Abbi-Lene’s Princess Heidi and King Der Vinsonhaler came to live with my family in October 1987 at the tender age of 8 weeks. They were a surprise gift from my husband. He snuck the puppies into the house hidden in the big pockets in his over-coat. He presented the boy first. I thought he was the most beautiful puppy I’d ever seen until my husband reached into his other pocket and drew out the tiny female puppy. She looked like a large black and tan mouse. I named them King and Princess after characters in a children’s book I loved when I was a little girl.
King immediately bonded with my husband, becoming is constant companion and shadow. To this day, he is daddy’s boy through and through. Princess was more independent and preferred the company of females, but would cuddle in any available lap.
A few weeks after her 11th birthday, Princess left us for the Rainbow Bridge. She left behind her beloved King, daughters Eliza-Beth and Alexandra, son Kristofer, granddaughter Jazmyn, and great-granddaughter Margaret. I miss our sweet "Little Mouse Dog".