By Anita Rosario

It was the month of January in the year 2011 when I met up with my dad at a park in San Dimas California. This is a day that I will replay in my head for the rest of my life.

My mom and I started walking through the grass where we saw my dad sitting with his back turned to us. Once we got close enough, he stood up, and that’s when this teeny tiny little puppy started running towards me.

I really couldn’t believe it, I asked my dad, “Whose puppy is this?”

“She’s ours,” he said. “Her name is Zoila, but we can call her Zee for short.”

I was so excited and just couldn’t believe she was OUR dog. She and I played the whole time we were at the park, and every time I’d go down the slide, she was right there at the bottom waiting for me.

Zee was a Teacup Yorkshire Terrier who never weighed more than five pounds. She was so small as a puppy that she would sleep inside my dad’s shoes. I didn’t even know dogs could be that tiny.

Growing up, I always wanted a little dog that I could carry around and dress up in cute doggie outfits like the rich girls in movies and TV shows—except Zee absolutely hated wearing clothes and was a pretty independent girl who’d rather walk herself than be carried around.

She was one of the sassiest little dogs I’ve ever met, and she had no regrets after snapping at you. She always wanted attention, but if you touched her feet or her butt, she’d try to bite you, and it didn’t matter who you were. I can’t count how many times she snapped at me for trying to move her from MY spot in MY bed. I think she thought she was the queen of the house, and my dad and I definitely treated her like she was. 

Zee also loved exploring and loved to explore our front yard. She’d leave the yard and start walking down the street, and when we called her to come back, she never so much as looked back, but just kept walking. When she got older and wasn’t as fast as she used to be, I took her to a park and let her roam all the way to the other side. Then I’d run over and bring her back so she could do it all over again.

Like every other dog, Zee loved food. Every night at dinner, she’d get something special from my dad. She’d stand and watch him prepare her meal, and as soon as he lifted the plate, she’d spin around and run to the spot where she’d eat. 

She was so spoiled, but how could you not spoil such a cute little dog like her?

Mine and Zee’s relationship was pretty much like big sister and little sister. I called her my sister, and I loved her like one. She was also one of my best friends. Even though she was sassy, she was also very loving and was a great listener. 

My dad and I would talk to her and have conversations with her like she’d actually say something back. She knew us better than anyone else, and we both loved her so much. 

Zee and my dad were the definition of “a dog is a man’s best friend.” She always looked at my dad with so much love, and even though she also snapped at him many, many times they had the greatest bond. She was his little coconut head, his big dummy… she was his dog.

Seeing the bond they had made me want to love all dogs and not want to live a life without one. My dad would sing to her and even played happy birthday on the piano for her one year.

My dad was Zee’s person. Every time he’d go somewhere, she’d always wander over to the door and wait for him to come back. When he did come back, she’d run to him and growl—which was her way of saying hello. 

Zee also had another favorite human: our grandpa. When my family and I first moved to Arizona, our landlord didn’t allow dogs so Zee had to stay behind with my grandma and grandpa.

She really did love it there. She had a huge yard to chase lizards, bark at the neighborhood cats, and had a lot of grass to get the zoomies in. 

Zee and my grandpa had a great bond as well, so when Zee was able to come to Arizona and live with us, they missed each other so, so much. So much that my grandpa even sent her a card in the mail.

They were able to see each other when we would go visit, but Zee had a lot of anxiety in the car so we ended up having to take her to a dogsitter most times when we’d go out of town. 

It’s been seven years since my grandpa has passed, and now he and Zee are reunited in heaven. I know he’s still giving her all his table scraps, and she’s giving him kisses all over his bald head. 

As I said earlier, Zee was super sassy, but under all that sass she really was a sweet, loving girl. One thing about Zee was that she wasn’t a fan of other dogs: she was an only dog for the first seven years of her life, until I decided I wanted to start getting my own.

Over the years we ended up having a pack of five dogs. Of course Zee was the pack leader, and she was sure to put all the other dogs in check when things were getting too crazy. She was also half the size of everyone else, but they all took her very seriously.

Once I moved out of my parents’ house, I thought Zee began to actually miss my dogs. When we came over to visit, Zees little numb tail would wag like crazy. Every time I came over, I’d look for her and say “Hi, my Zoi! How are you doing today?” And she’d instantly ask for pets. 

Zee ended up having to get all of her teeth removed. She was all gums after that, but it didn’t stop her from wanting to eat rib-bones or snapping at us and the dogs. 

I could go on and on about our special Zee dog. I was nine years old when she came into our lives, and she was a part of our family for fourteen years. I had Zee in my life longer than I didn’t have her, and now I have to learn how to live my life without her. 

She was the best dog and the first dog who felt like family, and she’s the reason I love dogs so much. I’d do anything in this world to relive the past fourteen years of my life over and over again, because that way I wouldn’t have to live a life without her. 

Zee was sassy, silly, funny, loving, sweet, beautiful and definitely a one of a kind dog. She was also so strong, I believe she held on for us.

She was loved by our family and many friends. Everyone who knew us knew about our Zoila. I’m forever grateful that my dad picked her. She was the perfect girl for our family and definitely the best surprise ever!

I miss you so much Zee. We all do, and we will miss you forever. I know that I’ll see you again once it’s my time, and you’ll be waiting for me just like you waited for me at the bottom of the slide like you did the first day we met. 

Thank you for being the best dog, sister, and the bestest friend. We love you Zoila, fur-ever and always.