A happy birthday wish for Shadow

In September I wrote a column "What were we thinking" after we adopted a puppy from a friend who could no longer keep her.

And this weekend, as near as I can figure, Shadow will turn 1 this weekend. We got her at the age of 9 weeks and doing the math backward I came up with around July 9 for her date of birth.

It's been an amazing and challenging experience with a puppy. I'm not sure we'll be doing that again any time soon - or ever again.

But she is the smartest dog we've had and her tiny eyes just melt your heart. She knows her name and her nickname "Little Dog" which we gave here when she was a pup and to which she has outgrown.

Before we got Shadow I said we'd never have three dogs. Having three dogs can be a challenge, but I wouldn't change anything. She, as well as our other two dogs, Sarah and Ivy, bring so much joy to our lives.

In fact, last night, Shadow and I went to check what kind of damage the latest wind storm did to our garden and lo and behold there was a huge tumbleweed in the yard. Shadow has become a marvelous tumbleweed killer and she was quick to spot the tumbleweed and stare at it and then at me, waiting to play the tumbleweed game. It is a game that Alan started with her. You kick the tumbleweed and she leaps in the air to grab it and attack it, and then waits for you to kick it again. The tumbleweed was pretty much destroyed but we both had a fun time.

I also love to watch Shadow with our cats. At first she loved to chase our two cats, now she loves them. Our cats had gotten used to our older dogs but they didn't know what to do with that pup initially. Now they come to the back door and we joke that the cats are asking if the dogs can come out and play.

The cats will come up and rub against the dogs. Buddy, our one, somewhat aloof cat, the other day even rolled over on his belly right by Shadow. It's amazing to the see the trust and friendship develop between our dogs and cats.

And, in case you haven't noticed, Shadow is becoming famous by becoming the Daily News' mascot of sorts. She has been featured in our advertisements for our online newspaper subscriptions. Shadow is to the Daily News what Morris the Cat was to 9 Lives, in my opinion.

I'm not sure how we'll celebrate the birthday this weekend but I'm sure it will involve playing ball or chasing tumbleweeds.

I can't wait to see what joy she'll bring in the many years to come.

---

On a side note: We at the Daily News want to wish our advertising sales manager Trent Agee good luck as he moves on to a new career at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West.

He has been a great asset to the Daily News.

Making a change is never easy and I hope Trent's career change works out as well for him as my move to the Daily News has for me.

As he makes a change, Amanda Owens is also seeing a change as she has been promoted to the advertising sales manager position. Congratulations to her.

That promotion means we have a full-time position open in the advertising department. Contact Amanda for more details on the opening.