The Story of Sparkels

The title is not a typo. It's purposely spelt wrong so that her name could be different like mine. That's what my 8 year old self wanted. My whole life I've been obsessed with animals, and there were always two things I begged for: a puppy and a ferret. I finally got my mom to agree to get a dog, and we settled on a wheatie-poo at Yuppy Puppy Pet Shop in Port Jefferson, Long Island. Yuppy Puppy assured us Crystal would get no bigger than a lapdog, except she turned into a bear within weeks. When you get a pet it's your responsibility and you should never abandon it, but living in a cooped up apartment was no life for Crystal. She clearly needed a backyard and room to run since she would keep us up all night when we got home late. My mom decided to give her to one of her clients who had a nice big house that would accommodate her, and at least we could visit her and know she's with good people. Our first dog experience was not the best one, and considering my mom's a cat person this basically ruined my shot at getting another dog.

On Friday's when I would get my allowance, I only ever wanted one of two things: a stuffed animal or a book on dogs. Friday's were a split decision between Toys "R" Us and World of Pets. One Saturday I decided I wanted a book on chihuahuas and I rollerbladed in the rain (in skates that didn't fit anymore with the fronts cut out) to World of Pets with my Papa. There was a dog pile in the window, and on the bottom was the most glorious animal I had ever seen. She was the one. A beige and white long-haired miniature chihuahua with artichoke shaped ears bigger than the rest of her body and a curly shrimp cocktail. I couldn't wait to go back to my mom's salon to tell her about it. I needed that puppy, but we had only been without Crystal for a few weeks (my mom was still traumatized).

I cried for a week straight that I needed this dog. After my mom couldn't take it anymore, she said we could look at her. My mom took one look at that little face and wasn't seeming to say no. I knew I had her. My mom agreed that if she was still there on Saturday, we would get her. I woke up that Saturday, a week from the first time I saw her, and couldn't drag my mom to World of Pets quick enough. The salon was busy as it always was on a Saturday and I was ready to go at any moment. Finally towards the late afternoon, my mom had a free moment to go with me. She wasn't in the window where I last saw her, I had heart failure. I asked if they still had her and they brought her out to me and asked, "This one?" "Yes!" I screamed as I grabbed her. There was no turning back now, I knew my mom couldn't say no-she promised! They took her off to get groomed and I started picking out supplies. As my mom was handing the cashier money, a man walked in inquiring about my dog, to which the cashier replied, "Sorry, she was just sold." The man look devastated. I would have been if I wasn't saved by the bell. I was elated that this angel baby was mine. I felt like I worked all 8 years of my life for her.

Sparky was by no means your typical chihuahua, she didn't even bark for months until I taught her how. My Papa and I took a toy and tied it to the ceiling and swung it around like a tire swing and barked at her until she squeaked back. She was my little doll, she let me do whatever I wanted to her. I know we all think this about our pets but she was not a dog, she was so much more than that. In fact, she was Jesus Christ. She was born on Christmas Eve and I got her the day before Easter as my Easter present. She's even been resurrected twice, once in 2013 when her back left leg gave out and once in 2015 when her lungs filled up with fluid. Sparky also ate like a human, except better. There's nothing my Papa wouldn't do for Sparky - she was just as much his dog as she was mine-after all, we found her together. After we fattened her up too much and my miniature chihuahua that wasn't supposed to be any more than 8 pounds was 13 pounds, she had to go on a diet for her health. My Papa's version of a diet was buying her no fat, low sodium, organic meat and cooking her hamburgers and steaks. He would boil chicken in broth for hours and let all the flavors set in so she wouldn't have to eat tasteless dog food (he basically made his own dog food). And he never denied her vanilla ice cream or Nilla wafer cookies (her favorite). Sparky could have won The Biggest Loser, she was back down to 8 pounds in no time.

Princess Sparky's grinch feet didn't touch the ground of the outside world unless she was with my Papa, he's the only one she would walk with without trying to slip out of her collar and making a run for it. Every time my Papa went out he would come home with a new toy for Sparky just like he did for me when I was little. Between the two of us we could open a toy store, Toys "R" Us didn’t have anything on us. She was the smartest animal in the world, she knew how to spell and she woke my mom up when my cat Tiger was dying. Even until her last moments she had her wits about her. In 2013, Sparky started to slow down when her back right leg gave out. Chihuahuas are known for having knee and hip problems because they're so little, and at 13 years old it finally caught up to her. The vet said she would never walk again and that we should put her down because she would only end up getting depressed and wither away. That wasn't going to work for us. They said there was no surgery they could do or any wheelchair they could give us to help her. My Papa went to Petland and picked out a joint medicine that he decided how he would administer to her. Sure enough, in a few weeks she was walking again when they said she never would. The little fighter is a Guiliano after all.

After that small stint, she was back to normal like nothing ever happened. It wasn't until almost two years later her lungs filled up with fluid and the vet said she was too old to perform surgery and that we should just put her down because there was no way she could make it. My Papa told them to do whatever they have to, money was no object when it comes to Sparky. She's family, and you wouldn't just put your child down right? Not only did she survive, she was better than she had been in the past couple of years. She must have been carrying the fluid for quite some time because all of a sudden she was like a puppy again. She was running, she wasn't coughing, and she was eating like the animal she was. At this point, she was put on multiple medications to live but she was lively as ever.

Over the last few months of her life she began to deteriorate as comes with old age and the medications, but she looked like a puppy again. She was so small down to 6 pounds like she was always supposed to be. A little hunched and wobbly, but she looked like the puppy I fell in love with in the window. What hurts most is I wasn't home when it happened. I won't go into the details, but to see or touch her one last time even if she was cold would have been better. Life happens in an instant when you least expect it, so hold your furry friends close and hug them a little tighter today. I don't think the pain will ever go away completely, but I wouldn't want it to. Sparky had a beautiful life and she was by no means shortchanged. 17 years is not common for a dog, and there's something to be said about that. I haven't suffered much loss, and this is a tough one for only my second. I pray one day she'll come back to me in another form, but I know either way I'll see her again. Growing up an only child I never wanted siblings, but I did want a companion and she was it. It's hard to lose your best friend, but I know she's still with me. Rest easy Sparkalina. 

December 24th, 1999-October 29th, 2016