As a little background, Yoda was our first baby, the one no other dog would ever compare to, and we loved him so hard. Our other dog, Grimsey, was a big, goofy boy who made us laugh constantly and whom we loved a ton as well. They were both so easy and mellow. So, on the first day we brought Lucy home, and renamed her the more fitting Gidget, we took a moment to question our impulsive decision to add another dog.

From day one, Gidget had zero fear of Grimsey, her much bigger and stronger brother. He was always gentle with her, though he mostly tolerated her when she grabbed his prized possession, his rope toy. She was feisty, vocal, and followed me everywhere I went. She definitely came to us with some separation anxiety, and it took time to get used to, but once she realized she was home and we were not giving her up, she relaxed. When we left to run errands, she would sit in the windowsill and wait for us to return.

During our first few weeks with her, Gidget decided she would not allow us to leave without her. She flew through the front window screen like a flying squirrel, landed on our front lawn as if that were not crazy at all, and stood beside us, waiting to be taken along. Our other two dogs watched in confusion, but we knew then that this dog was truly one of a kind

She loved a fan. If you brought one in and turned it on, she would run to lie in front of it. However, she did not understand that a little space was necessary for the air to circulate, so it would suction her fur until I moved it back. The vacuum, most dogs' arch nemesis, was no problem for Gidget. She loved to follow me around as I vacuumed, making sure I was doing a thorough job. If I did not let her follow closely behind the vacuum, she would freak out.

About a year after we got Gidget, we unexpectedly found out that Grimsey had bone cancer, and he passed away a few months later. Six months later, the love of my life Yoda passed away too. I can admit now that when we first got Gidget, she was third in line for space in my heart. I never expected to fall so deeply in love with this crazy girl and her enormous personality, but I did. She forced me to fall in love with her, and I am so glad she did.

Gidget was one of a kind. She loved every dog and every person willing to give her attention. She was my four-legged shadow, and no matter what I was doing, she was right there. She looked ridiculous in her Halloween costumes, and every weekend morning, as soon as she saw your eyes open, she would jump on your chest, hit you in the face with her paw and whine until you gave her some love. About six months later, we decided to rescue another dog Grogu. Although he unfortunately does not love other dogs, he loved Gidget from day one and knew she was the boss. She would lick him for an hour every morning, swipe at his head like a cat to get him to play, and sleep in his crate just because she could, and he loved her for it.

A few weeks ago, we found out she had a very aggressive form of melanoma in her mouth and that there was nothing we could do. My sassy little girl, with such a zest for life, quickly declined in front of us. Grogu knew she was sick. Sadly, he would sniff her and then run into his crate. But in true Gidget fashion, she fought hard to live until her body gave up. Although we only had her for a short time, she left an indelible paw print on me, and I will never forget her. I will miss the tip-tapping of her paws following me around all day. I know she is now snuggling with Yoda and playing tug-of-war with Grimsey.