Charleston Newbie: It's a Doggie Dog World: Week 3 of Being Positive

Anyone who watches the hilarious show Modern Family knows it's a 'Doggie Dog World'...you know, a wonderful world where 'cuuuute lit-tle puppies run around all the time!!'

And my world is just that, with my dog Marley, or should I say the many other names we call him which are...

Schmarles (his sophisticated side)

Batly (need I say more?)

Sergeant Lickley (reporting for doody!)

Schmarlington (yes, that's a chair on the couch. Marley wasn't the 'only' thing scared of the steam cleaner)

Buttertop Loaf (honey wheat?)

Honey Bunches of Oats (he has amazing patience with my work)

Boots

And, simply 'the dude' (because he is just...plain...cool)

Many years before the famous 'Marley and Me' book came out, my corgi-mix Marley, his crate, and a small package of baby carrots were the first things to arrive in my loft apartment in Centreville, Virginia, on a hot summer day in June 2000. (to this day he still LOVES baby carrots)

Marley was picked up from a shelter in Maryland by a rescue called Lucky Ones, which, at the time, went around to shelters in the DC area and would rescue dogs they thought they could find homes for through their organization. Marley was a very lucky one, because his story consisted of a 10 year old boy that was writing a school paper on the Lucky Ones organization for his elementary school class, and the Director of Lucky Ones asked him which dog he would pick to 'save' in the shelter to find a permanent home. That dog was Marley. And if he hadn't been picked, he would have been put to sleep the next day, at seven months old.

So, Marley and I were both lucky when he was picked by that 10 year old kid, because he's as close to a child that I've ever had. He's incredibly spoiled. He snuggles with me, he licks my tears when I cry, and he's officially my shadow, following me around everywhere I go.

A cat (and person) in a dog suit, I managed to keep Marley from begging until he was 6, when my now husband decided to teach him to 'effectively communicate'. (which he is still very proud of) Marley was trained on food by my husband, who was formerly a teacher, to point with his paw at what he wanted, whether it was to go out, if he needed more water, or anything really... But really what he did was teach Marley to beg, because that's when the aggressive 'pointing' with the paw started at the dinner table.

Over 10 years later, Marley is approaching his 11th birthday, on December 23rd, and now more than ever the history I share with this little dog, my longest 'relationship' I like to joke, becomes increasingly important to me, and makes me hope that for years to come, my golden boy will be there, too.