He was their first baby, the fur baby. A practice run at parenthood, a chance to play house, play family and learn how to raise something more significant than a houseplant. This fluffball would not let his babies out of his sight. Before I had even set down my gear, he had sniffed out my bags, licked my camera, stole my socks, and let me know the children were under HIS care and I would be watched. He followed us from room to room, planted his giant golden body in the middle to see what we would do. Much like I would with a child, I reassured him that I would be so careful and so gentle and I showed him what I was using and what I was doing so he could be part of if it and know they were safe. 

A dog is love’s purest shadow.