Always in trouble since the day we brought him home January 29th, 2009. But we will never regret getting him, and could not live without our puppy Teddy. Now let’s travel back to the day we picked him out at the Puppy Palace, and how he, of all dogs, caught our eye.

To begin with, my brother and I have always wanted a dog since the ages of three and five. Well, now you wonder why we didn’t get one before. This was strictly because my dad was allergic, and my mom did not want the responsibility of a dog along with two kids. We would continually beg, “Can we please have a dog?” and “We promise to take care of him all by ourselves.” None of this seemed to work. Even dog sitting my neighbor’s dog, Vegas, to prove a point didn’t work. For some reason, my mom was completely against getting a dog or even discussing the topic of a new dog. This made us even more persistent.

One day this all changed. My dad, brother, and I had finally convinced my mom to go look at some dogs that were listed in the newspaper. We said only “look” NOT buy, but obviously my brother and I had a different idea on our minds. We had gone to house after house and saw big dogs, small dogs, sleepy dogs and crazy dogs. None of these dogs seemed quite right for us though. We had a specific puppy in mind, but had seen nothing close to that one yet. My mom finally decided after a strenuous day of looking we should go home, but then I had convinced them to look at one more place.

This building did not look very inviting, but I knew it would be the place. Deep down in my heart I just had that feeling. It was a little puppy store just off the street of Sahara. We walked in and saw what had to be at least thirty dogs all cramped up in little cube cages closely packed together looking at us with desperate puppy dog faces. All you heard was, “WOOF, WOOF, WOOF” begging you to take them home. My brother than shouted, “Come over here fast!” We then instantly thought something was wrong . . .

We all ran over very worried, but came to see this tiny three pound, three month old Morkie (Maltese/Yorkie) curled up in the corner of his very tiny cage. My mom immediately asked the worker, “Can we please see him?” My brother and I simultaneously glanced over at each other thinking did she really just say that? We have to be dreaming. Then, a second later we were in a small-enclosed room with this adorable little puppy who was snuggled on, of all people’s, my mom’s lap. I could tell that dog had really wanted a home, and he definitely had chosen the right person to bribe at that moment.

Sooner or later, we ended up in the checkout line at Puppy Palace with our soon to be puppy. Now, all we had left to make him truly part of our family was to name him. This name had to be perfect, fitting, and unique. We bounced many names off each other on our way home, but none of them had seemed quite right. Then I thought to myself what about Teddy, but I guess I said it out loud because Teddy perked up and tilted his adorable head at me. That’s when we knew that was the perfect name.