DOGS IN MY LIFE

DOGS IN MY LIFE

Minnie

All dog pictures are "Stunt Dogs"

 

Part of my reason for writing this blog is to leave behind (when the time comes) a little bit of me for family and friends.  A little bit of me has to include the dogs in my life.

Mrs. C is not a dog lover; she is not a hater either, but not a dog lover.  She could hold a Labrador puppy and put it down without a single urge to take it home.  One more example of how little we have in common.  I do have to concur however, that at my age  I am not willing to be tied down by a cute little fur ball; tempted, but not willing.  I have been owned by my last dog.

The first dog in my life was Susie, a cocker spaniel.  We moved across country to California when I was five and had to leave Susie with a farmer.  We didn’t really have to leave Susie, it seems my mom was not a big fan of canines and thought it too much trouble to bring Susie across country.

The next dog we had was a Boxer named Vickie.  I loved Vickie.  She played catch and fetch and we had a nice bond.  Vickie did not like older men.  She used to bite them.  She bit my father.  Vickie spent the rest of her life on a farm.

Vickie

 

Sam was a Beagle.  Who would not love a Beagle.  Sam was a wonderful dog…except…Sam ran at every chance.  Leave the door open and Sam was gone.  There were three boys in my family.  We left the door open a lot.  Sam was gone, following his nose, a lot.  He always returned…except…one day we got a call to pick him up.  He was hit by a car and was hurt.  He recovered, but was incontinent.  The farmer got another dog.

Sam

 

Thank God for farmers.

I did not have another dog until after my first marriage.  I fell in love with a puppy, a mutt (actually an American Black and Tan) named Amos and took him home.  My wife shared the same love for dogs as did my mom.  Amos became an outside dog.  Still he was a good boy except he also ran…not that I blame him.  He would only return to me if I picked him up in my Volkswagen Bug.  Amos got Lyme’s disease at 15 years old and as a grown up I learned the real truth about dogs and farmers.

Amos

 

Some years later, Amos was replaced with Minnie, a Black Lab.  They say you only get one great dog in your life (OK, I say it) and Minnie was my great dog.  She did not run away, she played fetch, was smart and everyone loved Minnie.  Her best friend was Maggie, a Golden Retriever, Frog’s one great dog.  We had Minnie for 14 years until she met the farmer via cancer.

Winnie, was/is a Cardigan Welsh Corgi.  She came close to being the great dog that Minnie was.  I lost Winnie in the divorce.  The dog follows child custody.  That is it for me and dogs.

Winnie

 

I have had Granddogs.

There was my son Mike’s Rottweiler,Teocalli, who I only knew through pictures…beautiful dog.  My daughter’s Springer Spaniel, Chester, a real sweetie.  Both are now on the farm.  Currently there is Buddy, a…were not really sure, probably a Cocker, but he is a good boy.

Chester

Teo

   

 

Honorable mentions go to Ace, another Corgi and sometimes member of Matt’s family, the aforementioned Maggie, my brother Jim’s several Cockers particularly Paddington, Bogy, brother Chris’ cocker and Buster a friends Cocker who only recently was sent to the farm to romp with all the others.

Paddington

Maggie

  

 

Bogie

 

I miss them all, and expect to see them someday when I visit that farm.