Troubles

submitted by Kate C.

Our "One in a Million" dog, Troubles  (a buff colored Cocker Spaniel), passed away 15 years ago but still lives on our hearts.

When I met my husband, I was a single mother and Troubles was a "one man"
dog.  I remember telling my Mom that if he didn't start to like me, I really felt our relationship was doomed.

Little by little, he came around, and was the first dog that I had a close, loving relationship with.  In fact, he bonded and became extremely close to my little boy Jeremy who was six at the time.  Whenever Jeremy was sick at home by himself or after school, he never felt alone because Troubles was there to keep him company.  I remember saying, "Are you sure you'll be okay home by yourself and he always answered, "Mom, Troubles is here with me...I'm not alone."

Every day we would drop Troubles off at Gramma’s and Grampa’s so that he could spend our working day with them...he was extremely loved.  One day after school, Jeremy was walking Troubles in Gramma's neighborhood.  There was a German Shepherd dog just down the block that was well known and notorious for being extremely vicious.  Some how that day, he got loose from his fenced in yard, and as Jeremy and Troubles strolled by, he came out at full attack.  He made a lunge for Jeremy, and Troubles, without hesitation, jumped to Jeremy's defense.  He chased the huge German Shepherd back into his yard and came trotting back to Jeremy so proud of himself.

Well, needless to say, after that day he was a hero in our eyes and in the eyes of a small six-year old boy who truly learned the gift of having a dog's love.

To this day we reminisce and tell wonderful stories of our Troubles, who now sleeps under his favorite apple tree on the edge of our yard and romps with the angels.  He was truly "One in a Million" to us. 

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