As soon as I owned my first house, I got "Millie,"my first dog - a springer spaniel from a farm that had both parents as pets. On the ride home with this new puppy, I wondered if I was ready for a dog of my own. I looked over at this smelly little puppy- shivering silently on a blanket beside me. I wondered if I had made a mistake. As if she read my thoughts, Millie let out one tiny bark, as if to say "NO! you didn't make a mistake!" My first house was a big ol' house in a not so great part of town. But I always knew when I got home, if Millie met me by the door-everything was ok. Anybody came to the door she didn't know - she'd bark like a ferocious guard dog. For the next 15-1/2 years, Millie was my little girl,my best friend, slept with me every night. We then bought a house with a swimming pool and a lake cabin. Millie spent the next 10 years of her life swimming as much as she could. We had 25 people for a pool party for Millie's 15th birthday - everyone brought doggie treats/gifts for her. I tried every supplement/vitamin/anything I could for her - but in the end, there is no cure for old age. I had to make the painful decision..On 1/28/06, we went for our last walk and then the vet came to our house. I held Millie as she quietly took her last breath and felt her weight fall into my arms. Since then, we've fostered over 40 dogs and love and own 3 rescued dogs and 3 rescued cats. But Millie - you will always be my special girl!