Not Just Man's Best Friend, but A Marine's Best Friend

A letter to Blue Paw Nation written with love by Clare & Kaylie A.

I have had my dog for almost 11 years. I can say with a straight face that I am amazed every day at how much I love her. I got married 5 years ago where she had a rocky start with my husband. She retained her spot on the bed, on the couch and wherever she wanted in the house but she never forgave me for complicating our perfect twosome. Thereafter she gave him the indifference treatment. She couldn't care less about his existence.


My husband deployed to Iraq two times with the Marine Corps. He was a machine gunner with an infantry unit. The first deployment lasted 9 mos. and his second one got extended to 11 mos. When he left it was post college for me all over again. Just me and my dog in a daily routine trying to pass time. Kaley and I were completely obsessed with each other...again.

When my husband returned from the second deployment I knew he was going to be different. The number of casualties for his platoon was well into the double digits, quite a few were good friends. I picked him up and all he wanted to do was go home, shower, eat and sleep. I had other reuniting techniques in mind. When we got to the house Kaley was in shock.

I figured that her little world had been shattered, just like when we got married. Not the case. She would not leave his side.

A Marine's Best Friend

I was convinced that he had brought home a highly addictive bag of bones and was keeping them in his pockets. He settled in for a two day sleep and I had to literally lift all 70 lbs. of her dead weight off the bed just to take her outside. Her place was next to him. She sensed his hurt, pain and confusion as he began this hard transition back to civilian life.

Since I had to continue working he was at home for a few weeks with her. He has said many times since that he would not have survived those two weeks without her companionship. It really is amazing to see how she treated him before and how she treats him now. He is God. As you can see by the picture they have an endearingly "disgusting" obsession with each other. She would rather me just leave them alone and make dinner. The tongue out tells it all!!