My little Annie.

I got Annie when I was 13. She was 7 months old and had been passed around a few times already and was needing a new home because she was driving their 6 year old Cocker Spaniel crazy. I knew right away she was smart. She had mastered the step trash can that housed their Milkbone treats and she darted back and forth between us and the treats.

She was there with me through a lot in my life--through a lot of difficult times, through my junior high, high school, and college years, several moves, two cross-country drives...

She "raised" a couple dogs who idolized her--Lucy, who we lost too soon, who watched and learned so many tricks and Gracie, who would be a much more difficult pup to shower had it not been for looking up to Annie (though not literally. Gracie was Annie's exact weight when we got her.)

One word I would use to describe Annie is feisty. She had attitude from day one. She was also wise. She was like an old soul in some ways and a little like Hallmark's Maxine in others. Rules didn't apply to her.

She faced a lot of typical Cocker issues, as well as some more severe and serious ones. She was always a trooper. She always surprised vets. She'd seem to be down and out and she'd easily bounce back and be back to her old self in no time. That's how I want to remember her--when she was happy and healthy. She had a lot of that time. I'll remember how she would tear around the house and up and down the stairs after we first got her. She'd growl as she ran by as she tried to burn off her energy. I was convinced she didn't like me. She'd chase rabbits with tremendous speed. I have a permanent scar (as well as two screws in my ankle) from when she ran in front of me with that speed and tripped me, which led to ankle surgery. I'll remember how she would love to climb on playgrounds and would go down the slides. I'll remember how she adored Sherry and when we would go swimming, she'd whimper for Sherry when she went under the water. I'll remember how great she was on car rides. We drove from Flagstaff to Payson quite a bit together. We drove cross country together. Twice. She laid in the front seat and just watched me drive. She loved the snow. She would give herself a bath, putting her chin up in the air to allow the water to pour down her head. She loved people.

Over 14 years of friendship and love, over half of my life, I'll never be able to really thank her for. She quietly helped me through so much. I was her "mom," but I get the feeling she looked after me more than anything.

She isn't in pain anymore and for that I'm grateful and I'm thankful for those 14 years that she was in my life.

I love you Miss Annie. You'll be missed.

Annie Banks Mackenzie (Deyoung Travis), December 5, 1994-March 2, 2010