I got this grumpy pup. She's a character!

My friend, Shelly, got two foster puppies from the local humane shelter, only a little over 4 weeks old. As soon as she saw them, she knew I wouldn't be able to resist the one - the grumpy one. I adopted that pup when she was 8 weeks old - I had no choice. I was completely smitten.

Even as a tiny thing, if anyone went to pick her up from a deep sleep, she would growl like a grumpess. But, somehow, we understood each other. At just 8 weeks old, she would follow me everywhere and she knew I belonged to her. My Aberdeen was never jealous of her - it's like somehow she knew I needed this pup for a different role than hers.

She had a really noble name, for a minute, but honestly it didn't fit her. She bumped into me all the time; it was her way of connecting. So, she became "Bumpy". When she was 9 months old a man came after me in the woods while I was hiking. Bumpy stopped him from a dead run by placing herself between him and me and snarling with her hair raised up on her back. She looked incredibly vicious and I think if he had continued to approach, she would have likely ripped him apart. She let me get to my vehicle and then she followed me, slowly, hair still raised on her back. The man never moved until we pulled away in the car. So, though I don't know the potential outcome of that encounter, I'm pretty certain I owe this dog my life.

Right now, Bumpy has an injury on her paw. She's pretty stoic and the only reason I noticed it is because of the blood trail it was leaving behind. However, she is taking full advantage of the couch opportunities - invalids deserve to be on the couch. She is not allowed on the furniture, but she's honestly not even asking. She just looks at me and smiles. And I can't do a darn thing about it because... she's got me wrapped around that paw.