In May of 2006 I moved from my hometown of Sioux Falls, SD to Dallas, TX. This was a year after the sudden death of my beloved Motherand the death of my first dog, a basenji named Harpo. With every corner I took, the memories, both good and bad, were thick. The move to Dallas was a breath of fresh air. I struggled and grieved the loss of my two ideal friends, who died within months of each other. However, I know they will always be with me in spirit, watching over and guiding me.

Harpo and I shared our lives through my mid twenties to my mid thirties. Two characteristics I possess are that I’m aloof and strong-willed. The two most challenging characteristics of basenjis are being aloof and strong-willed (another word I use for too smart for their own good). We were a right pair from the start. It was the perfect relationship. However, I knew once I lost Harpo, there would be two things I’d never do again. First, I would never own another basenji. Second, I would never again go through a breeder. I also knew that I wouldn’t try to fill the void of Harpo by trying to replace her immediately with another dog.

Having stayed true to the two vows, I always knew Harpo would send another dog my way when I was ready. In the meantime, I started the best job I’d ever experienced as a general manager at a dog daycare. As a dog lover, it was a dream job. The dogs that came to daycare fulfilled my need of having a dog, without the challenges that come with owning one. The owners of the daycare have hearts the size of Texas and will always be an inspiration to me. They are always donating time, energy and money to care for the less fortunate dogs. The daycare employees are able to benefit from the extraordinary gestures of the owners experiencing bringing dogs back to health, introducing them to the other dogs in daycare and finding dogs homes by any means possible. The success rate continues to be insurmountable. At the time of my employment, it brought us all closer together and we learned from each other and reaped the benefits of sharing in part of helping and saving another living creature. The daycare mission statement is to provide an environment that is safe, fun and sanitary for the dogs in all areas of the daycare. Somehow, possibly through the laws of attraction and the compassion of the daycare workers, the reputation of the business continues to skyrocket. This reputation has been the main ingredient in acquiring new customers and the capability to assist