Have you ever met a Yorkie you just couldn't resist? Well, I haven't and this is a story about an incredible dog named Laddie.

I love going into pet stores and looking at all the animals, but this day was rather special because it was the day I found Laddie. At the back of this rather small pet store there were cages stacked one upon the other. I couldn't keep my eyes off a little dog that just couldn't keep still somewhere in the middle. This dog was about to become mine. He jumped up and down so high and so many times that we called him, "Pogo The Wonder Dog."

It wasn't hard to fall in love with him. He looks you straight in the eye and sort of cocks his head to let you know he is paying attention. Those beautiful ears perk up to listen to every word you are saying. I knew right away he was going to be my best friend for a long time to come.

Most mornings, when I am not quite awake, his lightning fast tongue greets me with a kiss to tell me that the world is okay that day. As I travel through the house getting ready for school each day, I look down only to find Laddie right there next to me.

At first he would mess up things. To keep him in the kitchen, a rather high board was placed across the doorway to the rest of the house. This seemed the right thing to do. However, Laddie didn't like the separation. Quickly, "Pogo" bounced him self up and over the 3 foot tall board that separated usÉonly to mess up again. Laddie knew I would give in and let him be with me. He loved resting at the foot of my bed. And, it wasn't long before he could jump that high as well. You know, "Pogo the Wonder Dog" could leap tall buildings with a single bound.

Ladd, er, "Pogo," also loves to roam. He scared me silly one evening when he was let out. Calling and calling wouldn't get him to return. You see Terriers are a tenacious lot. Yorkshire terriers originally were bred to be ratters for the coal mines of Scotland. Once they get there nose on something there's no stopping them. I learned this the hard way. After quite some time searching the neighborhood, he finally showed up in between the houses. Upon being caught he looked up at me as if to say, "What? Did I do something wrong?" I spent many hours trying to plug up places under our fencing where he got to find he was better at finding new ones than was I at plugging them.

This was neither the first nor the last time Laddie escaped from the yard. Many times I found him by walking our neighborhood but occasionally he managed to roam to other streets and a short trip in a car was necessary to find him. I think almost everyone in the neighborhood knows Ladd by his name.

At first Laddie was difficult to teach but before we knew it he could follow the commands: "Sit, " Down," "Come," "Roll Over" and sometimes "Shake." Whenever he performs for us he is rewarded with the words, "Good Boy," and then given a dog biscuit.

Laddie is a social eater and brought his dried food near you while you were eating and crunched away. I'm sure he thinks he's human most of the time (or perhaps we were just dogs in his pack). He eats near the table at dinner time, is in the bathroom while I brush my teeth and bath, and loves being in bed near me. He especially enjoys showers with me. I enjoy having him there except when he shakes off the water in his coat of fur and it gets all over the place.

Yorkies are long-haired dogs and this can be a problem at times. They pick up everything that is not tied down. Laddie is a gatherer of leaves and other yard debris that remains in his fur or is casually deposited somewhere in our house. Since he can't stand to be away from us for any time at all, his contributions to our bed at night can be interesting.

Laddie is responsible for our love of Yorkshire Terriers. We have 4 other Yorkies: Winephred, Bessie, Camilla and Connie. Winephred was his mate for many litters of beautiful puppies. It was difficult to let any of these puppies be adopted although we have been fortunate to know many of the people who have taken them home. All these pups are very special but none takes the top dog spot away from Laddie.

As time passes and Laddie begins to show a little graying and less spontaneous jumping behaviors, I realize that he's given me so much over the years I've had him. I try to make it a little easier on him by helping him up to the bedÉthe place that's been his since he was a puppy. I hug him a little harder, tell him just how much I love him and thank him for all the joy and happiness he gives me every day.

What a very special dog I have. Thank you Laddie for being here for me.