I had grown up with dogs but I didn't get "my" first dog until 1991. He was a beautiful, most loving & caring Belgian Malinois I named Zeke. When he was 14 months old I got my 2nd dog... a stray, 5-week old Lab and Chow mix named Lieu. Then in 1998 I was "given" an 18-month old fawn brindle Boxer I renamed Bogey.

Tragedy struck the summer of 2004. On July 31st I lost Zeke at 13 years old for unknown medical reasons, then 2 weeks later Hurricane Charlie hit us. A couple of weeks later I knew something was wrong with Bogey and on September 1st he was diagnosed with lymphoma and I had to have him put down on the 10th, just 4 days shy of his 7th birthday.

Poor Lieu didn't know what to do as he now found himself an "only" dog, something he had never been before. Friends asked if I was going to get another dog and I told them "as soon as I could think up a cute name."

Well, in a couple of days I decided not to get just 1 dog but 2 as I had had 3 dogs before... I also knew they had to be under 6 months old to get along with Lieu. Once that decision was made, my then-boyfriend and I came up with names for the puppies. Gunny & Shorty... two of his nicknames when he was in the Marine Corps.

Well, I called up our local no-kill shelter and you will never guess what happened... yes, they had a litter of pups ready for adoption and the shelter was running a "two-for-one" special. Two animals for 1 adoption fee!! I was looking for 2 boys as I had had all boys before but the minute I saw the little girl I knew she was mine. It took me longer to pick out her brother. As fate would have it another family had wanted to adopt her but had withdrawn that very morning!!

So, 8 days after losing Bogey I drove home with 2 new members of the family. Even though I ended up with a boy and a girl I still stuck with the names that had been picked for them. The boy is Gunny and his sister is Shorty. And three years later everyone, even the 15 year old Lieu, get along well and are doing great. Thinking back I am still amazed at how things just fell into place. Gunny and Shorty coming into my life was truly meant to be.