Every child should have a dog...

Every child should have a dog. Having a pet, particularly a dog, makes a child's life a lot easier in so many respects. A dog is a confidant who will never tell your secrets, a friend who wouldn't judge you, and a someone who is always happy to see you.

My sisters and I had the best dog in the world, our golden retriver, Taffy. There was no other dog in the world as smart, as gentle, as loving as Taffy. No matter what we did to her, she loved us unconditionally. When I was a little girl, and didn't really know that I shouldn't cut the doggie's toenails, Taffy bore my obviously painful manicure without a whimper (I can't say the same for the spanking I got for it, though). She loved to romp with us in the backyard - and as you can see from this old photo, the kiddie pool was a welcome watering hole after our exertions.

There is a blond joke about golden retrievers: "What do you call a blond with an IQ over 125? A golden retreiver!" Taffy was very smart, and I am not just saying that because she was mine. When I was 7, my family took a vacation to Disney World and we had to put Taffy in a boarding kennel. Dad, naturally, was working up until the last minute, so Mom had to drop Taffy off. We got home on a Friday, so Dad was able to pick Taffy up (Mom probably was doing laundry). She was so happy to see us, and for nearly two weeks, she refused to even look at my mother, barely deigning to let her take her out for a walk. She wouldn't even accept a dog biscuit from her hand. It took major bribes to restore her good will.

Taffy died from canine leukemia when I was 10, and over 30 years later, I still tear up at the thought of her loss. I've had other dogs, all of which I've loved without hesitation or reservation, but Taffy has the strongest hold on my memory.