MERRY CHRISTMAS

MERRY CHRISTMAS

AND 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2016 has been a year of new pets and new friends.  We can't wait to see and share with you more about our adventures in 2017.

A Season of Thankfulness--Dog Edition

     It's November.  Today is actually Thanksgiving!  Every year when November 1st arrives, I start hearing and seeing talk of thankfulness.  "What are you thankful for?"  On facebook, there is a challenge to write a post every day about one thing you are thankful for.  This is great!  We should always be looking for what we are thankful for and acknowledging God for his gifts.  Life can get so busy that we forget to do so.  So when November arrives, it is nice to be reminded to look around and realize how precious our lives are.
     I would like to say, for the purpose of this Dog blog, that I am thankful for our family's newest member, Lewis.  Lewis came to live with us on October 14th.  He was a pound puppy; He came from the animal shelter.  My husband adopted him and brought him home as a surprise.  We were certainly surprised.
     The shelter told him that Lewis was a black lab mix.  I'm here to tell you that Lewis is no lab.  Just last week, we had him at the vet and the vet told us he guessed Lewis was part terrier.  After professing to be "big dog" lovers, it seems we have a small to medium sized dog.  He is only 15 weeks old at this point, so we really have no idea what he is going to turn out looking like.
     I am starting to like Lewis.  He has some issues that we need to work through.  I think they are just normal puppy issues, but I had forgotten what it was like to have a puppy.  All in all, he is a good boy.  He likes to snuggle up with us, which is so unlike our last dog.  Our last dog liked us, but didn't care much for hugs.  But universally, there is nothing more wonderful than when you have been gone and you return to a dog wriggling with complete happiness when he sees you.
   

(This was written by my daughter, Karen.)

A Dog Person at Last

     Abby died.  Our 12 year old yellow Labrador, Abby, died.  It was horrible.  It was heartbreaking.  It was something that was going to happen some day and we knew it was going to be terrible, but it was worse than we had imagined.
     She was such an amazing companion.  She was the best dog of all dogs.  Sweet. obedient, funny Abby.  I knew when she died that I had officially become a dog person.  After being a cat person my entire life, I finally knew what it was like to love a dog and be loved by a dog.  I knew what it was like to lose that dog.  I am not sure when the transformation to dog person happened, but for 12 years, we had grown together.  I was at a complete loss.  And that's how I knew.  I love my cats, but cats are independent.  They really are.  They might pretend to need you, but there is an air about them....they don't really need you.  They don't keep their eyes on your every move and anticipate how to please you.
     I am a dog person.

(This was written by my daughter, Karen.)

Update to the Update On Buddy

     In July's blog post, I told you about Buddy.  I failed to get a picture of him up.  Here are some photos of him as he looks now.

 Buddy with our new kitten, Stan Lee.  The picture says otherwise, but actually Stan Lee likes him.

 Buddy and our Abby.

    Buddy jumped up on the trampoline with my son.

 If you have been keeping up with the blog, Buddy is not our dog.  He is our neighbor's dog and we have babysit him a few times.  I think these pictures speak volumes of how well he fits into our home.  I love labradors.  They are so goofy, energetic, and loving.

(This was written by my daughter, Karen.)

1954

     In 1954, a television series debuted.  It was the story of a dog named Lassie.  I grew up watching the show.  Has it been sixty-two years?  The numbers don't lie.  Yes, it has been that long.  Recently, I began watching old episodes of Lassie on cable.  He, Lassie who played a she, was some heroic dog! The dog did all kinds of outstanding things.  It was rightfully so that she was the main character of the show.  To me, the humans were merely bit characters.  Lassie was the STAR.
     From that show, my memory of it is not all that great.  What I do remember is that every dog we got on the farm, myself and siblings tried teaching our dogs tricks.  It all came from watching that dog on television.  We wanted our Lassie.  But we seemed to be limited in our teaching.  Curly, our dog, would bark when told to speak.  She would lay down on demand.  But she wouldn't play dead.  She would shake hands.  Of course, she came to us when called.  But I think any dog would do that.  It seems to be something to them knowing their name.  We could never get our dog to be like Lassie.  But we loved her anyway.
     In later years, I never tried teaching a dog tricks.  I did have other dogs in adulthood.  But right now I don't have a dog.  But if I had one now, I think I'd have the patience to try teaching one.  I do wish for that puppy once again.  Until maybe I get another dog, I'll continue watching old episodes of Lassie.
     In the meantime, my focus remains on taking care of my cats.  I do remain also a dog lover even without having one now.  The thought of getting a puppy does remain fresh in my mind...a puppy is so cute!

Update on Buddy

     Last summer we kept our neighbor's puppy, Buddy, for a whole week while they traveled to New York.  Well, they just went to New York again.  Buddy is HUGE.  He has to weigh at least 100 lbs. now.  He is a beautiful, muscular, chocolate lab.  He is well behaved considering his age and the fact that he is a dog.
     His owners keep him outdoors now, tied to a lead so he has plenty of room to run.  During this week that I have him, however, I let him off the chain and bring him down to my house while it is daytime and the temperatures have been in the nineties.  He runs around in our well-shaded and fenced in backyard. He also comes inside and sprawls out on the laminate living room floor.  He really is a good dog. As long as we treat him as a companion, he doesn't express any desire to run off or wander. I don't even put him on a leash when I take him back and forth.
     My middle son, especially, will go outside and play fetch and soccer with him.  Buddy gets along well with our dog Abby.  He also gets along well with a 3 month old kitten that we now have.  They play together!  The funniest thing that has happened so far, though, is that my middle son ran and jumped up onto our trampoline and Buddy followed and jumped up there right behind him.  Buddy jumped with him.  He acted just like Abby did.  If you read this blog regularly, I wrote in My Dog is Pretty Special (Part 2) how Abby jumps on the trampoline with the kids and we found out about another dog that did the same.  Well, here is dog #3 that does it.  I guess any dog with a playful spirit that gets on that well with kids is bound to join in whatever fun they get into.
     Labrador Retrievers are known for being loyal family dogs that are excellent with children and other pets.  Buddy is so big, he gets underfoot and has almost knocked me down just by walking by me.  But I looked down into his eyes yesterday and he just seemed so happy.  He was just sitting there, looking up at me eagerly.  He probably wanted a treat.  He REALLY likes treats.  But I said, "Buddy, there is not a mean bone in your body, is there?  You are such a good dog.  You don't do anything bad on purpose.  You are just so good."


I will be sure to take a picture and update this blog soon!

Since Starting the Dog Blog...

     Since starting the Dog Blog, "My Life With Dogs," there have been 78 stories and related sections added to the blog since 2012.  We invite you now to reminisce with us the postings from 2012 to the present.  We will be taking the month of June off from writing but will return in July with a brand new dog story.  Thank you so much for your continued support!

My Dog is Pretty Special (Part 2)

     I will tell you about another special dog.  It's our yellow lab, Abby. I've written about her many times now.  I will tell you one thing she has done and still does that I think is pretty incredible.
     We have one of those large trampolines in the backyard for our boys to play on.  We are now on our second one.  The first one was a 12' trampoline with a net that was purchased back in 2010.  Abby was about six years old at the time.  As the boys got on it and jumped together and played, I think she felt really left out.  These were her boys, after all.  They were hollering and laughing and having such a good time and she was not included.  We had a Little Tykes plastictodddler steps/slide pushed up to the entrance to the trampoline.  Well, up Abby bounded those little stairs and jumped right into the trampoline with her boys!  She would bounce along with them and loved it!  She would run around on it.  When they all got tired, they would just sit down (or lay down) right on the trampoline and rest!  It was the coolest thing!  That first trampoline wore out from age and lots of use.  The one we have now was just put up and it is a 15' one.  The Little Tykes slide rests at the entrance.  The boys are bigger now and don't need the steps, but Abby does.  Who knew a dog would play on a trampoline?
     Now to the heart of the story.  The pastor of our church recently went through a sad time.  His 13 yr. old golden retriever, named Sheba, died from old age.  He was really sad over it.  I sympathized as any other family with a dog included as a vital member might.  I joined him and his wife for lunch one afternoon.  I told them again that I was sorry for their loss and I knew how important Sheba had been to them. Some people do not understand how huge the loss of such a pet is. I told them how special Abby was to us.  I even went on to tell some of Abby's funny antics, including her delight in jumping on the trampoline with the boys.  The pastor and his wife laughed.  And then they told me that Sheba, also, had joined their son, Todd, on the trampoline many times when he was younger.  Todd was currently in college. I was suprised.  And happy that someone else could relate.  And also a little sad, because here I was thinking Abby was the only dog who jumped on the trampoline. I liked thinking she was rare and special. Well.. SHE IS.  She is OURS.

(This was written by my daughter, Karen.)

My Dog is Pretty Special (Part 1)

     I had a Siberian Husky once.  It was around 2003.  She was a stray that my husband had rescued from a very busy highway.  She was pretty cool.  I would ask her if she wanted to go outside and she would "talk back to me" in a series of whines and howls.  We thought it was the funniest thing ever. We thought she was totally unique.
     ...Until we saw another Siberian Husky doing the exact same sort of "talking back" on a viral youtube video.  And then much later, my sister and her husband got a male Siberian Husky and he "talked back" the same way.  Do a youtube search on talking Siberian Huskies.  Dozens of talking Siberian Huskies can be viewed.

Oh.

Well.  She wasn't so unique after all?

Actually she was.  And the reason why is because she was ours.  Our pets carry certain traits and mannerisms that are still unique and fun to our households.  I just wish I had been the first person to videotape her antics so I could have had the famous viral youtube video!

(This was written by my daughter, Karen)

Tune in next month for Part 2

A Person's Character

     I think you can tell a lot about a person's character by how they treat animals.  I met a woman named Linda a few months ago who I thought was pretty tough. I met Linda through one of my children's activities.  Her kid was in the activity and so was mine.  We would say hi and have small talk, but that was the extent of our relationship.
     Well, one night about a month ago at the kids' weekly meeting, she brought a baby goat that she was bottle-feeding. The baby had been rejected by it's mother and wouldn't have survived without her intervention. There is nothing that can break the ice between two people like an adorable baby animal.  Through the course of our conversations over the baby as he romped and played, I and my family were invited to her home for dinner.  We accepted.
     When we arrived, we discovered that they not only had goats, but they had chickens, 3 rescue dogs, 4 rabbits, and three cats.  Each and every animal was well cared for and loved.  As she showed me her animals, her face was shining.  I was really moved when she told me the stories of how each animal came to live with her.
     Even with all of that, what struck me the most was one area on her living room wall that had photographs of her late dog, Kunu.  His collar was hung over the edge of one of the frames.  She told me how he had come to be hers and how loved he had been.  She told me that after he had died, she had deeply grieved over him. I thought about all the friends I have made over the years who have a similar story and a stong bond with their dog.  The love is the same, but the bond is unique to each person/ each family.  I think people who form these kinds of bonds with their animals are truly special.  Linda is truly special.  She thanked me for coming to her home and allowing her to show her true self.  I was the one who was blessed.

(This was posted by my daughter, Karen)

Porky and Jack

     Porky was one of many pigs born of an old sow.  Unable to squeeze himself into space to nurse, Porky was pushed aside as a runt doomed to die.  But my mother was not about to let that happen.  With a baby bottle, she fed Porky until he was weaned and able to eat solid food.
     But Porky, as we kids named him, was now spoiled.  A domesticated pig who hung around the house, he apparently knew nothing else.  Or did he?  Jack, a Dalmation dog, became Porky's apparent mother.  The need to be mothered was something perhaps he knew from instinct.  Porky followed Jack around the yard.  He ate with him.  He slept with him.  Everywhere Jack went, Porky was sure to go.
     Mother wanted to return Porky to the pig pen where the other pigs were.  But she was afraid to do so.  As a gentle pig and known to humans as he was, Mother was afraid he'd not be accepted.  As long as Jack could tolerate Porky, his life as it was would stay the same.
     Eventually all of this would come to an end.  Right through the middle of our property was a gravel road that led to other farms.  This road extended a mile or so, reaching the Kentucky border.  It was well-traveled.  Porky saw no property boundary.  Porky was found lying at the edge of the gravel road.  It was a hit and run.  The annoying little pig was gone.  To us, we accepted it.  Jack, however, seemed to have trouble dealing with Porky's death.  For days, he would not eat.
     We wondered if Porky had followed Jack as he tried to cross the road to get to the other side.  Only Jack knew the answer to that, and he was not talking.  It was apparent that Jack was grieving for his little friend.  Animals do grieve, too.  Eventually, after a few days, Jack began to eat again.

The Scratch

     Spot was a dalmation dog.  He was a stray who wandered onto our farm one day.  Unable to find his owner, he became our dog.  He seemed to fit right in.  He did his own thing, though.  No other animal seemed to notice him.  Although he was a big dog, he never tried to show any dominance.  He could best be described as a "real pussy cat."  The cats definitely did not see him as a threat.  They walked around and about him as if he wasn't even there.  This made me wonder where it came from that dogs didn't get along with cats.
     One day Mother pointed out something to us.  She seemed to figure out the secret to Spot's lack of hatred of cats.  "Perhaps there was a time that he did hate cats, but he got too close," she laughed. "Look at his eyes.  One of them seems to have a scratch on it."  Upon closer inspection, we were surprised to see that she was right.  It did look like he had a scratch on the eye.
     There may have been some truth in Mother's speculation.  Cats will slap at a child if it gets too close.  In fact, I recently saw my two year old grandaughter chasing one of our tame indoor cats. They ran past me, but soon she came to me crying.  Just below her eye, a spot of blood appeared from a cat scratch.  The child got too close and the cat told her in its' own way to leave it alone.  She learned her lesson.  I think that long ago, Spot must have learned his lesson too.