Riley will always be my sweetheart. She adores me as much as I adore her. She's practically my daughter. Tonight I walked outside after not venturing out for a while. She heard my footsteps and ran out from under my house where she sleeps. Her squeels of delight were heard up and down the neighborhood. She cried and cried. Most people around here look at dogs for work- driving sleds. Very few give them the love and attention of a pet. So most of them assumed I was kicking her- that's usually the only time puppies cry around here. A few neigbors even peered out their curtains. But she was not being beaten. Oh no, she was leaping into my arms with cries of joy. It put a lump in my throat. I kneeled down and kissed her and hugged her. She's my sleddog. You'd know by looking at her. She's smart and beautiful. The perfect mixture of independant and loyal. I've earned her heart. And she most certainly has made herself a permanent part of mine.
