By Popular Demand

This blog carries with it a disclaimer: Read at your own risk. Dog material contained herein.

I've received a plethora of requests for some Oliver the new wiener dog stories. And more specifically, many people have asked how Julie and Ollie are getting along. Interestingly, lots of people have asked if I have any walking trail stories with Ollie ... one person even talked about the "Dancing in the Moonlight" blog that I penned in 2009 and quoted the last line ... "Yep, you guessed it ... I scooped that fat little dog into my arms and I danced."

As I sit here typing, Ollie is stretched across my lap sleeping, and Julie is curled up beside me with her head squeezed in as close to Ollie as possible. They play chase and tug of war until they are both panting and exhausted, and then they cuddle next to each other on the floor, the couch or my bed. They are always together ... always. At first, it was Ollie who stuck close to Julie, but now it's Julie who sticks close to him. I've wondered at times if perhaps she wants to make sure that he doesn't leave her like our little J.R. did ... she rarely lets Ollie wander out of her sight.

So ... even though their first meeting was not pleasant, now they are truly a match made in heaven. And before you say, "Good grief, they're dogs," may I remind you that J.R. was the reason I was diagnosed with diabetes ... the reason God granted me a second chance at life ... and I didn't want to even keep him for a weekend. I am very sure that God sent J.R. to me, and no one will ever convince me otherwise. And Ollie? Well, he just wouldn't go away ... no matter how hard I tried, he just wouldn't go away. I can't help but wonder if there's a heavenly purpose behind Ollie's entrance into my world as well. Granted, it may be nothing more profound than the fact that his pink nose makes him look a whole lot like a baby pig, but it's also only been two weeks since he moved in.

And yes, Oliver Chance has joined me on the trail from time to time. I alternate walking with Julie and walking with him, but I think we are very close to me being able to walk both of them together. I think Julie would be fine, actually, but Ollie ... well, let's just say that Ollie exhibits quite a bit of attitude on the trail. Where J.R. would always go out of his way to avoid other people and dogs at all costs, Ollie is just the opposite. When other people, whether just people or people with dogs, approach, his little tail goes straight up in the air and he sticks his chest out and starts this kind of ... well ... I think prancing is the best word. Yes, he prances and struts his stuff like he is king of the world. As crazy as it sounds, I now own a wiener dog with attitude.

As to what I'm learning in my time on the trail with Ollie ... I think perhaps one of the greatest lessons God has taught me in my new journey with Ollie is that sometimes you simply must stop along the walk. You see, Ollie is a wanderer on the trail ... he has to stop and smell everything or look at everything or pee on every tree. The first few days I was constantly tugging on him and saying, "Come on, Ollie, just walk; just come on and walk." Saturday, though ... after a very emotional day at church ... Saturday, Ollie and I just kind of sauntered along in our walk.

We stopped and sat by the creek for a while, and when Ollie climbed into my lap, I told him about how J.R. liked to watch the ducks. And the tears came ... and Ollie snuggled into my arms, and he licked my face. We stopped and watched the sunset, and I told him about how my mom would talk about the sky in Kansas being so big. And the tears came ... and Ollie pawed at my legs for me to pick him up, and he licked my face. We stopped and listened to the wind in the trees, and I told him about taking my kids to fly kites when they were young. And the tears came ... and I leaned over to kiss his furry little head, and Ollie put his paws on my shoulders, and he licked my face.

I still miss my little J.R., and perhaps I always will ... my love for Ollie is growing, but it's bittersweet at times. God is teaching me again through my hounds ... Julie loves Ollie just like she did J.R. And Ollie loves me much like J.R. did. And me? I'm sitting here wondering why the dogs always get more of the couch than I do.