Remembering Bella Part 1: Our First Meeting

I knew I wanted a Boykin Spaniel when I was 19 years old. My younger brother Clae had been given a Boykin he named Little Bit for Christmas. The moment I saw how precious and adorable Boykins were, I knew I wanted one for myself.

Two and a half years later, my father called to tell me that Little Bit had been bred with a Springer Spaniel named Duke, who was owned by a family friend. Her puppies were ready for adoption and my father, remembering that I'd recently lost my cat Monkey, wondered if I would want a puppy as a pet this time instead of another cat. I decided to drive to his home to see the puppies, while my mother, who I lived with, repeatedly told me: "You're not getting a dog. That dog will not be coming home with you!"

I drove to my father's home and he showed me to the puppies. A friend of my mother's had asked me to get one of the females for her that day, since she wanted to get a dog for her daughter. There were two females left. I told my father that I wanted one female to be kept for myself that I would pick up when I returned from vacation in Oklahoma and I would be picking up another female for the friend. We walked to the pen the puppies were in and my father opened the door, reaching down and handing one of the puppies to me, as another one shoved past him and ran to me, barking and yipping, while running circles around my legs. The female he handed me was a beautiful solid brown with a gentle, docile temperament. As the other puppy dashed around my feet, barking and trying to get my attention, the puppy in my arms looked up at me with sweet golden eyes and licked my neck as I decided if she would be my dog, or my mother's friend's dog. I looked over at my father.

"She's so sweet, where's the other female?"

He grinned and pointed to the puppy at my feet who, frustrated with not getting my attention, had started chewing on my tennis shoes, untying one of the shoes and tugging at the laces.

"THAT'S the other girl pup."

I knelt down to study the other puppy as her sister snuggled contentedly in my arms. The moment she realized I was watching her, the puppy at my feet dropped my shoelaces and reared up on her hind legs, placing her front paws on my knees as she strained to lick my face. She was liver-colored, like her sister, but redder with a white apron across her chest and throat. Her chin had a white patch on it. Her eyes were as lively as the rest of her and beautiful, a deep amber color that sparkled as she threw her head back, her floppy ears flying, and barked impatiently at me to pick her up. I reached out to pat her head and she sniffed my hand, licking and nibbling at it with her tiny teeth before she climbed onto my knee. She wobbled for a moment before I steadied her and placed her front paws on my chest, jumping and trying to lick my face. I smiled at her and picked her up, cradling her sister in one arm as I cradled her in the other, laughing as she squirmed and licked my face. I looked up at my dad.

"This is my dog." I told him. "I'll come and get her the day I get back from Oklahoma. Don't you dare give her to anyone else."

Dad reached out and took her from me. "Female with a white milk chin." He studied her as she wriggled in his arms, straining to get back to me. "She'll be here when you get home."

I drove back to Ellaville with her sister and drove her to where my mother and her friend worked. The women in my mother's office spent the rest of the afternoon cooing and ooohing over the cute puppy and how sweet-tempered she was. I caught my mom's eye and told her that there was one female left, and Dad was saving her for me. She rolled her eyes.

"They're cute as hell, but you're not bringing this one's sister home. You're NOT getting that dog!"

But my mind was made up. I knew the moment I'd looked into that puppy's eyes that she was meant for me. We went to Oklahoma for a family reunion and the day after we returned, I drove to Americus to buy supplies for the new puppy: dog food, a bed, dog shampoo, nail clippers and a grooming brush. After I'd put away the supplies, I got in my car again, this time to drive to my father's home in Butler, to get the puppy I'd so instantly bonded with and bring her home.

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