While I have been offline these two months, my favorite non-human that ever lived passed away. Taffy, just four days shy of 16 years old, passed away the end of September, and it was so very difficult.

I only share this with you because she was such a part of our family. She was the spunkiest, most yappy, annoying, other-dog-hating fur ball you would have ever met. But she was also incredibly loyal and only barked at those other people and dogs because she was protecting us, her owners.

She never knew that she was only 12 lbs either. Taffy acted big and bold and it’s because in her mind, she was! And boy did she deserve to think that! When we got her at a mere three months she was on death’s doorstep. Our little blonde Taffy was thought to be a black puppy when a kind person picked her up on the side of the highway. She had been attacked by another animal (or a person, we don’t know) and had gaping wounds on the back of a few of her legs, she had an infection, and her spirits were very low.

Despite all of that, my mom fell in love with her at the rescue league she stopped by, and Taffy became a big personality in our family. It wasn’t the four of anymore – it was five. No question. She made our Christmases fun by attacking her own stocking and fighting for torn wrapping paper. She notified of us of very dangerous intruders on our property like squirrels, chipmunks, deer, and lawn maintenance people.

Taffy was one of the smartest dogs I’ve met – and I’m not just saying that because she was ours. She understood so many commands, words, questions, and names. She knew when we were a few blocks from my grandparents, from the vet, from the house, or from anywhere we went frequently. She would pretend like she had to go outside and then fake us, run past the front door, to the crack in the refrigerator so we would maybe be enticed by her cuteness to give her some cheese.

I miss her so much, and I know my mom and dad do too. Mom e-mails occasionally that she misses her, or that she saw another dog that reminded her of Taffy. Although I always knew it would be hard when she was gone, I didn’t know I would still miss her this much this much later – but I do.

I just focus on the fun and cuddling that she brought us for almost 16 years and think about how much she loved us, and how much she cracked us up, though, and I am so grateful that my mom fell in love with her that day. The last 16 years would have been so much less fun without her!