Mitzi, Sparkie, and Bear: The Three Amigos

Meet Mitzi, Sparkie, and Bear: The Three Amigos. This is their story as told by their human mom, Kirsten.

Whether I’m working, reading, or doing crafty things, I pretty much always have dogs around me. Literally. I have mastered the art of ‘puppy twister’ so I can navigate my way through the maze of dogs that have strategically placed themselves on the floor. They are my constant companions.

I grew up with dogs, and I was told it was actually a toss-up who would get which name when I was born; the family’s first dog, or me. I got Kirsten, she got Gretel. While I don’t always like my name, I think I got the better deal. I really can’t imagine a German Shepherd with the name Kirsten.

For a long time, we lived and worked in NYC, and having a dog just wasn’t an option. After we moved to Texas, we started talking about getting a dog pretty quickly. Miss Mitzi, a two-year-old Afghan Hound/Malinois mix, joined our family in February 2006. She was a spook; she was afraid of kids, men, storms, the sound of basketballs, and a whole host of other things. It took her a while to trust us, and years before she really came out of her shell. These days, she is the grande dame of the house; part regal lady and part cheeky hooligan.

Seven months after we adopted Mitzi, my husband and I went to a home & garden show in Dallas. The rescue group we adopted her from was supposed to have a booth, and we wanted to say hello to her foster mom. As fate would have it, they weren’t at the show that day, but the Texas ASPCA was. You can see where this is leading, can’t you? I can still picture my husband suddenly taking off. By the time I caught up to him, a young puppy was being taken out of a crate and handed to him. Enter Sparkie, a four-month-old Border Collie-Sheltie mix.

Sparkie is our meet and greet committee, and if you visit our house, she’s pretty sure you’re there to see her. She’s a 100% a happy girl. She was a bundle of energy when she was a puppy, hence the name Sparkie, and she still is one today.

For quite a few years, it was just two fur babies. Then one day, someone shared a video on Facebook from the local shelter. They had a boy who needed a home, and the shelter was out of room. I watched the video and started sobbing. We weren’t looking for a third dog, but I couldn’t let time run out on him. I emailed my husband and asked him if we could adopt this boy. “Go get him” was his response. It hasn’t always been smooth sailing with our boy. Adopting a rescue dog is not always easy, especially when they have been abused or dumped. It is so worth it, though. He is my big furry Bear.

I love my dogs. They’re always happy to see me and be with me, and they are a constant source of joy, amusement, and dog fur. I couldn’t imagine life without dogs.

Thank you Kirsten for sharing the story of your spoiled hounds! Double thanks for being the very first of all the many featured dogs.

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