I miss Duncan a lot, today was her birthday, she would have been 12. I know I talk about her a lot and she was just a dog, but she wasn't just a dog to me, she was my baby. She was my first dog as an adult, I had her before I met Brian. She was an awesome dog.

I did everything with her. I took her everywhere with me. She was my constant companion. I really really miss her. I love the dogs I have now, but it isn't the same. I guess maybe it is because I have kids now and my dogs are just dogs. I adore them, but I get they are dogs. I didn't get that with Duncan.

I had been looking for a dog for a long time. I had driven all over Central Florida checking out dogs but I couldn't find THE ONE. I found Duncan by accident. I had a huge nursing school test on a Monday but I just didn't want to study. By early afternoon I decided I needed a study break even though I hadn't even started studying.

From my apartment there were two ways to get to Dunkin' Donuts. I don't know why but I went the long way. Maybe it was to prolong my study break. Anyway, on the way there on the side of the street next to the park there was a sign saying puppies for sale. I stopped by and Duncan was the last puppy they had. She was passed out from the heat and she was adorable. She looked just like the dogs I used to draw when I was a kid. I fell in love with her and ended up buying her on the spot (so to speak).

I never made it to Dunkin' Donuts but I did make it to the Wal-Mart that shared its parking lot and got her a leash, a collar, bowls food and some toys. While I was shopping I came up with her name Duncan from Dunkin'.

Almost every day we went to the park behind my apartment and played ball. It was so cute to throw the tennis ball for her and then chase her around when she brought it close to me but not to me. So the game became "chase me for the ball" not "fetch." She never outgrew that.

She loved water. Again almost every day she went swimming in the pond behind my apartment and I would give her a bath the same time that I was taking a shower for work (I worked overnights). She loved taking baths too. Sometimes she would jump in the bath while I was taking a shower and just sit there until I was done. She also liked to help me dry off. She made me laugh all the time.

When Brian used to visit me he would stay at Nanette's house. I would take Duncan over there but he never really spent time with her. The first time he did was at my parents house. We drove down there and the next morning I let her into George's room to wake him up. She jumped on the bed and started licking him awake. The first thing he said was, "f--k--g slobber." I remember standing in the doorway thinking to myself, "Hmm, this just isn't going to work out." Luckily for him he grew to love her almost as much as I did. Pretty good for a guy who didn't like dogs. He used to refer to himself as a "Duncan person" rather than a "Dog person."

The first time Duncan saw snow she was amazed and confused. She ended up peeing in the middle of the apartment driveway because she didn't know where the grass was. Then she needed snow shoes because of all the salt on the roads and Brian and I went to Pet Pantry to try them on her. We have never laughed so much in our lives as we did that day. It was hysterical.

She loved our first house, especially the yard and the pool. She loved to run around the side of the pool when we were in it looking for a way to dive on top of us. She also found skunks and bunnies in our yard. Exciting times for her and us.

She loved Jack too. The first day I brought him home and changed him, I lost the poopy diaper. I looked everywhere thinking I had lost my mind. Brian later found it in Duncan's crate. She also thought she was Lassie. Brian would get up early for work and Jack and I would sleep in with her. When we would wake up, I would tell her to get Daddy and she would run down the two flights of stairs and actually get him. That was so cool.

Jack's first word, long before Dada and Mama was Duncan.

There are so many other stories, she was just a great great dog and I was very lucky to have her and to love her.