My family is a pet family: we’ve had dogs, a cat, two bunnies and two goldfish (killed within forty-eight hours… dang) and I remember at least three occasions where my mom picked me up from elementary school with a dog in the back. Nah, it wasn’t our dog. Rather it was a dog (or in one case, two dogs!) that was found running around some side street nowhere near a home. We are pretty great at putting up “Found” posters, I must say.

Last year I found two bunnies (and I could tell they were obviously tame) in our backyard. I knew they must have been pets that escaped, so I spent about an hour chasing them around our yard, under trees, up hills, under piles of wood until I caught them (with the helpful temptation of a freshly washed carrot.) We kept those bunnies for three days while we printed out big posters and slapped them up within a three mile radius. I also repeatedly washed out the pee-covered laundry bin we had placed them in so they wouldn’t get lost in our house. Dedication, right?!

Last year we had to put our nine-year-old dog Mandy, a yorkshire terrior-maltese-poodle mix, to sleep, leaving our family with 5 year old Taylor the labradoodle as our only dog. Small dogs, big dogs, I love them all. My mom swore she didn’t want another dog, especially not another puppy–with all the training stages and what not. However, what did I find when my mom picked me up from the airport after my California trip two weeks ago? This little dude sitting in his cage in the back seat, ten weeks old. Oh Mr. Jeffrey… our lives have not been the same since we adopted you into our family.

We went to Victoria last weekend and brought the little guy along for the ride.

He LOVES to squish into small confined spaces. I have no idea how he got in here. That would be the reclined passenger seat on the left, my green purse below and above him? That’s his big plastic cage. Hah! Sometimes when I’m sitting by him on my bed reading or something he’ll snuggle right between my legs, or in between my hip and a pillow. He loves to be all cuddly.

I just can’t stand it anymore! SO sweet.

Mmm, definitely a man’s idea to put the five pound dog in the tree. Thanks Dad. ;)