My Sweet Boy, Tatum

by Casey
(Maryland)

I got Tatum Christmas of 2008 as a present from my boyfriend, he had told me his family was getting his mom a puppy for Christmas and asked me to go to the breeder and pick one out and have the breeder keep him/her for us for a week or two longer until Christmas. Once we arrived to the breeders house I fell in love with a little shy puppy, out of the eight or so there. A boy with a perfect line down his body and face, separating a white side with a few black/gray/brown marks with a baby blue eye and a gray side with brown marks and a brown eye with a blue dot. I immediately told my boyfriend he was the one and if he wasn't getting him for his mom, I was buying him for myself.

He then told the breeder that was the one we wanted and sadly we had to leave. :( We came back two weeks later with a blanket, bed, toys, and treats. We sat him on my lap in the car in his bed wrapped in a blanket with his "baby" and he slept the entire car ride home. Once we were about an hour from home, my boyfriend told me he had a surprise for me and that the puppy was actually for me the whole time. :D

I immediately started picking out names for my little, fluffy puppy, I came up with Tatum and he looked like it as well. Once we got home, we introduced him to my thirteen year old Beagle and two year old German Shepherd who adored him.

It's been a year and a half since then and Tatum's my best friend, he can cheer me up by just looking at me. Sadly, my Beagle passed away of old age, but, the German Shepherd is Tatum's "four-legged mom" as we call her. The two are inseparable. Tatum brings joy to my days, even nights when I should be out with friends, I'd rather be wrapped up on the couch with him. To this day, my boyfriend and I tell people "our son" has four legs, a big hairy tail, and a big smile.

I hope you guys liked my story, everyone should own an Aussie at least once in their lives. :)