You’re probably here to read about the dogs, right? I would be, too. Here’s the story of how each dog and I met.

Hefner is a 10-year-old puggle (a pug and beagle hybrid) who was born in 2007. During the time of the “designer dog” craze, I was determined to get a puggle, even though I had never owned a dog and didn’t really know that much about the different breeds. Hefner was the last remaining puppy from his litter, and the only male, and I immediately fell in love with the picture the breeder sent to me. A few weeks later, when he was 8 weeks old and able to leave his mother, I drove two hours from Mississippi to rural Tennessee to pick him up.

For those of you wondering about Hefner’s name, yes, it is a reference to Hugh Hefner. In 2007, I was an avid fan of the E! Network show The Girls Next Door. Shortly before I picked Hefner up, I was watching an episode and thought, “Hefner…that’s a good name!” Interestingly enough, it fits: he has a lot of energy and a wrinkly face, but all the ladies love him.

Hefner has always been my nap buddy. I’m constantly amazed at how quickly he can fall asleep. He snores most of time, even with his eyes open, and his sinuses and ears give him trouble occasionally. He’s obsessed with tennis balls, and all I have to say is “Bring Mommy toy?” to send him scrambling for the nearest squeaky object. He’s an amazing car-rider, though he hogs the front seat so he can take his car naps in the sun. Hefner never meets a stranger, and if you’re willing to pet him, he will sit contentedly at your feet for hours. Just beware of his tongue: he’s the quickest and sneakiest French-kisser I’ve ever met.

Charlie is an eight-year-old (estimated) border collie mix rescue who was adopted from the Tupelo, Mississippi, Humane Society on December 30, 2010. I had met Charlie (who was then being called “Dillard”) several weeks earlier while I was volunteering at a pet adoption event at PetSmart. As hard as I tried, I couldn’t convince anyone to adopt him that day, and he was returned to the shelter. Over the next couple of weeks, I couldn’t shake this dog from my mind. There was something about his sweet demeanor and uniquely-colored eyes that wouldn’t let me forget him. I contacted the shelter again, and Charlie/Dillard was still there. I wasn’t sure I wanted another dog, but there was something about him, and I couldn’t let him stay in the shelter any longer. A few days later, the newly-named Charlie was in my backseat, headed for home.

I believe, based on his behavior, Charlie had a tough life before I adopted him. At first, when I would reach my hand out to pet him, he would flinch, as if I was going to hit him. Though he no longer does that, he still gets anxious whenever I have a fly-swatter or newspaper in my hand. He is wary of strangers, especially men, but he is slowly opening up to new things and people.

The first thing most people notice about Charlie is his eyes, which look like a small piece of the brown and blue irises have been swapped with each other. He’s usually willing to give most anyone a paw-shake or a high-five, and he likes smelling breath, though he usually sneezes and covers his nose afterward like he’s offended by the odor. He loves belly rubs, and he has an adorable habit of climbing halfway onto the couch and tucking his head into a person’s lap to snuggle. He’s smart, obedient, observant (like many shepherding dogs) and sometimes a bit awkward, but I think he probably gets that last trait from me. He’s a total mama’s boy, and he usually doesn’t stray far from me.

As for your blogger, my name is Amelia Parkes, and I’m an artist and writer from Sheffield, Alabama. I’m 35 years old, and I have never been married and have no children, which makes me somewhat of an oddity in the South. In August of 2016, the dogs and I moved from Mississippi to Savannah, Georgia, so I could begin the MFA Writing program at Savannah College of Art and Design. I received my BA in English/Creative Writing from Mississippi University for Women in 2004. After undergrad, I spent nearly 8 years as a paralegal and over 4 years an educator for a domestic violence shelter in Tupelo, Mississippi. Currently, I work as a professional writing tutor for a local university in Savannah. My interests include dogs, eating/drinking, dogs, making art, dogs, reading, dogs, writing, dogs, comedy, listening to podcasts, and my dogs.