him mine. He passed away a little over two years ago, and I still miss him now. These days, I am mom to Benedict and Tigerlily. Benny is a sweet old rescue from California. He is likely part pitbull, and part sharpei. He's a sweetheart, super chill with my kids, and loves to walk the trails behind my house. Tigerlily Is a baby baby. The two of them are inseparable.