Dear Puppy,

Okay, okay. I know you're not a puppy anymore - you're 5, almost 6 but to me, you'll always be my puppy.

I remember when we first got you - you were so tiny, with the ugliest tail I have ever seen. Lucky for you, a good cut, coupled with the fact that your body got bigger and you don't look so disproportionate anymore makes for the cutest little baby I've ever seen. Oh and your ear... don't even get me started on your floppy ears. Sucks to be me when it comes time to clean them - but I could never let you get an ear infection!

I guess what I'm getting at is we've shared so many memories together, many nights watching television together, many nights just sitting while I rub your back until you fall asleep. Many nights picking you up out of your bed while you're sleeping just to say hi and then watch you stumble back inside and try to go back to bed.

Nothing compares to the way your tail wags every time I come down in the morning or when I walk through the door after a long day at school and work. Nothing compares to the smell of stinky dog food after lunch when you come to give me a kiss. Nothing compares to having to give you a bath after you've rolled around in something outside and smell disgusting and still want to cuddle. Nothing compares to you.

My little one, even though you're almost 6 now, I still hold you like a baby. I don't know if you remember or what, but when you were still little you would fall asleep while I held you - just like a real baby.

Thanks for all those nights we would just lie down on the floor together and watch Netflix. You'd put your head on my butt and we would stay there for hours. Thanks for accompanying me on all those walks around the park - even if you did bark at everybody along the way. Yes, you've gotten better with that! Thanks for leaving all my clothes full of your hair and leaving it on the black seats of my car.

Thanks for always being such a good listening, for wet nose kisses and forcing me to put more lotion on my legs because you've licked it all off - I love you.

I love you today. I love you tomorrow. I love you forever. And no matter how old you may get, you'll always be my little puppy. And I wouldn't want it any other way.