My dog has a doppelganger.  In the midst of <strong>Bella's fundraiser for underprivileged pooches and kitties</strong>, we received a fan letter from a woman who rescued Bella's doppeleganger.  She sent me a lovely email a few photos, and made a donation to <strong>Mingus Manor </strong>in Bella's honor.  Check out these photos!

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Practically twins separated at birth, are they not?

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From her lovely email, I deciphered that Bernita is a frustrated writer.  As a blogger in search of guest bloggers, I asked Bernita if she would consider penning a guest post.  She cyber-blushed and accepted.  Here is her story.  Or rather, the story of Bella's Doppelganger.

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<div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">It's not everyday that someone asks me to write something other than my name on a check or credit card receipt, so I am so delighted that Michelle invited me to write a guest blog about a play date with my little dog Punkin. Punkin is a recent rescue from Caring for Canines in Scottsdale. More in detail about her in just a bit...first I want to share how I got this awesome chance to tell you a little about my precious furry girl and how we are teaching each other some lessons about life.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">A good friend of mine recently sent me a link to Michelle's blog...specifically the part about her wonderfully generous dog Bella. It seems that Bella wants to do something special to celebrate her birthday this year...she wants no toys...no bully sticks...no usual doggy treats... instead Bella wants everyone to donate to Mingus Manor Animal Sanctuary during the month of February...of course feel free to donate anytime of year since Mingus is paws-itively wonderful and they do so much to help senior dogsters and even elderly felines live out their lives in a safe loving environment.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">My friend saw Bella's photo and remarked to me just how much Bella looks like my little Punkin. I got Punkin after my husband and I had to say goodbye to the last of our three adorable Chihuahuas. Because of my health, he worried that I could no longer take care of any more dogs. He firmly planted his foot down and said there would be no more dogs in my future. After a lifetime of having dogs under my feet, in my bed and most importantly, in my heart...I had to do something to get that size twelve shoe unplanted. And so for months I sat at my computer searching for the perfect dog to melt his heart. I would have been happy with any dog, any breed, any size, any sex...it mattered not. Fur or no fur, light or dark, straight or curly...short tail, long tail or no tail...well you get the picture. And so I sat...and searched...until one day "she appeared". A small terrier with wiry hair...a rescue approximately a year old who weighed about five pounds. ( She weighed seven). As I had done for days, for months, I sent her photo to my husband...we are "seniors" he and I...he will be seventy three soon and I am still holding firmly to thirty nine...okay... to sixty seven...and we are never more than a few feet apart from one another. Each day he sits with his iPad and I use my Macbook Air...and so I e-mailed him from across the room...subject: "cute dog"...just as I had labelled each of my hopefuls from previous messages. This time I actually got a reply. It said simply "call".</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I nearly fell off my chair as I "raced" around the counter to reach the telephone. Call I did. And the rest is history. I finally had my little girl... except that she has turned out to be a daddy's girl who (thankfully) also loves her mommy. She slept on his head that first night and now she sleeps snuggled next to him in bed and I sleep on her other side. My   hubby of nearly half a century more than once vowed that nothing would ever come between us... and nothing has...except for a lifetime of sleeping dogs in our bed. Thankfully Punkin curls herself up so tightly when she sleeps that she resembles an over-sized cinnamon roll...she certainly is as sweet as one!</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Because of my health I am unable to walk much so he is the one who takes her on her daily excursions. He also takes her to the vet, the groomer or just for those "Punkin wants to go for a ride in the car" moments. She loves those car trips and of course her daddy loves all of the attention she gets...after years of living with gray-haired me...he finally has a cute blonde chick on his arm! On the days we go out together I have learned that Punkin is a "chick magnet". No sooner than she is spotted in my husband's arms... they are surrounded by so many females that it is a good thing I am not a jealous wife. Of course all they want to do is to see Punkin...but don't tell him that!</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">And so today it is my pleasure to share some things with you about how my life has changed since Punkin moved in with us. My husband Ron and I are retired and we are pretty laid back people. Our Chihuahuas liked to sleep late, take lots of naps, and eat...then nap and eat...and then they would get busy right before bed...have a snack and then call it a night...it sounded pretty good to us and so we continued living like Chihuahuas after we lost all of them.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Punkin is a terrier...a very busy terrier...she wakes up busy...thankfully she too likes to sleep in but when she finally wakes up she is all business...we are still living as Chihuahuas but we are trying our best to become terriers. </span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Her day is filled with lots of walks with her daddy...lots of rides in the car even if all they do is drive around and wave at the neighbors. There is always lots of barking and lots of fetching squeaky toys. I try each day to teach her something new and we are working hard on the barking...she is a fast learner and she is also a great teacher. Some days our</span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">roles reverse and Punkin becomes the teacher and I am the student.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">There is a familiar expression about not being able to teach an old dog new tricks...but little has been written about teaching some new tricks to an old woman...especially when the teacher is a young dog. She is an excellent teacher and I try to be a fast learner. I am amazed at what she has already taught me in the few months since she stole my heart.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">My husband has always told me that I don't take compliments well...I have never mastered the art of just saying thank you. Yet Punkin not only graciously accepts her compliments, but she rewards them with a wagging tail or a sloppy kiss. I certainly will never do that, but how I wish I could be more like she is at these times.</span>
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<div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">She is not afraid to take risks...I watched as another small dog approached her in a pet boutique. Neither of them seemed genuinely fearful but they were both cautious...they did the customary tail sniff sniffing and checked out a few other body parts as they circled one another. </span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Eyeball to eyeball, both at the same moment deciding that the other dog was okay... they finally bid adiou and wandered off to explore the store...both feeling a bit superior that they hadn't allowed fear to keep them from discovering just how brave they both were at that moment. Oh, how I wish I could be more brave...to not let fear keep me from doing the things in life that I really want to do and to be aware of all that is around me...both good and bad...just as Punkin does. Except for the butt sniffing.
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<div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">And she is a silly girl...when everyone is watching and even when they are not...she is just Punkin...loud and proud...never afraid to show her feelings or speak her mind...even if it gets her into trouble. (At least she has a cute albeit annoying bark.)</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">She is never afraid to try new things...she might not like them but she always is willing to try...this is a lesson I need to learn since as I have aged I become more "set in my ways"...afraid to take risks, I worry that I will fail. Punkin has learned in the few months that she has been with us, that sometimes if she tries new things she often times likes them...new foods, new experiences...a new path to explore. She is a good observer and a fast learner...and she is patient...very patient. She amazes me with just how patient she can be. And she is not afraid to go after something she wants...she has learned that if she waits it might not be there for her later.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">And she is polite...gracious. When she was in rescue we were told that she is grateful for everything offered to her. You can see it in her eyes...she is grateful and gracious and appreciates everything she is given...a treat, a toy, a walk...she rewards you with a wagging tail, a kiss, or she will just come and lay down beside you and fall asleep with her little head resting on your hand. She just melts my heart and makes me ashamed that I am not more gracious, more appreciative of all that I have.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Best of all she has taught me that it is never too late to learn something new about myself...and that you are never too old to stop playing...I can't run anymore but she can...I can still throw a ball and she will fetch it and we play for hours...and she makes me laugh and when I laugh I forget where it hurts. Sometimes the mirror makes us forget who were really are on the inside...inanimate objects like mirrors and calendars can be so cruel. Punkin is the best medicine that I have. She doesn't care if my hair looks okay or if I am wearing makeup. She doesn't care that I walk with a stoop or my hands are gnarled from arthritis. She loves me for who I am...she does a much better job loving me than I do loving myself.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">And finally she has taught me that it is okay to relax and enjoy our play time...the dishes, the laundry can wait but a puppy can't...when I was younger I always said that I never wanted to grow up. I wanted to be like Peter Pan and remain a kid forever. Now I'm a grown up kid with a little puppy.  A smart puppy who has taught me so much about what is important in life. It just doesn't get any better than that. </span></div>
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