The 'Orange-Haired Bear'

Ok. It all started almost 13 years ago to the day. Mike Woerner tells me about an awesome puppeh at Cherry Grove Petland. He knows what a sucker I am for a cute fuzzy pup. So I go. No Intentions, mind you!
And what followed is the stuff of myths. I played with her. Some goof kid opens the pettin' corral. I had been jingling my keys and Mookie had been biting and grabbing at them. She Suddenly snags them in her mouth and books it to the front door. As if to say - "Let's blow his joint! We out!"
Of course I took it as a sign. I put down a nonrefundable deposit of about 125$ and she was over 550$!! And only because she was so damn cute - because she is a husky/chow mix and They hadn't even figured that out. They thought she was elkhound. WTH!? ;)
So I go home, and sheepishly tell my Mom that I just bought a dog - Kinda. We go back to Petland, and she instantly melts like a puddle of butter. Mom agreed, and as she has come to tell me in recent years, she did so out of hopes that this little ball of fur would help keep me alive. And I must say - she has.
My dog and I have such a symbiosis/freakish kinship/soul-tie its spooky. I say she is ET to my Elliot. But as Mikey Mayhem stated one night, sometimes its the other way around. :o ! I was surprised at this insight but totally agree.
When I moved to Germany for a year, she didn't eat for over two months. And every night I ached for her. EVen when I'm away a week, I feel like a part of me is missing. More than any family, man, child, or close friend, I need her. I fear what her passing will do to me, because I have yet to really lose a pet I still owned. But I know she will let me know when it's time. Hell, I have tears right now - the thought is such a fierce one.
I'm really just a big softie, obviously.
I've had those who suggest she is spoiled, but that's Not it. We are just that close. We get separation anxiety! Ha ha. She was kenneled Once. And would not even Look at me for a week. And I hated having to put her there to begin with.
In a lot of ways it's very much like having a kid. Owning her/being her 'Mom' has prevented me from doing certain things, but I'd never trade a minute. She literally talks to me and tells me her every need. Even when she's been bad, she tells on herself.
All of my pets have 'talked'. I even had a Betta that had tons of personality. And I was so upset when he passed. He has a little grave out back.
I guess it's my vibes, or how I treat people and animals. * shrug * Dunno for sure.
Mookie, aka Puppa Wuppa, Orange Haired Bear, Bear-Bear, BBear, et cetera, is a gift. And I treasure her every darn day!