Nine months ago I decided that I was ready to get my first dog as an independent adult. Perhaps "decided" isn't the best term. All of a sudden, I couldn't stop thinking about dogs. They were on my mind constantly and I knew I couldn't rest until I got my own. After searching online for about two weeks, I went to a Petsmart just to see the dogs. I wasn't sure that I would actually get one that day. I went with my boyfriend and he was the first one to spot Darcy, whose name used to be Carter. Darcy was adorable. He was the only dog who didn't bark and he was subtle about wanting attention: he just had his small paws on the gate and looked at us with these big, brown eyes. We took him for a walk around the store and about 30 minutes later, he was mine.

Having Darcy as my dog has changed my life. He has made it so much better. Thanks to Darcy, I now talk to my neighbors because he likes to greet them. We meet people at Petsmart and we go to parks, something I hadn't done in a long time. Just looking at him brings me happiness. I'm sure all dog owners say this, but he is the best and sweetest dog in the universe.

This morning Darcy had another adventure. We were going out for a walk when he spotted another dog. He wagged his tail and stood on his hind legs. The dog, another rescue named Nogi, lives down the street. Thanks to this meeting, I now know that there's an informal dog get-together at a nearby park. I think I'll try to wake up early enough to take Darcy tomorrow. Then he got a dog biscuit from Nogi's owner. He pranced all the way home with it, very proud. Below is a picture right before he ate it. It's just another reminder of how blessed I am to have such a wonderful dog!