I remember when my Mom brought her home, I was still in school and she was just a few years old. She clung to me and I adopted her... stole her right from my mother. She knew where she belonged though, with me! She was my girl. We would go on walks alone together, trips to the dog park and I remember the very spot behind my legs she would snuggle up to every night. I loved dressing her up in shirts and Halloween costumes. I remember her chewing fetish that was short lived, but ended after a very expensive pair of shoes were targeted.
She's still my girl. She watched me grow into a woman and have babies... been through it all with me. She loves Benny and Stink just as much as me... protected them as infants to now, and let them tug and drag her around during the process.
Now it's different, but our love is still the same and strong. Last year we almost lost her to a tooth infection. Her eyesight is now gone and she will no longer walk up the stairs... but she wags her tail just the same when I come home as she did when she was a pup.
We celebrated her birthday this year with presents, "Pursie" party hats and moist food with a lit candle in it- which she about singed her whiskers on not seeing the flame.
My sister came over for the day with a mechanical baby, a life-like baby project for school. Pursie sat next to the baby carrier like she did when the boys were tiny, right back to protecting. The baby started to cry and she got up sniffing the baby and stood tall right next to it. She may be blind, old, stinky, and not the best guard dog... but she certainly tried her best to fulfill her doggy duty.
We love her so much... we had a good life with her... and that girl is the most loyal thing I have ever met. 
