Family has gone to the dogs with new best friend

There's a fuzz ball in our house. No, it's not bad housekeeping. This one is the four-legged, puppy kind named Cassie.

This one licks your face and nips at your toes. She even yelps a little. At six weeks and two-and-a-half pounds, she's too young to really bark.

She's a sheltie, and she's Becca's and Bailey's new best friend. They love the dog. They constantly hold her and pet the sable and white haired puppy.

Bailey would probably sleep in the dog's cage if we'd let her.

Both girls took turns sleeping on the living room couch this week so they could be close to the puppy's cage.

We've only had the dog for just over a week. Becca and Bailey probably were wondering if we would ever have a dog or any other pet.

I've held out for years, insisting that the best pet is one that's low maintenance, like a battery-powered robot dog. It can sit and fetch at the press of a button.

But that wasn't good enough for our kids. My wife, Joni, also pushed for a puppy. She grew up in a Dr. Doolittle family where every animal made a good pet.

I, on the other hand, grew up in a family that cultivated few pets. Growing up, I had a stray turtle, a dead snake and Guppies as pets. None of them were of the cuddly sort.

Thankfully, our new pet is of the cuddly sort. We're happy about the new addition to our family.

The girls named her after studying a site on the Internet that offered up 2,000 potential dog names, including Darth Vader, Zero and of course, Cassie. We've decided her full name is Cassandra, The Duchess of Bliss, which is a mouthful and certainly sounds prestigious. It's as close as we'll get to royalty. She even has a pedigree.

They tell me shelties are smart dogs. Cassie certainly has learned how to capture our hearts and a few bugs. She also likes to nip at me. At times, I feel like a human chew toy.

I'm sure when she gets a little older she'll display her herding skills. I'm hoping she'll herd Becca and Bailey to bed at night and keep them in line like her ancestors did sheep.

Shelties originated in the Shetland Islands off the cold coast of Scotland. But thanks to good breeding, they've found their way into homes everywhere. These days you don't have to have sheep to have a sheltie.

No one's going to pull the wool over my eyes. I know dogs are lovable, but they also require a little work.

At this stage, puppy love involves cleaning up those little messes. Cassie's still learning that bathroom breaks should occur outdoors and not on the living room carpet.

American Kennel Club says shelties are watch dogs, but not visually frightening. They will bark at intruders, but, after giving warning, may either retreat or escort them through your house, the club says on its Internet site.

It's nice to know they can be friendly. Perhaps, the government should consider using them as airport screeners.

They aren't the midgets of the dog world. Still, they only stand about 16 inches tall as adults.

Unlike children, dogs don't need new backpacks every year. I'm told that a 6-month-old puppy compares in development to a 10-year-old child. Just think of it. In less than six months, Cassie will be acting just like Becca and wanting cool clothes.

By age 2, Cassie will be through college and ready to make it in the doggie world as a responsible sheep herder minus the sheep.

It almost makes me want to buy some sheep and watch her go to work.

But for now, I hope Cassie starts sleeping through the night so I can quit counting sheep.

Mark Bliss is a staff writer for the Southeast Missourian.