I have been writing this wonderful column for over 10 years and I have never delivered an animal story. Shame on me! Here goes!

My beautiful, blonde, dental nurse, Pat, was undergoing marital problems. She approached me one day sad-eyed with the dilemma. "I am moving out of my present apartment, into a new apartment and they don't allow dogs. I have this wonderful, but slightly strange Shih Tzu and I only hope you can give her a good home."

We had never had a pet before other than the cats that came to the back door of our first house. The sellers left never telling us that they fed these cats on a daily basis. Maybe they thought it would ruin the sale. But that was years ago.

"I'll have to ask my family," I told Pat. "Bring Ming to my house and the kids, and my wife, Lorraine, and I would make the decision." On a mid-week night Pat and Ming came for the final OK.

Ming was 7 years old, black and white, adorable, but she did not make any effort to ingratiate herself into the Greenberg family. After about 25 minutes of viewing, I declared, "It's time for a vote!"

"Raise your hands if we take Ming into our family." Three hands went up slowly and two hands stayed at their sides. My wife, my daughter and I had voted in the affirmative. My two boys voted by not voting. Ming was ours!

In the next 14 years Ming was cared for and cuddled, and slept with the boys. She had her own ways and did not change. She couldn't or wouldn't go up a flight of stairs in 14 years. They loved her, but were lax in feeding her and walking her.

I forgot to tell you, Ming had one blue eye and one brown eye, which were not entirely in sync. My brother-in-law, Larry, did a great imitation of Ming and kept everyone in stitches. She wouldn't bite, but she would let you feel her teeth.

After 14 years, Ming was now 21 in human years. That's about 140 in dog years. She eventually stopped eating and the end came soon.

Even today, we all say that "Ming was the best dog that ever lived."