Two years with Tessie has been twice as nice as the first year – and a thousand times better than without her.

Not too long after my last entry, when I reflected on the first anniversary of bringing Tessie to her fur-ever home, Tessie truly began to feel at home. Her sad eyes became happy, she was less skittish, more relaxed, and that adorable “whine” she made when we returned home has developed into a conversation. But she also started to become ultra protective of her home.

While she’s still scared of dogs, we’ve never had an issue with her and people while we’re out, and we still don’t. If you come over the house, however, it’s a different story.

It happened almost overnight. One day she barely noticed when someone came over, the next day she was barking like crazy – and for a sweet, usually mild-mannered dog, she has a deep, serious growl that can be pretty off-putting. At first we thought it was the doorbell at the front door that triggered it. Then we realized it was also the backdoor, and sometimes even when she knew the guest. Twice she nipped at two different female friends when they greeted me with a hug.

On one hand, I was so proud of her for protecting me. But the other part of me knew this was bad behavior that I couldn’t control. My husband Adam and I needed to be the boss.

After some online research, I learned we needed to greet our guests outside and let them enter first. It’s a simple step, though not always practical. You have to intercept the guest’s arrival, and this exercise is less fun in the rain or snow. But last week I had the opportunity to try it on one of her least favorite guests and I’m pleased to report it went quite well.

I didn’t think being a dog mom still meant parenting, but here we are. As inconvenient as Tessie’s protective behavior has been at home, I wouldn’t change her for the world. Even without a professional opinion, I know this is the way she expresses her love.

We love her unconditionally, of course, which is why I’m grappling with some emotions after her latest annual veterinary exam. She apparently didn’t have dental coverage in Thailand and some of her teeth, which I lovingly referred to as “tin can teeth,” need to come out. She also has a lump on her chest that’s got to go, so we’re looking at two-for-one procedure to the tune of around $2,000.

Let me say upfront: even with the sticker shock, I knew immediately we’d pay whatever it takes to do the best for our girl. But pre-Tessie, I would have recoiled.

The practical side of my brain thought dogs lived centuries without dental extractions – which, by the way, is what’s driving up the bill. But this isn’t just any dog. It’s Tessie. And how could I have been so heartless to not see a dog as someone’s family member before? I’m not sitting on a pile of money, but we can make it work. What about the family who doesn’t have an option?

I’m also dealing with the emotional side. When we first considered getting a dog, I inquired about an 8-year-old Yorkie in remission from cancer in hopes to give her the best years of the life she had left. Tessie was a better fit for us, and she’s already 5 years old (we think) – I want to her to live forever! I’m sure she’ll be fine – the lump could be absolutely nothing. But now I’m facing Tessie’s mortality, and it’s sad to think about the day she’s not with us. Or even the day of the procedure when she’s under anesthesia as I’m pacing a hallway, or when she’s home in discomfort. I never thought I could care so much about a dog.

On the bright side, she won’t need a cone because of the location of lump – she most likely won’t be able to lick her chest. Instead, the vet recommended I put her in a tee-shirt to keep it clean. So the only thing I’m letting myself ponder for now is: what size shirt is a 47-lb. border collie/husky/shepherd mix?

Maria Poulos Pimentel is a New Jersey transplant now settled in New England. Maria works in marketing and publicity by day and snuggles with her sweet collie/shepherd/husky Tessie by night. She was a reluctant dog owner at first, but she’s quickly learning the ropes and discovering all the joys of doggie parenting. Maria will be sharing more of her adventures in dog love with PawsGo.  You can find her previous posts on the PawsGo blog.