The weekend of June 27, 1998, before the WURL days, I commandeered a neighbor and drove from Columbia, Md. to Long Island to get Sparky. Marcie Granick had kindly picked him up from his owners and held him for me while I made the trip up. Sparky was so sad. He sat in the back seat and looked out the window the whole trip back. You could see him getting tired and starting to nod off, but he would pull himself up and look out the window again. I think he knew his life was changing forever.

Like so many of these babies, Sparky’s owners just didn’t have time for him. He had been well cared for and is a very sweet boy, but his previous owners labeled him "high maintenance" and he just didn’t fit into their lifestyle. For my part, I fell in love at first sight, and now, almost a year later, I think he has learned to love me back.

It is hard to equate that sad little boy with the mischief-maker I now live with! He is so full of life and play. He also looks like a Wheaten now…not the cocker spaniel ears, no-fall, guy I brought into my life last year. We have a wonderful time on our walks and he has made many friends in my neighborhood. We are taking obedience classes and waiting to get into agility class. He is very smart and willing to work. Sparky is now 4 ½ years old and I hope we have many, many years together as I can’t imagine life without him.