July 3 is a very special day…it’s Sullie’s birthday!
My angel is 12 years old today! I can’t even believe it. It seems like just yesterday I was at the breeder with my ex and we were trying to decide between Sullie or her brother, the only two pups left in the litter.
We were initially on the fence about Sullie because she was SO submissive. Anytime we’d try to interact with her, she would tuck her tail between her legs and scoot. Her brother, on the other hand, was WILD! He was interested in anything but meeting us and was running around like crazy and getting into things. Watching him drag a box fan across the floor helped us make our final decision to bring Sullie home.
And it’s been true love ever since! That submissive pup was long gone after just a few days at home and she ended up giving us a run for our money. She was full of energy and mischief for quite a few years.
We celebrated tonight with a doggie cake and two new stuffed toys. While Zoey loves balls, Sullie has always been a big fan of anything soft that squeaks! Even at 12 she still loves to grab a toy and run around squeaking it. 🙂
I post this dog birthday cake recipe every year. It’s so good and simple!
1/2 apple, finely chopped
3 tablespoons nut butter
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon baking powder.
Mix it all together and put in a greased ramekin. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until set in the center.
Sullie got the surprise of her life delivered to her this year with baby Finn’s arrival. And just as I anticipated, she’s a great big sister.
I always dreamed that Sullie would be there when I brought my first baby home and I count my blessings every day that my dream came true. She’s so sweet and gentle with Finn and so patient with me as I devote a lot of time to taking care of him.
Dogs are just the best and it’s been so amazing to have Sullie with me for the last 12 years. She has the most pure and calming energy about her and she’s seen me through the best and worst of times with nothing but love and devotion.
Thanking god for my Sullie girl and all of these amazing years we’ve had together!
I hope you all have the happiest of July Fourths.
What’s your favorite thing about being a dog mom?
Happy Birthday, sweet Sullie!! My birthday is July 1 so Sullie and I are July soul sisters ?.
The things I love about being a dog mom is the unconditional love I receive from my pup. We have a very intuitive schnauzer. If either one of us is not feeling well, he is right there laying on our chest or jammed up against us so he could help make us feel better. He also makes us laugh every day with his antics.
Much love to you Jen, Finn, Sullie and Zoey ❤️
Your pup sounds just wonderful! Thank you for the love and happy belated birthday!
Aw, Sullie and I share a birthday. Happy birthday sweet girl!!
Happy birthday to you Tiffany!
Happy Birthday Sullie! I have a 12 year old beagle golden retriever mix and he is still so obsessed with soft squeaky toys. So cute! My favorite thing about being a dog (and cat) mom is that regardless of what else has happened in my day they can always make me smile 🙂
Your beagle and Sullie would get along great!
And yes, how great is it that pets can always give us that uplifting after a hard day.
Aw, happy birthday Sullie! Goldens are so wonderful. We lost ours to cancer suddenly a few weeks after her 9th birthday, so we know how special all the birthdays feel! We now have a little rescue girl who is night and day different but such a joy. Hard to pick a best part – I can’t picture my life without puppy cuddles, excited greetings, mischief, and love.
Diane – I’m so sorry to hear about your golden’s passing. Cancer and goldens is just the worst thing. My parents just lost one of theirs back in April very suddenly to cancer. I’m glad to hear that you have a new, wonderful rescue in your home and that you are enjoying her.
Happy birthday, sweet Sullie!! We rescued a golden the year we got married, and I am thankful every day that he was with us when our kids were born. He passed away 3 years ago this weekend, and our youngest still blows kisses and hugs to his picture every night. Goldens are the best, and I’m so happy you and Finn have her sweet spirit there!
Oh Erin, that is the sweetest thing that your youngest still blows kisses and hugs his picture. My heart is melting.
Happiest Birthday Sullie!! She seems like the sweetest girl, it’s been so fun reading your blog over the past 6 years and having Sullie remain a constant throughout. I hope her day was filled with joy, love and tons of snuggles!
Aw, thank you for reading and sticking with us for so long! 🙂 She had a great birthday!
Happy birthday to Sullie! They become such big parts of our lives.
Thank you and yes, they certainly do!
Happy birthday sweet Sullie! 12 years is wonderful!
I love so many things about being a dog mom. Probably most is the pure, unconditional love that they give. How they can always make me laugh or smile when I’m having a rough time. How they can drive me nuts one second then give me the cutest look ever and I forget I’m annoyed and I apologize and love on them. I’d have 20 dogs if my husband would let me!
Yes, yes, yes to the ability to make you laugh or lighten the mood and those looks they give you to melt your heart. How can you stay mad at something so cute!?
I too wished Maggie would be my future children’s first dog but I don’t have any kids yet and we lost Maggie March 3, the day after her 12th birthday to hemangiosarcoma, an aggressive cancer common in golden retreievers but very rare in her breed (silky terrier). Count your blessings!
I’m so sorry to hear about Maggie’s passing. Losing a beloved pet is one of the worst things to go through.
I hope that sweet girl enjoyed her day. Always love hearing about her.
The unconditional love dogs show to us is almost undeserved at times.
I’m a bomb technician and the work ethic of explosive detection K-9s is mind blowing. Plus I love when they show up on a job. I always check with their handler if I can give them a pat!
Oh wow, what an interesting job and I am also always SO amazed by how dogs can work in things like explosive and drug detection. Truly incredible creatures!
Happy birthday!!! Have never met her but love her!!!! xoxoxo
Thank you! She’s a pretty lovable girl!
Sullie seems like such a sweetheart. My favorite thing about being a dog mom is the 100% unconditional love my girl shows me each day. I also can’t wait to hopefully bring a baby home to her one day. She’ll be 5 this year and is so sweet with children and babies. She’ll make a great sister. I’m sure your girls and Finn will have a wonderful relationship as he gets older. Seriously is there any cuter than little ones with puppy dogs?? (Also definitely making your dog birthday cake later this year! What a fun treat!) 🙂
Yes, that unconditional love is just amazing! I can’t wait to see the girls and Finn interact as he gets a little older and more active. Zoey is going to love it when he starts eating solids! haha
I am a dog mom and my boy just turned 11. My favorite thing about being a dog mom is EXACTLY what you wrote…the love and devotion. He is my absolute everything and has given me 11 years of just that. Love and devotion. I have a vizsla and they are high energy so we spend every day in the woods hiking and biking. I cancel plans to hang out with him so he doesn’t sit home alone all day. I hope we both have many more years with our pups!
Oh I so love your note about canceling plans to hang with your dog. You sound like my kind of person! 🙂
Happy birthday Sullie!!! Dogs truly are the best. It is amazing how much we can learn from our furry friends.
Yes! It’s a very special kind of bond and love.
Happy birthday sweet Sullie!!! I cannot wait to get a dog one day when I have more time 🙂 I live vicariously through friends until then!
I remember that wait for the right time to get a dog. It’s worth it!!!
Happy birthday Sullie!
When I was pregnant with my first human baby, I frequently told my dog not to worry, that he was my first born and favorite and nothing would ever change that! And I still tell him he’s my favorite because he’s house trained and lets me sleep through the night!
Seriously, he’s been with me through so much. He’s 12.5 years old and he’s been with me through some of the most challenging times of my life. When I’m sad, sick, or grieving, he just curls up next to me in bed and stays close until I’m better. I’m tearing up writing this because I love him so much!
I love how much you love your girls. Dogs are the best people and I can’t imagine life without them.
I totally here you on being pregnant and telling your dogs nothing would change. I knew the things I heard about dogs not being as important after babies wouldn’t be true for me. My girls are such an important part of my family and they bring me so much joy. I can so relate to your pup being with you through so much and challenging times. They are just the best.
It’s so reassuring to know that your dogs are still very important to you even after Finn’s arrival. Obviously it’s two different kinds of love, but I always hear about people who totally neglect their pets after they have human babies and I’ve worried that it will happen to me! But seeing you, I don’t think so. I just adore our dog and cat. They bring me so much joy and make me laugh and smile every day. They’re so easy to please and, even better, they never disagree with me! 🙂
I don’t think you have anything to worry about! That love is still there for sure!