Li'l Bit

Elyn and Li’l Bit

My story really starts out with my grandmother's dog, Kozy, a Bichon-Poodle, dying about three years ago. He was 13 years old and had given us lots of laughs and loads of licks. We had Kozy since I was in 3rd grade and we were best friends. Kozy picked me when my mother, grandmother, and I went to search for a puppy. He was the thing that kept my grandmother and grandfather calm and united. They had a rocky relationship for many years but they could always agree on one thing, Kozy. In fact, my grandfather named him after my grandparents best friends, the Koziers; however, initially, the name came from my grandfather who saw Kozy laying on the armrest in the back seat of their Lincoln Towncar. My grandmother was devastated when we lost my grandfather on November 28, 2001. When we lost Kozy in 2007, it felt like we had lost my grandfather all over again. My grandmother got Honey and Shadow, two Shih-Tzu brothers from a breeder in Somerset, OH. Honey and Shadow have kept my grandmother company since a few weeks after Kozy passed. Their wonderfully entertaining antics have lightened moods for years. My dog, Li'l Bit, is a two year old Shi-Poo who came into my life on October 2, 2007. Li'l Bit picked me, just like Kozy did. My grandmother had gone with me to look at puppies. On the way, she said to me, now, we don't have to get the first one we see. Well, what do you suppose we did? We picked the first one we saw. Li'l Bit was my lifesaver after Kozy passed. Li'l Bit was eight weeks old when I got him. I had some panic attacks initially because I did not know how to care for him, especially when he wanted to play in the middle of the night. My mother says it's payback. Over the past three years, I began to live by myself, away from home. Because of Li'l Bit, I have made better decisions, even with relationships, because he is around. He's literally like a child to me, although, I know enough to love him and discipline him like a pack leader. I had trouble with relationships for a little while because I was allowing negative messages I'd received affect my confidence. I became greatly disenchanted with a guy I had dated when he treated my dog like an inanimate object rather than a living being. I am now dating a man who treats me with respect and treats my dog kindly. I think that caring for my Li'l Bit has taught me how to consider who is good in my life and who I can do without.