My Alfie was a wonderful dog and companion.  He was a trooper with all treatments and vet visits for all of his life and an extremely loving and tender pet.  He was an excellent watch dog, and also liked to chase squirrels in his youth.

I found Alfie at a pet-shop in a local mall.  Back, at the end of 1993, I had been planning on adopting a little pet for company, but could not decide if I wanted a dog or a cat.  So one day, I was on my way to the movies, when I suddenly had the urge to stop by the pet shop to see what was there…..and found I did.  I saw this cute little puppy mini-schnauzer in a cage, and I immediately inquired about him.  The attendant did not hesitate one bit and told me she’d bring him out to me to the play room so that I could have a closer look.  He was ever so adorable playing with a rubber ice cream cone.  I went gaga over him and needless to say, I took him home with me.

He was ever so scared riding on the passenger seat of my Volvo.  I told him not to be afraid, that I was his mommy and that the car was his.  Once at our destination, he sniffed a lot around for a while, and apparently accepted his new home.  He was so very easy to train, although at first, he always preferred pooping on my carpet rather than on the grass outside…..haha…

I would take him for Sunday outings.  One Sunday, I took him to Annapolis around the marina where all the tourist boats are loading and unloading passengers.  I put him on a bench next to me, and suddenly, one of the big ships blew the horn so hard.  The pup was so startled and scared that he put his two little front arms around my neck and hid his little face in my neck.  I just nearly melted with this reaction.  He was so much my baby from the start!

As a young adult, I would take him shopping for a small order of groceries once in a while, and I’d leave him with the A/C on inside the car and the car parked under some trees in the shade.  Just the same, I’d always be so afraid that someone could brake in the car and taken him along.  So, I taught him to defend the car if someone would as much as get close which he did.  He learned this lesson so well that, even when we’d go to visit folks and they’d walk us to the car, he would not allow anyone near….hahaha….he was like a little beast.  It was only the defense mechanism that I had so well taught him.  This got even worse when I got Domino 6 and a half years later.  I would tell him to watch out for his baby brother and not to let anyone near him or the car.  Needless to say, he was the best security I had…..hahaha.  By the way, he was only like that while he was in a car with me and/or Domino.

He was ever such a playful dog, and he would greet you at home with one of his stuff toys in his mouth and moving and shaking and jumping on the couch.  As he was turning adult, he got a little chubby, and I always had his vet after me to make him loose weight.  I would try, but he’d always stay the same until he came down with pancreatitis and diabetes.  They were difficult times, but thanks to the Muffin list which later was the Diabetespet list, we were able to cross that hurdle real fine, and life was good again.  When we had some health issues again towards the end, we also found great help and guidance with the K9Kidney list.

Alfie traveled internationally to Chile, South America, twice round trip.  He was not crazy about his air travel, but he, as well as the rest of the pack, managed real well.  I was always so afraid that the airline crew would forget to give them heat, and they could die a terrible death.  But it always went well, and mommy was worrying for nothing.  We made our last trip just a year and a half ago, and I am always so grateful that he was in good health to make this last air travel.  The trip alone was 12 hours, but they had to be confined for much longer than that.

He started to slow down about a year ago, but he was still able to enjoy a lot of quality time until almost the very end.  He was most loving and grateful for anything you’d do for him and always thought his mommy was his, and that she was the greatest thing in the world.

What a little trooper he was until the end with his treatments and everything else.  How he even defended his home from intruders when the doctor and her assistant came in on that last day.  He was lying listless on his bed not feeling well, but when he saw the outsiders, he ran to them going “arf, arf”.  He, in his doggie mind, was taking care of his mommy and his home until the end.  Good bye, my love, my sweet boy.  You changed my life for the better.  I hope to see you again some day.  I will always have you with me in my mind and heart.

Hilda