I don’t like cats and I don’t like little dogs. They feel bony and fragile. As a youngster I had a collie-German Shepard mix, Pal. He looked like a collie, but he wasn’t bright blonde, just a little duller. He also had a shorter snout like a German Shepard. I got him as a young pup and he always liked to play. When he got a little older, he would jump up a little bit and I would grab his front left paw with my right hand and just move it towards his body, so when he came down he would roll and immediately jump up again so I could roll him once more. It’s like we were practicing judo moves. He was solid, but he wasn’t fat. If I rode my bike, he would run along beside me. He loved to fetch. I would throw a rubber ball and he would be gone in a flash . . . even if I just made a gesture of throwing. I liked teasing him, and I think he enjoyed the game of figuring out what I was going to do next.
I got Pal as a young pup and he always liked to play.As a trick, my dad taught Pal to walk up a teeter-totter, wait to shift the balance and then go down the other side. For a dog biscuit he would pick up his bowl with his mouth and come to my side. I would drop a biscuit into the bowl and he would set it down and then pick up the treat in his mouth and chew it. I chose him from a litter and think I got the pick of that litter. He came to live with us when I was in the second grade at Stanley Elementary in Tacoma. He moved with us to Lakewood right before I started at Park Lodge in the fifth grade and then moved to Ponders Corner with me in the sixth grade.
I have a client who breeds dogs, Cassandra Day. Her family loves dogs as much as she does.My parents owned the La Casa Motel. They bought it just as I-5 was being built behind the motel. When concrete roadways were poured, it was sometime before the rest of the infrastructure was complete so the roads were there for my enjoyment. Pal only had a small yard then, but I would ride down the freeway with him running along with me until we got to Clover Creek. It was peaceful sitting under a tree and watching the creek flow by. We traveled up and down the empty roads. Pal died one day while I was at school in the ninth grade. I came home and he wasn’t there. My parents had him taken away, so I wouldn’t see him. He had been poisoned. My mother cried all evening. It was a sad day.
If I ever decide to have a dog again I could see myself talking things over to a friendly face.I never had a pet, again, but I have a soft spot in my heart for big friendly dogs. I have a client who breeds dogs, Cassandra Day. Her family loves dogs as much as she does. She grew up breeding and riding horses. I videotaped her first marriage. Her father was a friend from the Rotary Club of Tacoma #8, Jim Sharbono. I built his website and did marketing for him – All Transmissions & Automotive. I tend to keep clients. Last year I lost two clients. They both died. Jim sold the transmission shop to Bill Nelson and his wife Lynn. I still maintain the website and handle their marketing. When Cassandra decided to breed Labrador Retrievers, I built her website. Her Circle B Ranch is in Yelm (http://www.circlebranch.co/). She now sells Olde English Bulldogges as well as Labs. I look at those dogs and think of Pal. Labradors are wonderful family and sporting dogs. They come in all colors today: black, blonde, red, chocolate, light tan, and silver. Labs are intelligent and friendly. They don’t feel bony or fragile. The same goes for the fairly new breed of Olde English Bulldogges. I’ve seen them in action. Like Labs they are great with children. Like Pal they are solid and like to play.
If I ever decide to have a dog again I could see myself talking things over to a friendly face.
If you ever decide to share your home with a dog, regardless of size, PLEASE do not buy one. Save two lives by adopting…the dog you adopt will have a loving home AND there will be a place for another unwanted, homeless dog to live until another you comes along!
Donate the money you would have spent to a shelter or rescue. They will be eternally grateful and you can be sure that many lives will be better for it.
Thank you. Remember always….Adopt… Don’t Shop!!!
Jerri,
Thank you for reading and writing. I agree if you are looking for a pet, then adoption is the way to go. However, many returning service people are looking for particular breeds of dogs to replace the ones they had to leave behind went they went overseas. And since Labradors are the most popular breed, that’s what they are looking for. For me it would be hard to replace my dog as a collie and German shepherd mix. But a large friendly dog like lab or Olde English Bulldogge, would be good. Unfortunately, my wife is allergic to all dogs, so that’s out of the question.
One of our friends did adopt two dogs that had been rescued and they were certainly loving. Perhaps, I’ll write about the Pierce County Humane Society in the future. My friend Kathleen Olson was the executive director there for years.
Thanks, again for reading AND writing. I always enjoy comments for readers.
Many folks are unaware that there are many breed specific Rescue Organizations. Humans treat animals as if they easily discarded then easily replaced…mutt or pure breed…all fall by the wayside when they are considered expendable. Thank you for taking the time to respond.
PS…I read your submissions often. I like your style, sir.
Hint; perhaps check out a water spaniel. No dander. That’s what causes most folks to show symptoms like allergies. Just a thought.
Jerri,
I didn’t know that the rescue people worked with specific breeds. Good to know.
I don’t think so on the water spaniel, we have a friend who own two dogs that are not supposed to pose any allergy problems. My wife can’t breathe around them. So . . . she’s my pet.
Thanks, again for writing.
Don
Hey Don, be prepared to get a deluge of responses from annoyed, small-dog owners! 🙂 My wife and I had two miniature dachshunds, and when we had to put them down due to their age I swore I’d never go through that again. Then, I realized my wife needed the unconditional love only dogs can provide (I guess my love isn’t quite that unconditional!)
For our 30th wedding anniversary I surprised her with two, long-haired, miniature dachshund puppies.
The are now about 4 months old and have become part of the family. They are wonderfully happy and great fun. They’re in very good shape but certainly don’t “feel bony,” and you have an open invitation to come over and meet them! I’m sure once they give your nose a big lick and nibble on your ears you’ll have a change of heart about small dogs! You can also check out my Facebook page to see some of the posts I’ve added in which they are the stars.
My wife has a sign in our laundry room which says, “My goal in life is to become the person my dog thinks I am.” Not a bad idea, and one to which we should all aspire.
Chris,
“My goal in life is to become the person my dog thinks I am.” I’ve always liked that sentiment. I’ve long had bad feelings about dachshunds. When my family moved to Lakewood, I had my dog Pal, and a cocker named Cindy (so you can see, dogs don’t really have to be big for me to like them). Our neighbor had two dachshunds that ran up and down the yard next to the chain link fence barking at Cindy, who reciprocated. Pal, was more laid back. Even though the dachshunds started the row, the neighbors complained. By then Cindy was an old dog . . . and a little crotchety, so my parents, in an effort to fit into the neighborhood, had Cindy put down. If I had been in charge I would have had the neighbors put down. But we don’t always get our druthers.
I just looked at your video of the children . . . if they get too rambunctious while you’re drumming you can just take them outside and throw both of your drumsticks for them to fetch!
Thanks for reading!!!!