Hi everyone! When I was trying to come up with what I would write about for this instalment of “MY FAVORITE THINGS” the first thing that came to mind was my family. So today, I wanted to tell you about my dogs, because they are a HUGE part of my family! My daughter, Jessica, often says I have more pictures of them than I do of her and her brother Casey—I think she is probably right.
Growing up, I was only allowed to have cats. We lived in a small central Oklahoma town, and this was during the 1960’s-1970’s. So there were not any boarding facilities to speak of, should a person need to go on vacation or travel for any reason, and there was only one dog groomer in the area. The only reason I knew that was because my friend, Marsha, had two little shelties that I just adored and they had to go to the groomer from time to time.
Cats were much easier to take care of, and really, could mostly take care of themselves if we were gone for the weekend. Dad worked such odd hours there were few times he could go with us on weekend trips to visit relatives, so he was there to feed them, but we didn’t have a fenced yard and there just seemed to be too many obstacles to having a dog in the family.
But that didn’t stop me from WANTING one with all my heart!
My daughter adopted a little fluff ball rescue baby when she was in her mid-twenties, but she worked so much that he spent a lot of time over at “Grandma and Grandpa’s house” (my husband and me). His name was Embry and he grew from that little cute puppy to a 200 pound bruiser within a short time. He was a Great Pyrenees/Anatolian Shepherd mix. When Jessica was forced to move to a place with no fenced yard, Embry came to live with us permanently. When he was about 18 months old, he developed a condition called “steroid responsive meningitis” and nearly died. We took him to the Oklahoma State University Veterinary Teaching School Hospital and they knew exactly what it was. They treated him and saved his life, but that changed his temperament.
That breed of dog is very protective anyway, but he because the protector of all protectors. We had to keep him away from everyone but our immediate family. He loved us with all his heart, and we loved him the same way. He passed away at 9 ½ years old—much longer than anyone believed his life span would be with his health issues. I still miss that big ol’ boy. He took a piece of all of our hearts with him.
A month after he died, I knew we had to get another dog. The house felt so empty and lonely—the kids were both grown and gone, and I had been so used to devoting time and love to Embry I was at loose ends—and so was my husband, Gary. Embry had been his “spirit animal”—he was not able to shake that constant sadness of losing him.
I convinced Gary to go with me to the shelter in the town where I was raised, about an hour from Oklahoma City, to
“just look” and he was not happy about it, but he did go with me. I had a friend who worked there at the shelter, and she brought out one of the dogs that Gary had said he “might” want to look at. Sammy came right over and sat on Gary’s feet and would not budge. When he looked up at Gary with those big brown soulful eyes, I knew he’d picked Gary out. When Gina tried to get him to come and go back into his cage, he whined and looked at Gary. I said, “Well, let’s go back into the back and look at the big dogs—” and Gary said, “There’s no need. I can’t go off and leave this one behind. He’s coming home with us.” It was meant to be, because Sweet Seminole Sammy had been adopted and returned for digging holes when the new owners left him alone in the back yard! We adopted him at 7 months, and he has been such a gift to us.
A few months later, I noticed that Sammy seemed pensive. He had been really social at the shelter and I knew he was missing his friends. SOMEHOW, I talked Gary into getting another dog so Sammy wouldn’t be lonely for doggie companionship. Begrudgingly, he gave his approval, and Jessica and I drove to Seminole again to pick up Max. I had to have Max based on his pitiful picture they put on the site to advertise that he was ready for adoption. He and his siblings had been left in a box on the shelter steps in the dead of February. The shelter workers didn’t think the puppies were more than 6 weeks old.
Luckily, they were discovered and brought in before they froze to death. We adopted him at about 10 weeks old. Max is probably about 99% lab. He’s goofy, still, at five years old, but he’s very timid and nervous, and always has been. Loud noises unnerve him. He is afraid of rain, even without lightning and thunder. He is the neediest dog I’ve ever had or known, but he is so loving, and wants to please us so badly. I shudder to think what might have happened if he’d ended up in a different place than with us.
These sweet boys gave me something even more than I ever thought about—the desire to help try to find homes for other dogs that need them. I’m not able to go “work in the trenches” physically, but I do try to help however I can by networking on social media, being aware of what’s going on in different shelters and rescues, and trying to donate whenever possible to those rescues and shelters that are legitimate and need the help.
These pictures were taken last year around Halloween after visiting the groomer. I love those Halloween bandanas!
Have you ever had an animal that made a huge difference in your life? When I think about it, though I had cats growing up and loved them dearly, it seems that these dogs are the animals that have made the difference in my way of thinking about so many things. How about you?
Due to allergies, I don’t have pets.
Occasionally, as a kid, we had pets, but that was before my allergies worsened.
My sister developed allergies especially to cats as she got older, so she never had one, but she did get a small dog, a Westie, because they don’t shed much and they’re so small. She did have to take some kind of prescription meds for her allergies, but she was really so happy to have that little dog for companionship, so I was glad for her that she was able to get the medicine that made that possible for her. I feel for you, Denise. I’ve had all kinds of allergies since I was a little kid.
We were a cat family, too. As one of 10 siblings, I’m pretty sure my folks found cats less expensive (we never had more than 2) to feed/care for. We have a funny cat story. One of my twin brothers was a cat lover and his twin couldn’t have cared less. Those two slept in bunk beds, the cat lover on top. When our female cat had kittens, she climbed into the bottom bunk and had them with John. When Jim woke up and discovered this, he earnestly asked Mom why Boots hadn’t come up to his bed, since she knew he loved her more.
HAHAHAHAAA! OH MY GOSH, that is great! I think cats were just the easier option for families that wanted to have a pet back then. We had a back chain-link fence on our yard, but that was it. And my parents were old school about not having pets that lived full time in the house. Me? My dogs are my second set of kids. They live in the house. LOL
My parents got a dog from the animal shelter when I was 5 years old and we had him for 17 years. So we had the same dog for practically my whole childhood. My parents were told that he was half Australian Dingo. So we named him Dingo. He was a wonderful dog.
Diana, how wonderful! I know my kids both wanted a dog, but again, we ended up with cats. My daughter was older than my son, and she had a Little Golden Book about a family that had a white cat named Preciosa. My sister just happened to have a cat that had a litter with one white one in it, and so naturally, that was what Jessica just had to have. When we went down to bring the cat home, my son was 4, and he believed they were BOTH going to get a cat. So when we walked in, he went right over to this little baby orange tabby and said, “MAMA, THIS is the kitty I want!” Well….I couldn’t say no. So we had two cats, and hubby was not crazy about that. But they loved each other and provided us all a lot of entertainment over the years. Jessica’s white cat turned out to be a boy, so she decided she was still going to name him PRECIOUS, but NOT Preciosa. LOL
My husband used to always love the big dogs, but me, I love to have something I can cuddle. So, we bought our first poodle. He was only 4 lbs in adult life and so so sweet. When he reached 10 years be became ill so we thought a companion might bring him some life again. We purchased a female who definitely was a positive factor for him and he lived an additional 3 1/2 years. Our second was a female and the sweetest baby we could of had, after Tippy, of course. She lasted 17 years as well. After this time, my husband missed his male companion so we purchased a red poodle who was a man’s dog, as he would not let me touch him, for the most part. He snarled at me, and bit me a number of times. Many times, when we took him to the vet, she said he was very lucky he found a family who tolerate him. His personality was quite bad, always. Even this meanie found his last days at 17 years, and I was the one to take him to the vet to be put to sleep. I cried.
Awww, Judy. There’s no telling what that dog had been through that made him so cantankerous. Other people would have believed Embry was a vicious dog, but he was only trying to protect his family, and that’s what those dogs are bred to do–protect the “herd”–so I’m so glad your “meanie” found a wonderful home with you and that you did tolerate him and grow to love him. That is a wonderful story.
When my husband passed, the house was too quiet and you can imagine I was very sad and lonely.
I first adopted a parakeet; then rescued two ducks, a cat and finally the new love of my life Harley Hotdog (a mini doxie.) Harley is the cutest, sweetest, most precious, mild mannered (although protective) pup and don’t know what I’d do without him. Although, for a small dog he manages to sprawl out and take up most of our Queen sized bed lol
Of course, nothing is going to replace my loving hubby, but my home is now filled with tweets, quacks, meows and the barking of my sweet critters.
Lynn, that is the very best kind of noise–the sound of RESCUED animals that have found a loving forever home! I”m so glad you did that and I know they bring you such joy and love!
I grew up with lots of animals and when married, I had a cat, but after a few months he disappeared and my husband wouldn’t get me another one so for 18 years, I wasn’t allowed to get a cat and then my husband finally gave in and I found two little girl kittens that I brought into my home and then one got pregnant and I ended up keeping two of the babies and now I have four cats and they make me so happy
Kellie, my husband was not that way about cats, but he was adamant that we were NOT getting a dog. BUT…when Jessica needed somewhere for Embry to go, he gave in immediately and Embry was his soulmate dog from the time he came here permanently to live. When Embry died, he said, “I’ll never have another dog.” But when Sammy wouldn’t leave him at the shelter, I knew that yes, we were going to have another dog.LOL I’m so glad about your kitties. I love cats and would love to have one but I know the dogs would not like it and it might be a miserable live for the cat and the dogs as well, so I won’t get one.
Our youngest son’s dog, Ziva, is a wonderful pet. She is a constant source of laughter with her silliness.
Barbara, this is why I love animals. As we go through life, we NEED things that bring us happiness, and boy, animals are one of the main things that do that! I mentioned how Max is the “forever 5-year-old”, and he really is the epitome of the “little brother” to Sammy’s “big brother” behavior. They are soooo human.
Even thought I love animals, dogs especially, I have never owned one. My brothers had all the animals. Dogs, fish, birds, and now my nieces and nephews have all the dogs and I am Auntie Kathleen to them all. I love them all.
Kathleen, I admit that I would not know what to do without my animals. I’m so used to taking care of children, etc., that when my kids left the coop I was soooo glad to have Embry come live with us, and have been so thrilled to have Max and Sammy, too. They are my sweeties. I can’t travel anymore because Max would not know what in the world had happened if I left him, and I know he would not do well with the “change” of traveling. I gladly give that up to be able to have my boys, though.
I have allergies, though I LOVE cats and get along with dogs. I don’t have pets now, as I don’t like cleaning litter boxes enough to get a cat, and I don’t want a dog in the house. I’ve made friends with dogs before that didn’t like anyone but their owners, and then decided they like me, too!
Yes, pets are a LOT of work. But to me, they are worth it. Unfortunately, as the years have passed, everything has risen in cost and veterinary care is just HUGELY expensive now. I did buy pet insurance (another cost) and that does help with meds and if anything happens illness or accident- wise. But if I get another one after Max and Sammy are gone, it will be a smaller dog or cat, even. As you get older, it’s harder and harder to handle big dogs. Both of mine weigh just over 100 pounds each.
I love dogs but do not have one right now . They are great companions. I have also had cats but they all stayed outside. My granddaughter has a new puppy and my other grandkids have two cats.
Linda, where we live, I would not leave a cat outside, though a lot of my neighbors do it. We are in Ok;lahoma City and even so, there are coyotes that come into people’s yards at night, and the other night I got up to take the dogs out and there was an OWL sitting on my picnic table! So still a lot of predators that will swoop in and nab a kitty in a New York minute. When we had cats, they had to be indoor cats. I knew my kids would be so crushed if anything happened to them.
I’m an animal lover — all kinds — and I had many growing up on a farm. However, dogs are my favorite. I haven’t had one in years because I’ve traveled a lot, but if one finds me, I’m not averse to getting one again. I miss them.
Awww, Janice, it sounds like you would love to have a canine companion, and boy, there are soooo many of them just languishing in shelters and being KILLED there because there is just no space, there are so many unwanted animals anymore. I wish people would just get their animals fixed–the population is just exploding and of course, that ends in tragedy. I hope you will come across that special dog and bring him or her home with you! They are such great companions!
Cheryl, we have an 11 yr. old half Schnauzer. My husband got him for me a month after a pup we had who was 7 yrs old whom my daughter and my son in law had gotten for me was run over. My husband and I had been out of town for the weekend. My daughter and son in law got my first pup from the dog pound here , they were going to euthanize him and other pups a couple of days after we went and looked at him, I really liked him the first time I saw him at the pound. Well we didn’t get him right away , the weekend passed and it was Mon. and the pound was closed because of the 4th of July. Anyways we went back on Tues. hoping they still had him and they did, it so happened that the 4th of July saved him. Anyways he was only 3 months old so we took him straight to the Vets for shots and everything else. 7 yrs after the weekend before the 4th of July actually on a Sunday he got out of the yard because people were already doing firecrackers and fireworks, anyways he got out of our fence and he was run over. When my husband and I got back home from our trip I called my daughter telling her we were back home and that we were going to go pick our pup up , so my son in law told me we will go over to your house. Well, I was expecting to see our pup and and I didn’t see him in their vehicle so what went through my mind was maybe he got hurt and he is at the vets so when I asked them my son in law told me what had happened it was so so sad. Well the 4th of July saved my pup and the 4th of July took my pup. 🙁 Anyways my husband saw how sad I was and about a month later they were giving pups away only because they were not full Schnauzers they were only 6 weeks old. My husband surprised me and brought me one home , my pup makes me smile and laugh every day, I kept telling my husband that I was not ready for another pup because right after we lost our other one he kept telling me that I needed another pup , I am just so very glad that he didn’t listen to me. Your pups are Beautiful Cheryl. Have a great day and a great weekend.
Oh, Alicia! I know you were absolutely devastated about your puppy being hit by a car. That’s just the very worst. I think that’s one reason why my parents didn’t want to get me a dog. My two sisters, who were 10 and 12 when I was born, had had 2 puppies that both got run over and killed. Back then, no one fenced their yard in, and Mom and Dad both came from a very very small rural town in SE Oklahoma–they grew up before cars were really plentiful, especially in a small place like where they came from, and just didn’t realize the dangers–you just couldn’t have an outdoors dog in the day and age and PLACES that they lived in during their adult lives. My dad was very tenderhearted toward dogs, and I think he just couldn’t bear what might happen if we got one for me.
I’m so thrilled that you got another one. I would probably have 100 or more if I could afford it and had room (and was single). LOL My nephew and his wife have Schnauzers–that’s what they’ve always had–they are partial to them. I just love them all. LOL
Thanks for your kind words, Alicia! You have a wonderful weekend, too!
I have had cats and dogs and loved them all. I currently have no pets because of where I live, but my last kitty, Stormy, started out her life feral. She hid for several days when we brought her home. She became very loving but only with me.
Oh, that is so wonderful that she became so loving to you! It would be very hard to find the trust for a human after being feral, I would think. That’s very special, Debra!
We have always had dogs. I had three brothers and they each had a dog. Then even before I married, my husband and I got a dog together. When our first child turned one, we drove from Alabama to Tennessee to get him his first dog, a border collie. We had border collies for years. When our last one passed away and we were no longer to find a breeder, or one we could afford, then we got another dog. We live in the country and have been “donated” dogs a number of times. Even by out adult children whenever they have had to move and could not have a pet where they moved to. lol We love dogs and cats. Our current dog is part lab, part Golden retriever. I also have 4 cats.
WOW, Sarah! You are DEFINITELY an animal lover! I would do the same thing if I could, but I know my boys would rebel if I brought a cat into their world. LOL I see so many pets on social media that I would love to just go pick up from wherever they are and bring HOME. Too many to even think about doing that. I try to share as many as I can–I know for a fact that I’ve brought at least 6 pets to new, loving homes just by networking. That makes me feel great, but I wish it was 6000! Take care and have a great weekend. So glad you stopped by!
We had a dog, Bear, who saved my life from a fire. There was a fire that was in the unit next door. Bear woke me up. He would not allow me to go back to sleep. It was about 5:15am. I finally went to the bathroom. He wiggled his way between my legs. When I left the bathroom, there was smoke in the landing. I hurried and dressed. When we left our apartment, the fire had not made it to our unit. The fire chief said if Bear had not woke me up when he did, I would not have made it out alive.
Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.
Oh my gosh, Debra! Thank God for your Bear! So glad he was there and made you realize what was going on in time to get out. I think Sammy would probably do that–I’m not sure about Max, because so many times I think Max is just oblivious to things that Sammy notices. But when we are outside, Max is always the first to notice the squirrels on the fence and try to chase them–he really has hunting instincts, and my husband is not a hunter but he worked with him and trained him not to bark and warn them when he was going to go after them. LOL He’s only caught one ONCE in his whole life, and that was when he was very young and so was the squirrel–neither one of them knew what to do with the other one, so the squirrel wriggled away from him and lived happily ever after. LOL
Embry had suck a lovely face and markings. He was a handsome dog.
Sammy has turned into quite the distinguished older gentleman.
In that first picture of Max as a puppy, you can see how unsure of himself he was. He looks like such a sweet, if nervous, dog. They have certainly gotten along very well together.
Our first two dogs were my favorites. We are currently on number 15. Our first was a beagle mix we rescued from behind a barn on a farm. She was one of 8 or 9 puppies. She was a wonderful dog. I had never had a dog and worried about house training her. I kept her penned in the kitchen at night and when we were gone, but she never had an accident, so had run of the house after 2 weeks. She was great with our young daughters and traveled well. A good thing since we got her in NY , moved to Colorado, then to California, then to Washington, DC, and finally TN. She graced us with her companionship for 15 years. After she was gone, we got a dog for our son, who was 10. One daughter was working for a vet and found a box with a lab mix mom and 8 puppies left at the door. They sent them to the animal shelter and we were told they were only a week or so old and they weren’t sure they could keep them. We became a foster family for them all until they were 8 weeks old. It was good to get to know their personalities before keeping one. Olivia was wonderful. She adored my husband (actually, all our dogs have adored my husband) and was sweet as can be. It broke our heart when it was time for her to go, but we were so thankful for the 15 years we had her. We continued to foster puppies and some other dogs for a few years and adopted a terrier out of the last litter. We were up to 4 dogs at a time for several years. Labs are wonderful dogs and the next time we decide to get a dog, it will be a lab or lab mix.
All our dogs have been rescue dogs, as were our cats , python, and several other animals. Our current dog was dumped in the woods. We have had her about 2 years and she is just now warming a little to us. She is about 9 years old and obviously had a rather restrictive life.
Patricia, bless you for opening your heart and home to so many animals that needed that love, safety, and security. Our animals give us so much that we didn’t even KNOW we needed. They are just wonderful companions, but also I read an article that was about how having a dog could actually lower your blood pressure! And I needed all the help I could get with that! LOL
Next time I get a dog, I’m going to ask to see the ones that are on the euthanasia list first. So many shelters are just killing for space and for no other reason. It really makes me so sad and so angry. Anyhow, I’m probably not going to have any more “brand new” puppies (I don’t have the energy for that now) and I’m going to be looking for one that is maybe older, maybe needs medical attention (which a lot of people don’t want to fool with) and so on. And I might end up with a permanent foster, just so if something happens to Gary and me, the dog would be able to go back to the shelter or rescue, God forbid.
Always so good to see you, my friend! Hugs, and have a great weekend!