For my 15th birthday, all I wanted was a puppy. We already had a dog at home, but I never got to experience having a puppy since I was so young when we adopted Maya, our then 10- year-old Beagle (RIP). One random day after high school field hockey practice, my dream came true. As my mom picked me up, she asked “Do you want to go see some puppies right now?”
With a shocked face, I nodded, and away we went. I was practically bursting with excitement on the way over. I couldn’t wrap my head around the idea that I would actually be getting a dog for my birthday, and my mom gave no prior warning that she was down with the idea of another dog. We drove for only about fifteen minutes to a house in a nearby neighborhood. A kind, older woman answered the door, and two little puppies came bouncing over to see what the excitement was about.
We took the opportunity to bestow the name Archie on our new family member and he has been such a joy for us ever since that day six years ago. Archie was my light in the tunnel through COVID-19, the stress and sadness of graduating high school, and the rapid changes that came with starting college. My favorite part of the day is seeing his wagging tail, just waiting to welcome me home with his kisses. And every November, he joins my National Dog Show watch parties and gives his opinions via barks or growls. This November, Archie and I will be watching The National Dog Show Presented by Purina on NBC once again for our annual session of holiday pet-parent bonding.
And if I wasn’t going to be away at college, I would be attending The National Dog Show hosted by the Kennel Club of Philadelphia, which is a great family-fun event that showcases many different breeds of dogs in all of their glory. This year’s show at the Expo Center in Oaks, PA is set for November 16 to 17, and tickets and information are available at https://nds.nationaldogshow.com.
Cutest dog ever! Great article.
This dog is one of my best friends. Amazing temperament !
That Archie is definitely a chill little dude – he would win overall Best In Show every time. Thanks for the great article Linsey!