Whatever Happened to Spot and Puff?

by Pa Rock
Cultural Commentator

We live in a world where cats eat gourmet meals off of fine china, and dogs let their owners dress them in style before going for a stroll in the park. Our better selves, in fact, are often realized in the way we treat our pets.

I have no pets because I live in an apartment, where they are neither practical nor allowed. (Well, actually they are allowed - for a price - but I give the cretins at this complex plenty of money each month just for a place to rest my weary head.) But just because there are currently no pets in my life does not mean that I wouldn't love to have a faithful pooch. I am a dog person.

When I was back at the farm I had a pair of beautiful Great Pyrenees, the best dogs in the world. They were majestic dogs with great names: Paladin and Paloma. They were working farm dogs and not especially pampered, although I did bring them the occasional double cheeseburger from McDonald's - a treat that either could happily swallow in one gulp. I also had a hyper-active mutt who just happened down the lane one day and decided to stay. His name was Frank - in honor of his blue eyes.

And then there was Emme Ears, the loving little long-haired chihuahua of whom I have recently written. Again, a classy dog with a unique name. Susan named Emme, and I came up with Paladin and Paloma.

Recently I came across an article on the Internet that focused on the more popular names for dogs and cats. They were tallied off of the rosters of insured pets. Yes, apparently pet insurance is one of the latest crazes among people who find meaning in their lives through the active parenting of four-legged children.

Six of the top ten names for cats are Tigger, Tiger, Smokey, Oliver, Shadow, and Charlie. Six of the top ten names for dogs are Bailey, Molly, Buddy, Maggie, Daisy, and Sophie. The remaining four top names for both dogs and cats are Max, Chloe, Lucy, and Bella.

Those are grand names, fitting for any creature who eats off of expensive china or wears designer clothing - whether they walk on two legs or four!

Emme Ears 31 October 1993 - 8 January 2009

by Pa Rock
Obituariest

Little Emme (pronounced "Emmie"), known by all who loved her as "Emme Ears" was a beautiful long-haired chihuahua whose large pointy ears gave her an uncanny resemblance to the gremlins of movie fame. She was born in Neosho, Missouri, and passed away peacefully today in Aurora, Colorado.

I first met Emme about this time of year in 1994 when my girlfriend at the time, Susan, had me drive her out to a chihuahua breeder's house "just to look." The place was crazy. Several hundred of the little rat-like critters were running in and out of the house through doggie doors and wire chutes. They were all excited that company had shown up "just to look" at them! Emme was one of the few longhairs in the herd. She separated herself from the mayhem and walked over to introduce herself to us - and the looking was over!

Emme was the fifth born in a litter of five. She was the runt of the litter - a "teacup." The breeders had a practice of naming the dogs alphabetically by order of birth, so her original name was "Earma" in deference to her big, but cute, ears. Susan didn't like that name, and renamed her "Susan's Sweet Emme Baby" on her pedigree papers, and called her "Emme" or "Emme Ears" for short.

I was a person who didn't believe in having pets in the house, but the first time Emme decided to wash my face with her tongue, she won my heart. We were the very best of friends until her Mama married someone else and moved off to Colorado.

Susan called me this morning to tell me of Emme's passing. She was fifteen-years-old, or 105 in dog years. She had quietly slipped into little-old-ladyhood, but to me she will always my happy tail-wagging, face-licking, warm-hearted little friend. My sincerest condolences go out to Emme's Mama.