Life with pets can be challenging.

My dog, Little Girl, came to live with me three years ago January. She was a gift from a friend who loves dogs. She knows how to train them, too.

When she brought her to my house one Sunday afternoon, I was a little disappointed that she was a little bundle of fluff. I knew right away that she was going to leave a trail of white dog hair all over my house.

My family had been urging me to get a dog since the loss of my husband. I grew up with two little rat terriers and my husband had several dogs during his childhood.

As a couple, we had dogs for years. They were all special to us. I knew dogs were good companions. What held me back was the thought of training one. No problem there. My friend assured me Little Girl was house trained. I soon learned that she was amazingly obedient, too.

That first night Little Girl and I spent together, I cushioned her new dog bed with a soft piece of comforter that had belonged to my mother’s dog, Prissy. She went right to it on my command and to my surprise, never left it all night long. Instead of scratching on the back door when she wants outside, she finds me to lead me to the door.

When she is hungry, she comes and directs me to the kitchen. When I begin preparing to go somewhere, it is obvious she knows it. She watches me expectantly, awaiting the question, “Ready to go?”

But when I must tell her she cannot go, she lowers her little tail that wags almost constantly, and walks away with her tail drooping. She looks at me with sad eyes. There is no “good-bye” lick for me then. But, oh, how sweet it is when she meets me at the door upon my return. Her tail moves so fast it stirs the air around me.

I know you have figured it out by now. Little Girl has wrapped herself around my heart. So did the three dachshunds that belonged to my husband and me through the years.

When one was ready for her first rabies vaccination, she gave us a real scare. We discovered she was allergic to the vaccine late one night. She needed immediate attention. We rushed her from home in Lillian to an emergency clinic for animals in Pensacola. It was when I held her in my arms and tried to comfort her on the way to the clinic that I realized just how much I loved her.

When I saw Little Girl did not seem her happy, energetic self recently, I took her for an examination. We came home with some antibiotic drops she does not like. I hope she knows I am trying to help her when I administer them.

Little Girl is a constant challenge but I love her, despite those clinging dog hairs.