It seems like many, thousands of moons ago know that I brought home an ugly little round wrinkly-eared dog. She was thrown away in a burlap bag, closed in a cardboard box. T’was just she and her brother. Ah, yes, her brother…he was a handsome pup, beautifully marked; there were many that desired to own the exuberance of beauty he possessed. It was the little girl…poor, thin, small, unmarked, little girl that was the undesirable. She was scared of her own shadow and horribly unfocused. She could not seem to be grateful for the rescue that her brother so graciously embraced, loving every human that presented himself or herself to his face. No, not this little girl. She was an untrusting sort, filled with a wise spirit, knowing not everyone was out to help her. It fell to me then, to tend to her one weekend, and as such, I decided it would be easier for me to take her to my home, rather than allowing her to interrupt my normal schedule. After all, it was simply an extra task to perform at my job as a veterinary technician…feed the puppy, walk her, and try to engage her to do something other than sit and shake in fear at the back of the cage. I decided I would take her to my home. At least there, it would be on my time and not so involved or inconvenient. And there it was! Her weaseling into my heart. After day one of the weekend, she opened her shell, she played, and she fell in love with Ms. Mika, my cat who liked no one. They became inseparable. She became “White Dog”. After day two, she had established herself as a good girl, not yet once urinating on the carpet and barking when “number 2” was eminent. She slept in my arms. I lifted her up in front of me, looked her in the eyes and advised her, if she promised me 14 years, I would allow her to stay in my home. She licked my nose so gently and lightly with her tongue as if to say, “Yes Ma’am. I can do that for you” And so, that day she became a permanent part of my life. Then, two weeks, a pair of leather boots, several plants, three area rugs, one pillow and her first piddle oops later, she became Loki…Norse God (though truly a Goddess) of Mischief and in so becoming, completely captured my heart as the best dog of my new life. She went on to become my rock during the worst break up I experienced. My test subject for every technical procedure  (save surgery) I needed to learn in vet school. My stability through many life changes. My companion during opening my own business. My heart as my parents passed on to the great beyond. And my soul as I gained the strength to allow her a reprieve from her broken body.  My dear sweet Loki, my Little White Dog, you shall live forever in my heart, my mind and my veins. I shall feel all that you have given me with every breath I take, as I remember every breath you took was a gift to me. Thank you my darling girl, for sharing your life with me. Madra Beag Bán. Tá Tú Mo Chroí.