Caroline Golon, the human behind popular humor blog Romeo the Cat, will share the stories of pet owners who have gone the extra mile for their pets in this series, The Things We Do for Love.

Ever since Amber and Jim Dixon of Herriman, Utah, adopted their 4-year-old black Lab April, she’s stolen everyone’s hearts. From the couple’s 11-year-old son Timothy to the neighborhood kids, everyone who knows April dotes on her.  

The Snuggly Puppy

Amber believes the coddling began the day they brought April home from the pound as an 8-week-old puppy. “When we got her home, she didn’t seem to be feeling well,” Amber says. “So every two hours, round the clock, I’d take her into the bathroom, turn on the shower and let the steam clear out her nose.”

Amber also thinks April’s love of snuggling and blanket-stealing began during this time when they would wrap her up in piles of blankets in the bed to keep her warm and cozy.

A Fitting Nickname

For a long time, Amber called April “Devil Dog” or “DD” for short. “She was just a typical black Lab chewing up everything,” Amber says. “She was just so mischievous!”

But Jim and Timothy stuck up for April. In fact, Timothy would even chastise Amber, saying, “Mom! You have to stop calling her Devil! That hurts her feelings. Call her Princess!” So Amber gave in, and April's nickname was “Princess” from then on.  

A Face Any Man Would Miss

Even when they leave April alone, the Dixons are always thinking about her. When Jim goes away on business trips, Amber says he always leaves a note for the family and instructs them to be sure to tell April he loves her. When April is alone in the house for more than a few hours, Timothy will sometimes call and leave messages for the dog on the family’s answering machine.

The Neighborhood Celebrity

Even the neighborhood kids, ranging from 4 to 11 years old, dote on April and give her special attention. “They’ll come over and knock on the door and see if April can play,“ Amber says. “If we’re going to be outside, we’ll all go out and let April play around in the front yard with the kids.”

On weekends, Timothy and his friends often create digital movies for fun. The frequent star of the show? April. “They always incorporate April any way they can,” says Amber.

While the Dixons recognize that they spoil Amber, they don’t think it’s over the top. “She’s an incredibly loving and hilarious part of our family,” says Amber. “Lots of our friends do the same type of things.”

What do you do for love? We’re looking for the funny, sweet and special stories that will make other pet parents smile. Email us at [email protected] to share your story. Please put "The Things We Do for Love" in the subject line.