Falling In Love With Kiefer, All Over Again.

My beautiful Newfoundland dog, Kiefer, has been undergoing a metamorphosis over the past seven or eight months. With the deaths of all of my other "big dogs", Kiefer has become a very central part of my world. Kief has always been a wonderful dog...sweet, loyal, funny and adorable, but he always seemed to let another dog take centre stage. MacKenzie had such a huge personality (and so many difficult issues) that she was almost always the focus of my attention. Tucker was extremely needy and demanding, Kirby was just Kirby, the epicenter of my world, and Madison grew more and more desperate and helpless as she grew old, requiring a great deal of hands-on care. Throughout his entire life with us, Kiefer has not been a dog who asked for much. The normal things, yes, affection, attention, exercise, food, water, vet care, grooming...but he didn't ever seem to yearn for more.

Now that Kiefer is my one and only big dog, he seems to have realized, without me asking it of him, that I need a certain kind of dog in my world. He is nearby almost all the time. He is interactive, more affectionate, totally loyal and very soft and gentle. He is more playful and outgoing, less reserved. He's a stereotypical Newfoundland, his characteristics are the very reason I have always adored this breed. Kiefer would never hurt anyone, is sensitive to the pain of his person, and wants nothing more than to please.

I am so very lucky that my friend Dana brought this stunningly wonderful boy into my life over three years ago. Sharing his life is a true gift, and I appreciate his presence more than words can express. To know Kiefer is to love him, and I love him truly, madly, deeply.