Shannon Philpott-Sanders

My Dog is a Divine Diva

I love my dog – always have and always will, but my dog is a diva. She resembles a celebrity starlet, unwilling to settle for less, constantly testing boundaries and the patience of her posse.

I never owned a dog as a child, primarily because I have terrible allergies, but I decided two years ago to rescue this odd-looking puggle so that my kids could enjoy the benefits of man’s best friend early on. I soon learned that having a dog in the house is like having another child – only this new “baby” we inherited has grown into an expensive, attention-craving, time-consuming prima donna.

Our baby diva joined the household in full force, chewing every corner of each piece of furniture, every surface of our baseboards, and ultimately the ice maker cord of the refrigerator, resulting in a $7,000 home owner’s claim and a flooded basement. While I appreciate that her arrival helped to replace our kitchen flooring and basement carpet, the diva act displaced us from our home for two months while the repairs had to be made. Needless to say, the dog was not pleased.

 As gracefully as Mariah Carey whisks her posse into place, our diva has us trained, too. When we eat a meal in the kitchen, she sings at the top of her lungs, letting us know who is deserving of attention.

 We know that when school starts each fall, she responds by leaving little brown piles throughout the house, letting us know that she will not be ignored during the day. 

 Like most divas, she can be bought, but only on her terms. She will wear the little pink dress but only with the matching headband. She will sleep on her new Serta dog bed, but only with half her body on it, letting us know that it “will do” but ultimately, it could be better.

 And she will gladly chase the ball when attempting to play catch, but if she doesn’t feel like it, you won’t get the ball back – it is hers to keep. She simply cocks her head to the side, perks up her tail, and walks away with the treasure, as if to say, “I really don’t have time for this right now.”

 Although she is trying, high maintenance, and self absorbed (as most divas), our precious little princess is here to stay. As society has mad love for divas in the entertainment industry, our divine diva continues to entertain us, forcing adoration for life.

 In the words of Barbra Streisand, a fellow diva, “I am simple, complex, generous, selfish, unattractive, beautiful, lazy, and driven.” Yep, that’s our girl.

– Shannon Philpott
Blog Entry: Sept. 5, 2009

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September 5, 2009 - Posted by sphilpott | Blog, Reflecting | Barbra Streisand, celebrity divas, diva, divine diva, dogs, man's best friend, Mariah Carey, pets