Dear Stephanie & Todd,

Please tell Betty “Happy Gotcha Day” from her Rainbow Bridge pack!

One night recently, Joey, Freddie, Luna and I were sitting around the Fire Hydrant chewing bones and reminiscing about our lives with you — the best people ever — and talking about how well Sally and Betty are doing following in our pawsteps.

We are so proud of them for carrying on the Belcher name and serving as very good chief canine officers for Jimmydog. As the namesake of the business, it’s especially important to me that they represent the company well!

At the Fire Hydrant that night, Luna reminded us that it took a good long while to find Betty for you, but we all agreed she was worth the wait! Did I ever tell you the story about how we chose Betty to be your next dog? It’s good tail. (Tail, get it? Ha!)

Because Luna had crossed the bridge unexpectedly, she wanted to take the lead in the search for the next Belcher pup. Freddie wasn’t sure because she likes to be in charge of everything. When we agreed Freddie could have veto power, she was fine with Luna leading the search. Joey and I scoured all the usual sources, including PackFinder and the rescue pages of Snoutbook, and considered hundreds of dogs, sending the ones we thought best to Luna for her to sniff out more information about them.

A few months went by and still no pick. Freddie called a family meeting to ask about the delay. “I admit Jimmy and Joey have sent me many good boys and girls to consider, but I haven’t seen the right dog yet,” Luna said.

Then, around holiday time last year, Luna was bouncing around the house, literally on and off the tables and counters with excitement — and also to grab food — but mostly with excitement. “I have an announcement: I have found the next Belcher pack member.” She grabbed her iPaw and pulled up a photo of a cute little terrier (emphasis on little), her head twisted into the most dramatic head tilt we’d ever seen. (When our friend Arlo, herself an expert head tilter, saw the photo she declared Betty must be a super smart dog. “Head tilts are a sign of intelligence,” Arlo said, twisting her own head to the left so her ear touched her shoulder.)

“She’s sweet, cuddly and loving. And she loves to go for car rides and walks — a must for any Belcher dog. She also likes other dogs, so she’d be a good sister for Sally,” Luna said, pointing out the many pluses in Betty’s favor. “Plus, she’s a talker who has a lot to say. You know how much Stephanie likes a good conversation.”

“Well, if you think she’d be great, then she gets my vote,” Joey said. I chimed in: “I agree!”

We all looked to Freddie. “I’ll need to sleep on it,” she said. So, 12 hours later, when Freddie finally woke up, we asked again. “I’m still thinking,” she said, heading out to her namesake Freddie Belcher Follow Your Nose & Feel the Wind Trail System for a morning of walking trails and riding in LegLyfts.

While there, she met a small dog named Birdie. They shared a LegLyft between trails and took off down a wooded path together. “Wow!” Freddie said, as Birdie ran alongside her. “You can really keep up.”

“My people named me Birdie because I can fly down the trails,” Birdie said. “Small dogs can do anything big dogs can do — and sometimes even better!”

“You’re right,” Freddie said, thinking as they stopped to sniff some bushes. “Let me show you a dog we’re thinking about sending to our people to be the next member of the pack.”

“That’s such an important job, choosing the next pet,” Birdie said.

“Our most important job,” Freddie agreed, giving Birdie her iPaw so she could see the photos and read the Betty’s bio.

“She sounds perfect! Your people would be lucky to adopt her,” Birdie said, handing Freddie’s iPaw back to her.

“Hmm. The thing is, we’ve always been a big dog pack,” Freddie explained.

“Surely, you’ve gotten to know lots of small dogs since crossing the bridge?” Birdie said. “Big dogs, small dogs, medium dogs — all dogs are the best dogs. Does she meet all your other requirements?”

Freddie considered the question and told Birdie it was time to for her to get home.

“Thanks for the fun playdate!”

When Freddie arrived home that afternoon, she gave Luna a big paw up: Little Betty would be the newest member of the Belcher pack. We celebrated by going down to The Watering Hole for drinks.

“What helped you make up your mind?” Joey asked later that night when he and Freddie were alone chewing bones.

“A little Birdie whispered in my year,” she said.

Every day for the past year, Betty has proved that we made the right choice. We love watching Family Channel 740 and seeing Sally and Betty go for walks, and all four of you having fun together.

We’re especially impressed by the new Chase with Stare-Off game Betty and Sally have created. Super high degree of difficulty the way they play it on the stairs!

But mostly we’re happy for Betty. As the best people ever, you two have the biggest hearts of any people we’ve ever known, and the dogs you love are the luckiest dogs in the world.

Give Betty and Sally big hugs from us. And thank you for your never-ending love — the love that allows Joey, Freddie, Luna and me to live on in this magical place.

Tail wags and doggy kisses,
Jimmydog Pet Portraits

P.S. I’m sorry it took a while for this pupdate! I’ve been super busy with my Rainbow Bridge letters and social media, plus all the playing and napping!