Laura Daniels Celebrates ‘National Puppy Day’ [PHOTOS]

EVERY day is "National Puppy Day" to me, resident "crazy dog lady" at Mix 96.  But since today is the ACTUAL holiday, I had to do what we all do with our kids -- share tons and tons of pics.

DJ The Wonder Dog entered my life on a warm, summer night in 2011.  She arrived rather unexpectedly, as I had just lost my "soul dog", Mal, just 6 weeks before, and I wasn't quite ready.  But when I gave Mal my last kiss, I whispered to her "You send me a puppy when you find the right one."  DJ was born 2 days later. This is Mal.

The evening before she passed, I dipped her paw in pet-safe ink and took her paw print.  One year later, I had Mal's actual paw print tattooed on my ribcage.  It's a straight shot from the tattoo, right to my heart.

DJ is now a sturdy, sweet, dumb-as-a-box-of-hair, almost 6-year-old lab.  She's goofy, hyperactive, and destructive. But I love her with my whole heart.  So on National Puppy Day, I had to share some puppy pics of when I first got her.

Here, our first meeting. My best friend from Albany, Chrissy Cavotta, held her first, while I just stared at her precious face.

She was only 6 weeks old when I got her, but her breeder knew me, and knew I had experience with puppies, and our schedules matched up for this magical evening.  She was SO tiny (3.5 lbs) that I compared her to a dinner fork. When she started growing like a weed, I started an album: "Fork Progression".

The first few months of her life, I couldn't take enough pics...

This goof ball has let me dress her up....

....she sleeps ON me....

...and while she drives me insane most of the time, I wouldn't change a thing about her.  She's her own unique girl, as I am. And I love her!

Happy National Puppy Day!!!