For Emmylou, Always

My beautiful, rambunctious, rapscallion dog died one year ago today. For the past twelve months, I’ve kept a diary of the things I adored about her. Here are some of my favorites.

• How she tumped herself to make snow angels in the park.
• The way she bit my socks to pull them off when I cam home from work, tossing them in the air.
• How her head fit right over the top of the bed so that she could kiss me awake when she was ready for morning walks.
• Holding her big barrel body.
• The solid drum-like timbre of patting it.
• Hassling me every night at 7:30 until I fed her a second dinner.
• Maniacal, nonstop kisses.

• Staring at me in my studio from the couch.
• Her crazy “I’m-going-to-fuck-you-up” eyes when she wanted to rough-house.
• Batting her face around with cooking mitts when she got mouthy.
• Kisses after play fighting.
• Quickly going through all her tricks until given a treat.
• Jumping on anyone who had once given her food.
• Her fierce determination to bite the vacuum cleaner.
• Nudging strangers’ legs, begging for food.

• How she rooted around in garbage bags looking for half-eaten bagels at the monthly dog park socials.
• How, when reprimanded she’d go in for one more look before scurrying away.
• Sitting with her on a bench, people-watching.
• Hugging.
• Holding her on my lap like a baby even though she hated it.
• The way she tore into Brad Horn’s grocery bag and stole a baguette two seconds after he walked into the apartment.
• Her mischievous eyes.

• The way her lips didn’t line up, so drool spilled out, especially when watching people eat.
• Playing 5 seconds in the treat box.
• Barking out the window at who knows what, scratching up the bed’s headboard.
• The way she affectionately assaulted houseguests.

With Beanie in the park.

• Wrestling with her sister, Beanie, even when she was an old lady.
• Her pathological hatred for anyone riding a skateboard.
• Her waggly butt.
• The way she adored children.
• Running in the backyard after treatment for not being able to walk.
• Grumbling in her sleep.
• How, when given a bone, she’d wait until Beanie had finished hers before beginning to eat her own, thus ensuring the maximum amount of jealousy.
• Shaking socks in front of her face, getting her all riled up, aka, the “sock-en-shwein.”
• The way she went out of her way to walk through a puddle.
• How she tried to bite the water from a hose or water gun.
• How she scratched her back like an upside-down cockroach.
• Running back and forth playing monkey in the middle.
• Daring Beanie to take her toys back.

• The way she taught Beanie to bark at the sound of the doorbell.
• Her wild side-leg, hop-noodle run.
• Her awkward walk in snow boots.
• The way she once convinced a guy on a movie set to give her a whole sausage.
• Her old-lady beard.
• When she ate the foam out of her bed.
• Digging cigarette butts out of her mouth when she was a puppy.
• The way she gave her paw when scared.
• Sleeping upside down.
• The comforting smell of her head.
• 5,573 days together.