Today is Bruno's Birthday! Happy Birthday Bruno!

Today, June 15th, is Bruno's 9th birthday.

Next to meeting Michael and Carlye, the day Bruno came into my ranks as one of the very best. Bruno, in many ways, is a lot of who I want to be: confident, smart and good looking.

I took the footage from the above video in the first few days he came into my life. I made the video shortly thereafter. On top of his confidence and intelligence, he shows me so much loves every day, it's sometimes hard to believe. I think he's a better living being than I.

In June 2006, he sustained a crippling back injury that left him paralyzed. Michael and I rushed him to a vet who far too quickly suggested we do the unthinkable - I can't even write the words. I snatched him from the vet and ran him to the only animal surgical center in all of Nevada. He was in surgery within two hours of his accident. Hours after his surgery, he couldn't feel his back paws. It was possible he might never walk again. Michael and I steeled ourselves to the reality that we would all face a future of Bruno with "wheels" for his back legs. But fortunately, the next morning feeling slowly came back to his back legs.

Over the next many weeks, I lived 24 hours a day with Bruno in our bedroom. He had to be kept quiet to heal, and he'd only be quiet if I sat with him. Slowly, we introduced him to physical therapy in our bathtub to get him using his legs again. Slow going, and a few months later he needed a second back surgery. But it was all worth it. Many times over.

Today, Bruno has about 80% use of his legs again. He walks fine; he kind of gallops more than runs. But I love him more than I can sometimes believe possible. In some ways, I feel like he's my best friend.

He's handsome, confident and he loves me. And he's the daddy to our three seven year old "puppies."

Every morning begins with Bruno in my lap as I check email, begin work on this blog, and start to face the day. Every night ends with me telling him he's a super dog.

Below are some of my favorite photos of Bruno as a puppy, my favorite picture of Bruno with Michael, and a snapshot of every morning today with Bruno at my desk.

Happy birthday Bruno.

First day I met Bruno

Puppy Bruno 

Favorite pic of Michael with Bruno - NYC dog headed to the dog park

I always think of this as Bruno's "headshot" - he was about 3 here.

I can't believe I'm posting this, but very day starts like this.
Always first in my lap, always sleeping on my left arm.