Nicki Dawgee

I find writing therapeutic, so I rush to my laptop as soon as I sweet-talked our youngest child Moggy to go to bed. As I began to type, I noticed that once again- something that resemble a mophead has positioned itself right next to the leg of of my chair.
It is what H and I call a Woggy, and it looks so much like a Cocker Spaniel but it has the attitude of a princess, a demeanor of a 'spoiled brat' and is perhaps with the most attitude in the animal kingdom. If you look up the phrase 'royalty' in the dictionary, chances are you will find her picture.

Our woggy's name is Nicki and she considers me as the Alpha-female. This is quite ironic because I have always had a fear and dislike for anything with more than two legs.
It is by association, I guess. My H is the alpha-male and that automatically makes me the alpha-female. Or maybe its my countless futile and desperate attempts for the alpha-male to view me as the dominant specie? Hrrmmm… Oh well, at least the woggy thinks I'm dominant somehow..

Nicki is two human years old. I think that translate to fourteen dog years so she's technically a teenager. She is about a foot and a half tall, with unruly Albert Einstein hair that covers her huge eyes that resemble two very large glass balls. She's got lashes that can make any drag queen envious.

Now this lil' woggy is my constant and loyal companion. When the kids are at school and H is in one of his business trips, I have her or rather, she is stuck with me. It works well for Nicki and I. I never feel alone at the house and she enjoys the human food that I share with her.


I thought I would never understand how people, my H included-could fall in love with their pets. Prior to having Her Royal Barkness in my life, I believed that love should be shared only with members of our own species. Who in his right mind would take in a creature to feed, bathe and clean-up after? Isn't that what kids are for?

One day a few months ago I woke up and realized that I have fallen in love with H and with that came the societal expectation of understanding and acceptance of everything about him including his woggy. H and his kids are so easy to love (thank God!) but the woggy?

When I first met Nicki, she immediately wanted to be friends with me. I thought it was sweet of her. I mean, I come across people who try not to be friends with anyone and there she was, wanting to be friends. Sweet thing. I didn't kick her away because H was watching my every move.

In the beginning, it was irritating that our schedule somehow revolved around her. We had to make sure that she is fed and bathed and walked by her nanny (yes, the doggy had a nanny!) before we can go out for dinner. In not so few occasions, we had to rush to his place and make sure she eats the gourmet (!) dog food that H gently and lovingly places on her plate.

I did not enjoy the divided attention but did not want to come off as immature and self-centered so somehow tolerated this scenario- after all I was already in love with H and she didn't get in my way much. She just followed me around all the time. I mean ALL THE TIME. She would go where I go and sit where I sit and occasionally would try to sit on my lap. When I would close the door behind me when I use the bathroom, she would bark, wanting to be let in. She would jump for joy when I arrive and would try to go with me to the car when I leave.

One day she placed something between my feet. It was a tennis ball. H said that she wants to play with me and that I was to throw it so she can fetch it. So I did and true enough, she fetched it with utmost speed and precision of an Olympic athlete. She placed it on my feet again, wanting to play some more. Now,that was my first time to play where I am not the one expected to fetch the ball!

When the kids finally met her, Nicky was ecstatic. She played with them and even swam with them in the pool. She liked my kids and my kids liked her immediately.

H and I had a whirlwind romance and got married after merely several weeks of dating. Nicki seemed to be okay with this and continued to shower me with love and affection.

When we moved to our first home she adjusted pretty well. As the kids settled in their new rooms, Nicki selected and identified her place or should I say, placeS. She would sleep in any of the rooms, with any of the kids or beside H and I. Each night she would do her rounds and to make sure everyone is home. She would stay up with me and wait for H to come home almost every night. She would stay and not leave my side when i'm sick.

To anyone who has fallen in love with a pet, you know what I am describing. I am describing the type of loyalty and affection that is purer than what people show one another, simply because humans have egos and varying degrees of pride. I have never been a recipient of such pure and unconditional love and likewise have never truly loved a pet before Nicki.

So now I feed her and make sure she's bathed and groomed and gets her exercise. Now I carefully put food on her plate and add ice on her waterbowl. She continues to follow me around and teach me certain values- forgiveness (She would let me hold her when I accidentally trip or step on her), selflessness (she would protect me and Moggy at any cost), patience (she'd always wait in front of the bathroom door when I get my hour-long baths with zero complaints) and style (blonds have more fun, she insists). Nicki is still prissy and bratty and acts like the world revolves around her but that's okay. She has taught me patience.

One day she will realize that it revolves around me.

MrsA