Today is National Dog Day
Give your pet an extra hug.
I have a friend who’s putting his dog down today, and this photo-essay touched me.
I’ve always loved dogs, although I’ve only owned two in my life. Even as a young kid who could barely toddle around on her fat little legs, I gravitated towards them fearlessly, as documented in many photos and movies where I’m chasing after a dog in order to pet it. But my parents had no such positive feeling for them and didn’t want one, so for a long time we didn’t own a dog despite my begging.
Then we won the equivalent of the dog lottery. I still remember the glorious moment: I was eight years old, my brother had been allowed to place a hopeful quarter (a whole quarter!) on a number at a fair, and we won the darned thing. That meant my astonished and subdued mother got to take home a small terrier/chihuahua cross, a dog particularly unsuitable for our already dog-unfriendly home. No one trained it properly—no one knew how, and I certainly hadn’t a clue either—and a couple of months later the dog was given away to someone with more patience and more land. I never stopped hoping for a replacement, although I finally gave up asking for one when I realized it just wasn’t going to happen.
Later—interestingly enough, when my son was also eight—my husband and I got a dog. We’d done a lot of research and came up with a non-shedding cockerpoo, a dog with a great temperament who lived for a long time but alas, is now deceased. He was a real sweetheart. I don’t have a photo of him in his prime, although many exist—my ex-husband is the keeper of the photos.
But here is one I do have. It was taken on the last day of our dog’s life, and he is being held in my then-husband’s arms on his final visit to the vet:
Oh my. Oh yes. How wonderful that you had the dog and how sad at the end.
Still, tis better…..
A sad reality. We will almost surely out live our pets. I love dogs; who couldn’t? My wife and I have had few due to life style, but, one was with us for nearly 15 years. He was a real trooper, who made numerous moves, and shared his home with various cats, as many as 3 at a time, without complaint.
Cats have been pet of choice for a long time. They are just so flexible, and interesting to live with. Don’t get me started on our first Siamese. She moved from Texas to Florida to California to Hawaii to California, to Florida, to California, and finally Virginia. Crossed the country three times by car, and a couple by plane. Home was wherever we were.
We had a great dog, a black lab mixed with other things, named Cooper. He got cancer in 2013 and had to be put down. Gosh, I loved that dog. That was a hard, hard day. He was brave and loving and patient to the end.
My wife did research – we now have two doodle mixes. We have a golden-doodle and a labradoodle. They are 2 and 1, still think like puppies (especially the labradoodle) and they keep us jumping.
Dogs are great. They are better than we are, and it’s a shame they don’t live longer.
I love dogs, but I would never have one as a pet. It is simply too much of a hassle to travel away for even a day or two if you have one.
Your dog was beautiful. Such soulful dark eyes.
Unlike you, I grew up with dogs – my childhood home always had a dog or two or three in it, and more when there were puppies, and lots of dog hair everywhere. I am drawn to dogs wherever I see them but, as an adult, for one reason or another, I’ve only had one dog, long gone now, but what a dear good dog he was. So good in fact that we are leery of acquiring another dog, because how could another dog be as great as our dog was? And we’re afraid of going through the pain of losing another great dog, too. So for now, we are dogless.
Here’s my favorite passage about the loss of a beloved dog. Maybe it would bring some comfort to your friends.
“How many thousand walks did we not go together, so that we still turn to see if he is following at his padding gait, attentive to the invisible trails. Not the least hard thing to bear when they go from us, these quiet friends, is that they carry away with them so many years of our own lives. Yet, if they find warmth therein, who would grudge them those years that they have so guarded? Nothing else of us can they take to lie upon with outstretched paws, and chin pressed to the ground; and, whatever they take, be sure they have deserved.”
– John Galsworthy
When I was growing up our family dog was a cockerpoo. What a sweet dog! Looked a little like yours, Neo, except she was jet black. She was a huge part of my childhood memories. I think having a family pet is a tremendous gift to give your children.
When my own kids were small we got a labradoodle, a wonderful dog who was dearly loved by all of us. We lost her to cancer, at age 10, a couple of years ago. Heartbreaking. My husband said he didn’t think he wanted to go through that again but less than a year later we had Ziggy, our second labradoodle puppy, a bundle of energy who is worth every penny we pay to keep him fed, groomed, vaccinated and living in high style at the pet hotel when we travel.
Happy national dog day!
I grew up with dogs and my wife and I have always had at least one dog for the 40+ years of our marriage.
Our favorite was a black lab we were able to adopt after he flunked out of Leader Dogs For The Blind school (they call them “career change” dogs). He wasn’t exactly Leader Dog material, but he was the best dog we ever had. Sweet, friendly, and intelligent, we had to put the poor guy down after he developed a brain tumor at the age of 9. We still miss him.
I miss our Westie Louie whom was an integral part of the family for 17.5 years. Unconditional love is part of the attraction.
Growing up on a farm we always had 2 or 3 mutts. I have always had mutts great and small. We currently have a female Schipperke mix who is nearly 12 and as spry, smart, and bossy as ever. She keeps our other dog and 2 cats in line. Our other canine friend is a male mutt of unknown heritage about 6 or 7. A fine fellow with tippy ears and sometimes goofy. With training and love dogs are so much a part of our lives that it is hard to imagine life without dogs. The bond between our species is unique. The question is who domesticated the other first.
Dogs are the best. I want another. The best “impulse buy” I ever had in my life was when I was walking to the gym and my excuse to not go (!) was to peak into the SPCA. I found this gorgeous and friendly little Min Pin there. He only had three legs. He was the best! You would never know he only had three legs. Always fast on his feet and so playful. For some reason, cops loved him and would lean out of their cop cars when they drove by and cheer. A homeless man once said “If Ziggy can make it, I can make it!” Yes, my Min Pin’s name was Ziggy.
Your dog looks adorable there. Sounds like he was in a wonderful home. They are the best. I need to get another!
Kipling as always does it the best:
“His name is not Wild Dog anymore, but the First Friend, because he will be our friend for always and always and always.”
Another non-political dog-doesn’t bite-man story.
“Over the past 12 years, he (Bruno a Chessie/lab mix)has been taking daily 4-mile trips from his owners’ home to Longville, just so he can spend time with the locals.”
http://www.odditycentral.com/animals/legendary-dog-has-been-commuting-4-miles-every-day-for-the-past-12-years-to-visit-minnesota-town.html
Frequently on my morning walks I encounter a young woman with an old four legged fellow. When first seen I thought he had mange because the only healthy hair he had was on his head. I asked her if there was a problem, and she said no he was just old; coming up on 14.
Now as soon as he sees me, he shows recognition and heads in my direction for a head rub. He only wants a short visit, but he never fails to greet me. I don’t know if he enjoys the interaction, or whether he makes the effort because he thinks that I do. Geriatric bonding. Happy to say the hair on his body now looks healthier, and he just looks like he had a body clip–which he did for the summer.
Although I reported that my wife and I have had cats over the years, including now, I do have four grand pups; three in one home. All but one rescues. The aging Lab and the Great Pyrenees (both rescues) are favorites for their placid, loving nature.
We have loved and lost Moocho Poocho, Obie, Pooh, Queenie, Pumpkin, Tasha, Jesse, Kirby, and Dixie. Oh, the pain when we had to say that final goodbye. I spring tears just remembering those awful days.
Now we are blessed to love Knuckles (a black cockapoo), Rosie (a rescued labradoodle), and Tattoo (a goldendoodle). Our menagerie brings us a lot of happiness, some consternation, too many vet bills, lots of laughs, and the constant love we wouldn’t trade for all the tea in China!
Sure are a lot of folks with doodles and poos of one sort or another. My son has one, a golden doodle, I believe. fearfully expensive. Not trained of course, has the run of the place. Walks his owner.
I prefer working dog breeds. Especially German Shorthaired Pointers, trained for their first two years, with whom I have hunted for the past 30 years, a great breed for intelligence, affection, and ability. I live in a part of the country where winters are not severe, so they never come indoors. They hate thunder, so thunderstorms are spent in the garage.
They love me and I love them, We work together.
Doggone it, that got to me.