“I have found that when you are deeply troubled, there are things you get from the silent devoted companionship of a dog that you can get from no other source.” – Doris Day

In the short span of a year, we’ve learned to confront loneliness. Isolation, perhaps. But it is hard to feel truly alone when in the presence of a dog. This year, as we stayed home, our dogs rejoiced! No longer did we scurry out the door for work while guiltily promising we’d be back soon. We were there to give treats at all hours. We were there for them to lean their bodies against us while we typed away on laptops. They knew nothing of the trouble outside, but their devotion within was always steady. So now, more than ever, we celebrate our dogs! We must! The joy they gave us this year will never be forgotten, and we’re all, likely, a little bit better—more human—for having spent a year with our pups.

Meet Andouille and Tasso, Australian Shepherds with Cajun flare. Their owners, Monique and Brent Evans, say that these enthusiastic companions live up to their spicy names; Tasso, age 8, loves to turn up the volume to 11. And Andouille, age 7—in comparison, the tamer of the two—hits each morning as if powered by “two pots of coffee and a shot of espresso.” These 50-pound lap dogs have never met a stranger, and if you see them around Alys Beach, you’ll know within moments that you’re indeed quite special in their eyes.