Bambi
I'm a writer by profession, and I talk quite a lot. So it's not often you'll hear me say something like there are truly no words to ever fully describe what Bambi has brought to my life. I'm a dog-lover and long-time dog owner. My family has owned 5 different dogs in the last 15 years, and of course my close friends have their own best friends I have also grown to love. So although I know everyone says this, Bambi is absolutely something completely different. I've never met a dog with her personality or disposition, and I've never shared such a close bond with one of my pets before.
Bambi is loyal. I've never met such a loyal dog in my life! Now, the dark side of loyalty is dependency - so let me tell you, Bambi is nearly always with me because that's how Bambi likes it. Bambi loves being anywhere and everywhere I am, so I rarely make plans that aren't preceded with "my dog can come, right?" I am so fortunate to have a dog that watches me so protectively and always "minding" me and making sure everything is good. I never have any concerns when I'm out and about and Bambi is by my side.
Bambi is introverted. Probably as a byproduct of her loyalty, but Bambi is polite to most everyone but rarely connects with other people. I've met a lot of dogs that love indiscriminately, and I've met a lot of dogs that are reserved with little exception, but I've never met a dog who is as well-behaved and even tempered as Bambi but who is also so selective with whom she bonds. It's such a unique experience watching her open up to the few people she does and see her develop completely unique dynamics and relationships.
Bambi is calm. People are always so floored to learn how young she is when they see us out and about and how relaxed she is. She's so well behaved and just happy to be included and see new people and take in new sights and lounge around with me no matter where we go - and you can see from our photos, we go a lot of places! In just one year, Bambi has taken multiple trips to Tahoe both in the summer and in the winter (her first time in snow was lots of fun). She's also been to Santa Cruz, and watching her figure out why the ocean kept moving back and forth was a hilarious sight for all, but she ended up loving it - we went to a dog-friendly beach where she made so many friends and played all day. Bambi has also gone camping multiple times, and loves spending entire weekends outdoors. She's gone camping in the Sierras, and just last month we took our first trip to Yosemite together. She comes to all sorts of events and parties, and is always a star guest. She's also gone on several hikes, and spent many days playing in lakes and rivers. In fact, I often call her "Bambi the Adventure Dog" - she's always up for a good time, and so am I as long as we're together.
Most importantly of all, Bambi is loved. I share such an incredibly special bond with her that I try to never take for granted - especially having dogs in the past that I loved very much but know we didn't share the same type of connection. Bambi will sit in my lap in chairs, jump into my arms and be carried all around, and all other sorts of things I would never imagine a dog would tolerate, let alone love. She always knows when I'm having a bad day and is especially patient with me when I just want to lay down with her and relax it all away. I feel like she always knows what I'm saying and there's a respect between us about when it's okay to goof off and when I need her to be on her best behavior. I'm so lucky to have found a pet that meshes so well with my lifestyle and personality, and the best part of having her is knowing how many more years we get together. It's amazing to think how far we've come in one short year. Thank you to ARSI for saving the best friend I've ever had.
