When I am old… I will wear soft gray sweatshirts… and a bandana over my silver hair… and I will spend my social security checks on my dogs. I will sit in my house on my well-worn chair and listen to my dogs breathing. I will sneak out in the middle of a warm summer night and take my dogs for a run, if my old bones will allow… When people come to call, I will smile and nod as I show them my dogs… and talk of them and about them…
the ones so beloved of the past and the ones so beloved of today… I will still work hard cleaning after them, mopping and feeding them and whispering their names in a soft loving way. I will wear the gleaming sweat on my throat, like a jewel, and I will be an embarrassment to all… especially my family… who have not yet found the peace in being free to have dogs as your best friends… These friends who always wait, at any hour, for your footfall… and eagerly jump to their feet out of a sound sleep, to greet you as if you are a God, with warm eyes full of adoring love and hope that you will always stay,
I’ll hug their big strong necks… I’ll kiss their dear sweet heads… and whisper in their very special company… I look in the mirror… and see I am getting old… this is the kind of person I am… and have always been. Loving dogs is easy, they are part of me. Please accept me for who I am. My dogs appreciate my presence in their lives… they love my presence in their lives… When I am old this will be important to me… you will understand when you are old, if you have dogs to love too.
Author Unknown (DM)
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I’m getting to the age now where I don’t think I want another dog. I wouldn’t want to be responsible for it dying of starvation at my graveside. I certainly wouldn’t trust ANY of my younger relatives to care for it as I would have.
Love hurts..in so many different ways.
…and there it is.
The inability to articulate these things with our beloved companions is one of those pains. Even leaving in less permanent ways can tug on the heart.
But there are great things that reside in the unspoken, which is part of what makes the animal bond a special thing.
I know it is hard to imagine what we might leave behind. No shortage of dark signs that what remains will not steward the many things we have come to treasure.
Yours is an understandable perspective. I’d resist foreclosing altogether, however.
Just as there are many more of us over the great divide than casual observation – and massive propaganda, would suggest, where your younger relatives may indeed fail to pick up that duty, there are a great many of us who would love to become a second home and companion to what you might leave behind some day.
Until recently I have never had a kitten or puppy. I’m not some virtue hound (heh) of collecting others’ broken dreams, nor have anything against the natural preference for the long bond formed with a pup, but instead have found myself repeatedly put upon by chance and unfortunate circumstances of others to become a companion to an older or otherwise abandoned animal.
I have found a profound joy in this that words would likely fail, but those who have similarly embraced this role know well. I hope I will always have the means to keep the door open for one more.
Even now I have an old crooked-legged donkey grazing my paddock. His owner too old and impoverished to keep him well. Asked me through his damp eyes if I would love on him and pet him and he is sorry he can no longer make the walk to his own field or keep up the water and fencing. Well dang if thats not an easy question to answer.
We picked up the first cat of our family the day after its owner, an elderly cat lady with 8 plus cats, died. It was quite surreal. I drove up to the house and the daughter and son were already half way done cleaning out the large house and preparing it for sale, before their mother’s body was in the ground. I think I did them and the cat a favor. We were told she was 9 years old, but she could’ve been much older if they tried to downplay her age. She became our oldest son’s best friend, who was 3 years old when we got her. She died 3 months ago after a few days of increasing lethargy but no sign of obvious pain, at about 18 years old. Our son spent hours next to her, telling her not to die, even when it was obvious. He had hope up to the very last hour. He now says that those days and hours were very precious to him. He made the most out of them, with her, even in dying. He insisted on participating in her burial in our backyard, which was a coming of age thing, I guess, his first encounter with death and loss. I agree, there is a special bond if you take in an older or abandoned animal. I think she knew it, too. Nine year old cats don’t do so well in shelters.
Love how you write, DV.
I suffer from no such inability. My dog KNEW what I was thinking, feeling and saying. We communicated simply, honestly and freely. I wept over him the day I brought him home. I knew what he did not…the end from the beginning. But I pledged him HIS lifetime of mutual admiration love and fun. We both delivered.
Don’t want any more dogs after my two are gone. I’m old and if I died they a dog would think I abandoned them. Supporting rescue groups when they are gone. LOYAL
agree, and my health is sketchy too
also, I’m flat out too poor to take on the financial responsibility of a pet
a $1136 SS check doesn’t go far – one big vet bill could cause disaster, for the pet
Hopefully you have savings to fall back on because that ain’t much $$ to live on. Veterinarians are expensive. Growing up I suppose we considered vets expansive but now days its like people spend more on dog care than themselves.
Not swimming in high cotton here but income wise manageable. Our dog died couple years ago. She was alm0st 20. Lot’s of pics and vids of her. Saving all vets bills and expenses for her with exception of feed is quite an eye opener when looking back on those receipts. I love dogs , just no more. Traveling would always mean boarding the dog and the vets would comment what a good boarder she was. Boarding ain’t cheap either and besides I don’t like boarding pets but one has to do what one has to do. We have one really kool cat that lives outdoors, neutered so all he thinks about is hunting not catting around. The yearly visit with a three month tick and flea preventative will cost $120. The three month flea and tick medication is $55 but worth it. Anyway, we may board kool cat at some point and I’m afraid he will go crazy in confinement. Guess he will survive or he won’t.
To save money on flea and tick medication for cats, we get the Large Dog “Revolution” online. Then, you have to do some research and calculations for the correct cat dose from the large-dog-vial.
Revolution is applied once a month. Comes out relatively cheap with this method, maybe $10 per month per cat. This method could also be used for smaller dogs. Just make sure you get the dose right.
Also, make sure that there are no ingredients in the dog formulation that are toxic to cats. I know Revolution works. Not sure about Frontline.
He gets Bravecto oral liquid. I let the vet’s assistants administer it. Same price they give it or I take it home and do it myself. He has gone 2-3 weeks past the three month due date with no fleas or ticks.
You can also spray on beneficial nematodes in your yard. Costs about $15 to $20 from many garden stores (not big box stores). One application lasts up to 18 months. I have two white haired dogs, no ticks or fleas ever in 8 years. They also kill 150 other pests. No fire ants either.
Spray it on the yard, or spray it on the dog, or both? Serious question.
Virgin (unrefined) coconut oil will kill fleas instantly, not 24 hours later. It both smothers them directly, plus contains naturally occurring substances like lauric acid that are lethal to fleas.
The oil will help to heal dermatitis from flea bites.
They can lick it off. Not only will cats not froth at the mouth and sicken, they will be less likely to develop hairballs.
They will smell like a macaroon. This may or may not be acceptable to the cat, but the coconut oil is a fantastic way to get immediate results from both biting fleas and the maddening itch of dermatitis.
Make sure to get virgin unrefined coconut oil; a big jar is about $9 now in stores.
My dog died right before I retired. I got another one in less than 4 months. A Brittany spaniel, known for their activity. He keeps me going, instead of sitting in an arm chair and dying. Dogs are the most loyal loving companions you will ever find. I do agree, I hope I outlive him, and he will be my last because of that, dog suffer so when their masters die.
Greyfriar’s Bobby. Famously loyal dog who stood by his owner’s grave for years, only leaving to go to the pub his owner frequented in order to eat.
Bedgerlert: The story of a faithful dog, Gerlert, who saved his master’s child from a wolf, but was wrongfully killed by his master, who did not understand the situation.
The story will break your heart.
And, like Greyfriar’s Bobby (as well as the Bible, and so much else), there are those who only want to tear down the stories, so that they may make the morals of the story go away, so as not to face the blackness of their own hearts.
My dog died right before I retired. I got another one in less than 4 months. Both Brittany spaniels, known for their activity level. He keeps me going, instead of sitting in an arm chair in front of the TV and dying. Dogs are the most loyal, loving companions you will ever find. I do agree, I hope I outlive him, and he will be my last because of that, dogs suffer so when their masters die.
Sorry for the double post, my computer crashed when I posted and I didn’t see it went through.
Funny.
A couple of weeks ago I estimated how many dogs I had left in me. The newest is just a year old, give her a 17-18 years. Maybe I will be able to raise one more, but we’ll see when the time comes.
My entire lifetime has been marked by the dogs I have had, there are three of them buried side by side on the hill out front, right next to the swings where they loved to watch over the world while they were here, where the rest of their pack still sit and watch today. I keep the collars of the ones who’ve gone on on a peg where I can see them from our bed, constant reminders of their loyalty and years of service to the family.
I know that my life would have been far less without them and I only hope that they share the sentiment as much as they are able in their dog souls.
51 years on the farm and now I’m stuck in the burbs (nice burbs, mind you). I don’t even know how to live here these days, much less teach a dog to. You’d think after 3-1/2 years I’d have adapted. Such has not been the case. If it weren’t for taking care of Mom, I’d buy 10 acres in the boondocks and dig a hole and wait. But, we’re close to EMS and the hospital. It’s a 15 minute city waiting to happen.
OK Ima go smoke a bowl after that. Done depressed myself.
Marc, your story from about 4 years ago on these pages, about one of your dogs is worth a revisit, if anyone can has good search abilities, to repost the link.
It highlights your writing skills, and the comments offer a glimpse into monkeys of the past.
It was a good post, and I happened to remember the title so I found it right away. Here you go. Enjoy, or cry, or both
Thx, Mare
Reading through the comments under the Old Dogs essay reminds me how much I miss El Coyote and I’m sure I’m not alone in that.
I felt the same way. He had such a great sense of humor and was so well read across such a wide variety of topics. You couldn’t miss the kindness behind everything he said even when it was crass. He was one in a million.
BB too.
Mary Christine,
You are a treasure. I read you from time to time on TBP and am
impressed with your quick mind and your compassion for others.
So thank you,
best regards,
Suzanna
Oh, thank you, Suzanna! Some here think I’m an idiot so there’s that…lol!
not moi, Mare. Suzanna’s notion 2nded.
HSF, that comment would tell me you are a good man even if I knew nothing of you before I read it.
I love my Dog so much that it hurts a little more every day now that he is reaching the limit of his lifespan.
I know I will have to say my goodbyes fairly soon and dread that approaching day.
I think the best Dogs have human names.
My Dog is named for my favorite Founding Father.
I find myself in a similar spot. Worst of all is I’ve missed the window to get a new pup and have my old girl train her on the job. I think the pup would wear her out. I’ve got one dog left in me before check out time, God willing.
Alexander Hamilton?
/jk
Franklin
“Jake”
I’ve reflected on my past relationships with people and animals. Aside from my Mom who was the best and I loved my daughter and do love my sister dearly, the closest I’ve been with any other sentient animal in my life was with my dog Crockett. I’ve had some life long dear friends and I do treasure them but when Crockett and I(and Annie my female GSD) were together and it was just the 3 of us for almost 10 years, I knew, I just knew I’d never experience anything like that. If there is a heaven above, I’ll get some time with him again. Man we were simpatico.
I’m in my early 70s and am 2 years into my last dog, Ruby, a gorgeous female GSD and the love of my life now. She smiles when I whisper her name and tell her what a good dog she is, sleeps in the shade on the grass outside my studio while I work. Loves our walks along the ocean, she stalks the little birds and big bugs.
get you a cat
Yes, we love our dogs, but they are a huge pain in the ass , and totally heartbreaking to bury, and I’ve buried a few. I never wanted another after the last, but here comes my wife with another. It got ugly, but here I am again , a servant to a 110 pond ball of wild and crazy fur babv. I can’t even…reeee
LOL! When I was still living in VA I had to put down my best friend. A few months later my sister drove up from GA with a 3 month old German Shepard puppy for me. 3 weeks after that it caused me to fall and break my back to avoid accidentally stomping it.
Here we are 5 years later and that fucking mutt is living in her back yard! It was All I could do not to kill it at the time. I made her drive BACK up to take it away!
Swear to God…it looks IDENTICAL to the one I lost on the farm.
Life throws you curve balls sometimes.
…living in the backyard…ha ha ha
That’s Bella, the family Chihuahua.
Yeah. By my standards I wouldn’t exactly call it “living” either. A 10×10 cage and some yard time every day sounds more like prison to me.
My dog slept by my bed or at the head of the stairs, depending upon how he felt. We didn’t sleep with the doors unlocked…but we could have.
And we had the run of our 55 acre farm to keep him happy all his days…so there’s that.
Dog heaven!
I tried my very best to make it so. I think I did pretty well. More importantly, he did too. They broke the mold.
That’s the truth, every hole I’ve ever had to dig has left a hole in my heart it seems.
When you’re old? I’ve been a dog lover since I was probably less than 4 years old. I don’t remember my very first dog, Missy a collie, but my next one, Christie, absolutely; she was my protector, a wire-haired fox terrier. I’ve mostly always had a dog. For a few months living in an apartment and having to work really long hours, I delayed getting one because I couldn’t stand both, being away from it and feeling guilty that I couldn’t be home to feed it and walk it at some normal time, but when I met my now wife, all that changed. Our being together meant she could retire and I didn’t want her to be alone, so what a wonderful coincidence. My new wife got a new dog that she picked out at an adoption day at a pet store. That dog became ‘my dog’ and the dog I picked out became ‘her dog’. But through my youth, I had German Shepherds, Dobermans and various other furry friends. Anyone who can’t love a dog is someone I can’t respect.
…or trust.
I found a dog way out in the woods yesterday while riding atvs with my kid. Young intact hound mix , sweet dog that was very skinny and thirsty and covered in ticks. Carried him on my machine back to the truck , gave him a ham sandwich and water. Spent $600 at the emergency vet and on a crate. Breaks my heart but can’t keep him. My kid in tears as am I. I never ever saw such an appreciative animal. God led me to find him I truly believe that. We were in a 20k acre area.
Some criminal left him out there to die. Find someone or some organization that finds homes for animals and surrender him to them.
Rescue found
State your rough location here. Get in touch with Admin for contact information. I bet that someone from TBP will take him.
.
An awesome rescue I found will take him and find him a great family
North FLA
Given your description of the level of appreciation, I propose we release all feminist women in 20k acre areas to correct them.
read the book “Nop’s Trials”..
God bless you for saving Man’s Best Friend.
Retired a year ago last June. We lost our toy Chihuahua and Maltipoo within four months of each other. Like most of you here, I didn’t want another because I didn’t want to outlive it or be too old to care for it. A little over a month ago, we adopted a rescue puppy (I think it’s mop) and I wouldn’t have passed up the joy she brings us for anything. Dogs are such a gift, and I think they’re God’s reminder to us of what His unconditional love looks like.
Lost my Dane, Moose a few months ago. One of my customers had a young Cane Corso she was unable to care for. Samson is mine now. Another had a sweet little Golden Retriever who has also found her way into my home. My scoundrel Beagle is 14 now. I’ll have dogs till I physically cannot. My kids will take over where I leave off.
We picked up a corso, named her Coffee as shes a black/brown brindle, from the recue shelter just south of us. Went four years after having to put down our Mia, a Staffy. This corso is a derpy one and we love her dearly. Wants to be everyones friend, except when shes outside and we’re in the house, then shes on the job and you don’t get in the yard.
gcp,
that was a nice article you wrote,good stuff —
GCP: — That was a very wonderful and very encouraging post from your blog!! Thank you SO VERY MUCH for sharing it with all of us here.
Memories from six decades…
As a kid, we had Pepper. A Manchester Pomeranian mix. Cute little bugger. He loved wolfing down spaghetti leftovers.
In old age, he had to have some teeth pulled. After the vet, he was sleeping under our family couch. I called him, and he got up, staggered forward, still under the influence of pain relief meds, buzzed. That tail still wagged.
Bianca was a female Husky I had a great rapport with. Greeted me at the door every time. Would put her face in the pocket between my neck & head, to get that soothing ear scratching & neck massage from me for as long as I’d offer it.
Her howling was her way of talking & we had an uncanny connection.
Maggie was a retriever lab mix. Play time was an excitement session of fun we both looked forward to. Perked ears and a cocked head expression, trying to confirm my 1-word offers of anything interesting to her always brought an easy smile to my face, besides lick kisses of love she used to give. Best fetch & return dog evah. Tennis balls. Panting, dancing for another throw. Covered in saliva, I’d use a tennis racquet it to send it far, and shed always bring it back, after tearing after it at full speed. But, if it bounced into the street, a firm “STOP” yelled out would prevent her running into the road. Shed then sit & wait patiently for me to go get it, to continue.
When shed retrieve the gooey ball, she’d immediately drop it at my feet. Later taught her “toss it”…she’d pick it back up, and with a flick of her snout upward, release it into the air, so I could scoop it up with the racquet, & not have to grab it with a bare hand.
Pictures of these friends always elicit smiles & good vibes, besides memories such as these.
If my soul makes it through, where St Peter reportedly stands as gatekeeper, no doubt the ones who have gone before me will be seen again…family for sure.
But the dogs will be just beyond the pearly gates, gazing, waiting, with perked ears and wagging tails. I’d greet them first, if access is earned.
It will be like one of them videos where a small child is on the floor, and multiple puppies are jumping on top of him, kissing him with licks & playful bites, pulling clothes w their teeth…
And the kid ine will be laughing, giggling, and loving every second of it, with a joy that can only be experienced by those who know the love & loyalty of doggies.
A cat, after rubbing itself all over my leg, would probably look up and wonder where its dish of food is. Then it would paw swipe any halo or sets of wings I tried to don, in the next realm. 👼
Lord, have mercy!
That’s what I want in Heaven! My Bubba and Stinker! In our little room, with the BIGGEST back yard EVER!!!!
My wife and I have a self service dog wash we have been running for 18 years. As sad as it has been to watch our customers lose their beloved dogs over the years, we have the blessing of seeing children grow up into adults and come in with their dogs and children. Something about dog people (and Midwestern living) – in 18 years we have received exactly 1 bad check and just about all of the children that grew up around dogs are fine young adults. Even the one kid that we had to ban from our shop for behaviour came back as an adult and had a nice job, nice girlfriend and was very patient with her children.
Written for our first goodboi that we lost:
Elegy for Cheeco
A good dog is a ticking emotional timebomb in our heart.
Thankfully, we cannot hear it until its too late,
otherwise we would be driven mad for fear of our impending loss
and all of the good that comes from having a dog would be undone.
But when the time comes –
tick, tick, tick.
How silly to think a dog could live forever!
But the heart wants what it wants
and we ignore the gray as
it creeps unbidden onto the muzzle and the ears.
But when the groanings of the flesh and the infirmity of time come,
how could I wish you to not have the peace you deserve?
As you have loved us faithfully and unselfishly, we give you back to the Creator and thank him for the best gift ever!
Wait for us, we will see you again!
If you love your dogs as much as I love mine, you need to research the dangerous pharma krap that most vets are pushing. I couldn’t even find a vet in my area that would give my pup the mercury free rabies shot (homeopathic nosodes work!). I asked my former vet what the safest flea prevention products were. He said Seresto (the ones that cause so many cases of seizures and deaths that Congress tried to take them off the market. But, hey, they’re only Congress).
How about a study about the health of Amish pets?
Interesting. I am wondering about all the vaxes as of late. I caught an article somewhere that said the vaxes they get are not really needed every year because they still have the markers present after 5 years
Dogs in my city needed to get a rabies vax every two years to stay licensed. Now it’s every year. Of course.
Pharmaceutikill$
Dogs drive? cities are strange places.
Link won’t post.
“Bravecto” (flea and tick) killed my 8yo Queensland Heeler. Topical treatments are far safer than giving them these type of poisons to ingest.
All flea and tick medicine, even the topical ones, and I daresay even powders, are based upon one thing: The poison enters the bloodstream (topical absorbed through skin) and is enough to make the blood toxic to fleas and ticks, but mild enough for the dog’s liver to clean it out. Obviously, that means that you are poisoning your dog, however mildly.
I think you are better off treating the environment, and regularly flea-combing your dog and bathing him.
If you have cats, give them the poison. You can’t bathe or flea-comb them efficiently, and otherwise, they are a flea factory for your dog.
I am not doing the vaxes anymore for me or my animals.
I got myself a dog lover for a child, in a dog less home. She knows all the breeds with their looks and character traits and tells me all the time on walks things like: “Look, Mom, an Estrella mountain dog!” Breeds I have never heard of. Her idea of the best parties with friends we attend are the ones that have dogs she can pet and ideally put on a leash and walk around the living room “training” them. She says her dream job is a dog trainer. Like some kids who love baseball or piano or video gaming, I have a feeling that this will be an enduring love of hers. Maybe she is a better human being than the rest of the family…
I trained hunting retrievers for two years. It ain’t what you’d imagine. The trick isn’t training the dogs. It’s training the owners. Dogs are easy. People are lazy and often stupid. Training has to be reinforced. That’s why you’ll see the same dogs coming back year after year. They spend money by the tens of thousands of dollars on these dogs and then they don’t bother to follow through.
Funny, I have noticed the same thing with parents and their kids.
I often wonder, “If you were going to ignore them and leave their raising to others, why the fuck did you have them?”
There is no end to Life’s Lessons, it would appear.
This is the page for dog lovers. https://gab.com/groups/116
flash,
that is good link —
the one where the little girl is watching tv & her dog alerts so she flips off the tv & starts doing homework as dad walks thru the door is priceless —
Here’s the story behind this.
https://www.dogmanray.com/true-stories/eulogy-to-the-dog/
We do our best to love/take care of our four footed family but tis another four footed critter that shows us the exactly right way to care!
I ever find the right acreage/home after building workshop will also build a small foster/adoptive building for our four footed critters,will certainly leave enough monies aside to rehome ect. when I die,feel this will be a good way to spend me final years.
…already there, but my Bubba and Stinker have already passed before me. 🙁 Both of them in my arms or asleep at my side. They were VERY good boys!
I miss them competing for the petting, for the bowl of their homemade food, for that extra bit of Porterhouse bone (as they already got PLENTY of the Porterhouse, too). I miss the videos where they KNOW they’re the “attention” and just ham it up! I miss the actual SMILE that Stinker would do when HE was getting the attention, and I have a pic of that FOREVER!!
Gotta go, my sinuses are sloppy and my eyes are watering for some reason…must be allergies.
Having trouble with the same allergy. Must be common.
I chase your every footstep
And I follow every whim.
When you call the tune I’m ready
To strike up the battle hymn.
My lady of the meadows,
My comber of the beach.
You’ve thrown the stick for your dog’s trick
But it’s floating out of reach.
The long road is a rainbow and the pot of gold lies there.
So slip the chain and I’m off again
You’ll find me everywhere.
I’m a Rover.
As the robin craves the summer
To hide his smock of red,
I need the pillow of your hair
In which to hide my head.
I’m simple in my sadness,
Resourceful in remorse.
Then I’m down straining at the lead
Holding on a windward course.
Strip me from the bundle
Of balloons at every fair:
Colourful and carefree
Designed to make you stare.
But I’m lost and I’m losing
The thread that holds me down.
And I’m up hot and rising
In the lights of every town.
Awesome album and tour,saw that tour 6 times!
I have had many (indoor) pets in my lifetime, dogs, cats, birds. Now it’s all outdoor, wild critters. The birds are here from dawn to dusk. The squirrels come and go acting as if every day was their first day being a squirrel while the deer do whatever they do during the heat of the day and I suspect that entails laying around in the woods, especially where all the the ferns are because it always seems 20 degrees cooler there. I’ve been walking up there before and 8-10 deer have bolted out so close to me I could touch them. I don’t think the pair of red shouldered hawks fledged any chicks this year as I would’ve seen them by now. The cooper’s hawk stealthily visits in the branches near the food plot and the pair of red tailed hawks are seen overhead from time to time circling and rising higher & higher on the thermals. Around 8-8:30 pm the first lone deer shows up, after that it’s 3-5 off and on until midnight along with a few raccoons and a possum occasionally. I’m truly blessed to have this place, especially with the 24/7 entertainment.
I’ve always had dogs since I was a kid- my wife never had dogs and now can’t imagine life without the knuckleheads.
Ovi ( my granddaughter named him after her favorite hockey player)- is a silver shepherd about 120# although the vet says he’s a little overweight. He’s my best friend, follows me from room to room and greets me every day at the door with a tennis ball in his mouth. Smart too- he somehow learned to close doors too so all I have to do is let him outside ( 4 acres in the country) and I leave the door cracked so that when he comes back inside he just stands on his hind legs and leans on the door until it closes fully.
Our rescue dog, Gracie is a lab and rotty mix. Dumb as a brick but incredibly sweet with puppy dog eyes and floppy ears that are soft as velvet. Scared to death of thunder, fireworks and the neighbors firing target practice. I could toss her a ball and it’d hit her between the eyes before she’d ever think to catch it.
I once stayed home from a trip because as I was going down to close up the duck/chicken pens in the evening and a thunderstorm let out a few booms. She bolted into the woods and must have laid down in a hole or brush somewhere but I couldn’t find her scouring with the flashlight. The wife and granddaughter left but I stayed until a day later she finally trudged back into the front yard soaking wet and covered in mud. I hadn’t felt joy and relief like that in a while.
I was upset about our lost girl and missing the start of my vacation but I can say now that the happiness of seeing her trundle back up the front hill and getting to tell my family that she was found was probably more than any fun I would have had lying on the beach.
My dog looks almost exactly like this-uncanny resemblance
I love to hear peoples dog stories. I don’t remember ever being without a dog for very long. Currently we have 2 brothers. Jake and Ellwood. They are 4 year old half Pyrenees and half yellow Lab. Jake looks like a Lab and acts like a Pyrenees. Ellwood looks like a Pyrenees and is the funniest dog I have ever owned. He is a talker and makes funny faces. It looks like he is going to snarl but it’s really just a comment about something you just told him to do. He is so excited to see us in the morning he barks and makes the funniest sound that reminds me of Chewbacca. Jake never says a word, just wags his tail and leans on you.
I saw a video posted on twitter but my twitter links never come through. It was an old man loading his big old dog, maybe a Huskie or something similar, into the back of his SUV using a ramp and a hammock like thing to help the dog up the ramp.
You think there would be enough interest to make a weekly thing of it? I got dog stories out the wazoo.
My mother gave up religion as a young girl when the preacher told her dogs don’t go to heaven. We talked about that a little when she was in her early nineties, she remained firm in her commitment. There are dog people and there are… others.
The fact is, God has not said one way or the other. I am willing to bet they do.
But husbands and wives don’t have much fun, he did mention that. All I remember about dogs is getting crumbs from the master. Maybe.
There will be no unhappiness in Heaven. So…if you couldn’t possibly be happy without dogs in your life? Guess what!Your mother should have vetted her sources better and saved herself a lot of misery.
I know, right?
Come over and have a chicken with my dog and me sometime!
The difference if you beat a dog and cat–the dog will turn to lick the master’s hand. The cat will leave to find another “servant.”
You obviously never dealt with a Chesapeake Bay Retriever before. I wouldn’t try that shit with a Shepherd either…unless you’re fond of the nickname “Stumpy”.
I haven’t had a dog for over sixty years now. Back then people just petted them a few times a day, fed them and that was that. People worship dogs now because they can’t feel good about other people in the age of social media and too much talk…..talk….talk. Maybe dogs are worshiped because they can’t talk, they just just love you and obey. They give you what you need, love.
I sure loved my black lab years ago when I was an avid waterfowler. I still look at the photographs of him with ice on his hair sitting in the duck blind waiting the next chance to retrieve a downed duck. He was crazy about retrieving like labs are supposed to be. Lot’s of fun and labs are great with kids.
I always had a dog or two growing up. One was not so good. His name was Tuffy, a boxer mix , but he was crazy. I had a dozen pheasants in a pen and he killed every one of them! Also chewed the ears off a couple of sheep. My dad was so pissed about that! Had to give the dog away to some unfortunate person that may have not understood what they were getting.
On farms, the crazy ones cannot be indulged. Dogs must serve their purpose, first.
You could map that out to all of society, and if you did, we’d be better off.
In Families, (wife, husband, child) must serve their purpose…
In cities, etc.
If anyone or anything is working against their purpose, they need to be pushed on, or put down.
Best damned duck dog I ever had the pleasure of shooting over was a Black Lab. “Buddy” was a fucking duck retrieving MONSTER!
Every so often we’d trot Buddy out, just to show the fuckin’ mutts we were training what it was SUPPOSED to look like!
LET’S’ GO FLY A KITE !
It was a week after the funeral. She had buried her hard working Branch Manager husband, who had painstakingly worked from morn till sundown, risen from clerk to bank manager, sent two children to college & jobs abroad with the income, & given her a comfortable life style.
It was a week after the funeral, as she rummaged in his cupboard, looking for documents & files he had meticulously kept, & it was then that she saw the secret compartment.
She opened it trembling, she did not want to know any secret about her husband, she did not want to find anything that would disturb memories of the solid, dependable, hardworking man he’d been.
But she opened the compartment. She felt something light & papery to the touch, then slowly, carefully pulled out, not one, not two but a dozen kites. They were fresh as if just bought from the kite shop down the road, & she wept as she saw them.
“One day,” he’d told her, “I’ll have time to fly kites on the terrace!”
“You seem to have flown them before?”She’d said.
“I loved them when little,” he’d said, “I loved the feel of the kite in the heavens rising up & reigning like a king!”
“Why don’t you do so this Sunday?” She’d asked.
“Overtime!” he’d said, “But maybe next Sunday or the holiday that comes after that!”
She wept as she felt the crisp paper. She wept as the kites spoke a dream of a dead man, who’d wanted the simple pleasure of flying them, up in the sky.
Her sons came home the next day.They saw the kites fixed on the sitting room wall, “Ma,” they protested, “This is not the time to celebrate, this is a time of mourning!”
“Yes,” she said, “I know it is, & that is why I’ve put them there!”
They felt the paper, they stared at the lovely designs & they listened to their mother as she told them where she’d found them. They had tears in their eyes, as they thought of their dad, & the kites he’d never flown.
“Ma! I’d like to take one home!” Said her eldest.
“And I want one for my home too,” exclaimed the second.
She gave the kites to them, & her heart gladdened as they called her the next week, “We’re picking you up, mother, we’re going to spend the weekend camping!”
“Camping?” She asked, “I’ve never camped before!”
“Nor have we, but that’s the kite we want to fly, mother. Come along!”
She smiled as they drove down the mountain track, she looked at the car of her second son behind, & as she looked out of the window, she felt she could see her husband, laughing as he flew a kite, higher & higher into the wind, reigning like a king.
His sad kites in the cupboard had made his son’s fly theirs.
What about you, my friend? Are your kites going to be found in your cupboard, or do they fly in the sky?
Go fly a kite!
[author unknown]
Love my dogs . Still love those loyal dogs who have passed on.. Not to judge God bt I think he did real good when he made dogs.
We pray endlessly for the things we want, but He gives us That what We Need.
I wrote this over a year ago…Pepper is a male long hair miniature dachshund, here is what he looked like last year.
Here he is fully grown at 15 pounds.
Intelligent, affectionate, can play soccer on our sloped front yard and really move and guide the ball with his nose, wonderful with all kids and people, completely housebroken now…if you take him out in public people are pulled to him like a magnet.
He will sleep next to you without moving all night, and when he wakes up he will stay still and just starte at you until you wake up.
We are inseparable…my wife who just retired at 68 (I’m 73) is clearly jealous of our love.
Great early warning watch dog. We live behind two gates on 14 acres…but he can pick up a visitor at the second gate (then the cameras take over) which is a 90 yards from the house, and the house is recessed into woods.
It has taken a while, but as I work/wander the land he will not wander too far from me, a quick call and he romps back to my side. He loves circling the pond and his encounters with frogs or feeding fish is always good for a laugh.
Even my crusty 90 year old Father in Law who doesn’t believe dogs should ever be allowed in the house sneaks feeding him under the table when he thinks no one is watching, and has admitted to my daughter he really enjoys Pepper like no other dog, although he thinks letting a dog lick your face is akin to human debasement and should be outlawed.
When my 11 year-old grandson visits they are joined at the hip…watching their inexhaustible romping is a pure joy.
PEPPER THE PUPPY AND THE OLD MAN
Now I’m 72…whata ya gonna do?
But, I needed the snuggle and the lark…
The high pitched excited bark!
Puppy breath and all the innocent energetic depth
Of Man’s best friend
Finding myself an aging reclusive fuddy duddy
Who really needed a farm buddy
Now…I have one who herds the ducks and chases the chicks
Then runs back to me for a few affectionate licks
My daughter has always brought home our pets
But she is long far away and I had to say…
“I need a dog for my sudden old age”…
So she brought me a playful little puppy sage
He has personality and can be belly laugh funny
Is a cute little snuggle bunny…
He loves to hide for a little bit
Then find a secret place to take a secret SHIT!
He loves a tasty doggie treat
And when you come out of the shower he will lick your wet feet
Whenever you want he will give you a kiss…and when you aren’t looking he will leave you a secret PISS!
(He prefers the carpet upstairs).
He better treat Tiger the barn cat with respect
He has seniority and you can bet
Tiger has retractable claws
And in the barn he makes the pet laws
Pepper runs alongside me to collect the eggs
No matter what you eat he begs and begs…
For a bite
And when it’s time to say goodnight…he will howl and put up a sad little puppy fight!
But, I needed the snuggle and the lark…
The high pitched excited bark!
Puppy breath and all the innocent energetic depth
Of Man’s best friend
Hey Mark! Cute poem! How about that Bo Polny update you promised about a month ago?
Mary,
If you noticed I haven’t been commenting much…my post on the ‘Situational Awareness’ thread explains why…although I always enjoy exposing the ‘Confusion in the Cosmos’.
I haven’t even watched the latest ‘Polny or Baloney’ – ‘Clif High of just High’ vids due to traveling and recent virus attacks.
Just found out there has been a break out of Covid (supposedly it could be the Flu or RSV) from the family reunion we recently got back sick from…glad we are on Ivermectin…and have plenty.
But just as a reminder having been on a Texas family reunion drunk for five days in a row, then super sick, and with one other woman already bossing me around…it all keeps me pretty busy doncha ya know (smile).
I haven’t heard it myself but I picked up on the net that Clif High has recently seriously blasphemed Jesus Christ…so when I get around to it that will be my first current research on those two…spiritually he has always been lost…but that I want to hear for myself…I am currently completely out of both their loops.
Now I enjoy chopping the ‘Bo Polny or Baloney’ wood as he imparts a lot of Biblical scripture, is always respectful, and always includes the gospel…so when I decide to spend the time…and Admin agrees to put it up…you can jump right in!
Or you can swing the axe? He has a website that speaks for himself…I never add anything.
Sounds like you partied enough for me, too! I’m just seat warming for a while…Maybe by October I’ll be back in business.
How is the hip healing?
I thought you had quit drinking mark. Anyhoo, I’m supposing your visit was hotter than hell in Texas. Weather peeps are calling for 100+ by the weekend and same all next week.
Ha!
On the 11th.
This rat bastard picked me up at a truck stop in Oklahoma. While filling up, on the way home in the spring, the dog sat on my foot. I picked a monstrous swollen tick off of his head and threw it in the trash, he kissed my hand. I Looked around, asked around, they said a lady with a kid dropped him off, he had been there, outside, all winter. His coat was thin and he had lots of ticks on his body, like lumps. He picked me, call him Tripp.
What is wrong with people who drop off dogs in the country or at a truck stop? Bless you for giving him a home.
Miscounted, my 12th dog. I am blessed.
From what I gathered the woman was struggling. The shelter freaked when I brought him in checking to see if he had a chip. They had dogs in crates in the welcome area, too many dogs, no room.
Our society is crumbling, gee, the Conspiracy Theorists are not getting myocarditis, go figure.
This was Maribelle, one of the best girls ever. My little riding girl. She was a full-size Deer Chihuahua mixed with fence jumper. We went to the nearby park daily. She knew nothing but love, which I gave her and she gave me right back. Unfortunately, she had pancreatitis, which eventually caused the organ to fail; she could eat like a horse, but her food would not digest, literally going right through her. It broke my heart in so many places to watch her waste away, slowly — but she lived as long as she could because she loved me. I hope none of you ever have to experience anything like this: I am crying as I write it. She did not deserve to die the way she did, and I hope her soul ascended to a rare spot in Heaven.
A few years before she left me, I found a young kitten out behind the hotel at which I worked, late one night. (People drop off stray cats behind hotels all the time, usually mothers and their kits; I know this is true as I have worked in several hotels, and it was the same at all of them.) Never really a cat person, myself, but something about this little feller touched me: he was smart as a whip, and came up to me when I called him. He won me over right away when I picked him up and he started rubbing his head on my shoulder. I took him home with me when I got off the next morning. At first Maribelle acted like an ass to him, but this cat is special, and he won her over too. He does not have a mean bone in his body and really, you could not ask for a better one. He is in my lap right now, as a matter of fact.
That is Junior (or June Bug). As you plainly see, he worries a lot.
You know, you can tell everything about a person in the way s/he treats his/her pets. I treat mine like my children, as I realize they will rarely ever be smarter than maybe a ten-year-old, if anything merely because of their brain sizes, but I have had exceptions (one of which was a mini Dachshund, another a Shar-Pei) who were just too intelligent to have been a different breed, outsmarting some humans I knew/know. Conversely, I have had some idiotic dogs too.
Right now, my mother has what is purportedly a Teacup Chihuahua, but actually is a yappy shit machine who stands in the middle of the street and makes cars honk at her to get out of the way; mom has over an acre of land, but this moron goes straight for the street the minute you let her out; it is her Lorelei. I keep waiting to hear some day from mom that Chi-Chi (short for Chiquita) has been flattened by a truck or something. There is still hope.
Dogs make life worth living- IMHO Our lab is going on 12 years old, a lot of work and she requires a lot of extra care , but I love taking care of her. I walk her everyday and we travel with her. Great pup.
I have always thought dogs have it figured out- we supply their shelter, food, and medical.
Dogs are God’s Angels meant from the very Beginning to be Our Friends and Companions.
Dogs rule. I hope dogs take over the planet when stupid humans finally succeed in finishing themselves off.
They can’t. We’re in this together. We die, they die.
That’s a depressing thought. I kind of imagine that dogs learned some life skills from humans and will be able to create a dog society that is fair and decent. Dogs have better character then humans.
Please do not rob yourself or a dog’s life and love because you said you are getting old. That is one hell of a companion to take you to your later years. Get one who could match you at that later stage. Two wonderful best friends. Trust me, I say this nor because I am at that stage in life but I have a beautiful wonderful companion and it pains me to not be with another. I will cry and hurt if she goes before me but having that love is too great to not take on again. Luckily we planned this calculating around the times of both the ends of our lives.
You sound like a Realist.
There are lots of elderly dogs up for adoption who would love to spend their last days with you.
And how long will that dog mourn if YOU go first? I say you’re selfish…but I at least understand your need.
Yep
I grew up with dogs. I love dogs, but I was always too busy or absent to properly care for another one. My girlfriend has a chocolate lab and I love her very much(Cinnamon and my GF). She is my buddy and is always waiting at the door when I get home. All those years I spent lost was because I didn’t let a dog into my heart. THAT will never happen again nor shall I deny a dog of all the love I can give. My dog, your dog or any dog.
Oh, and if my dog doesn’t like you, I won’t either.
I figure if I get another one, I’ll most likely get two – I don’t want to get one, and see it suffer separation anxiety. I’m not sure if I want to get pups because I can’t devote the time to train them unless I’m retired, and I don’t foresee that happening. I put down my dearly departed German Shepherd (Major) almost 9 years ago, and in a way, it happened at kinda the right time in my life. Major had almost never been alone until the last 1 1/2 years of his life, when my ex left me. I worked more or less long but normal hours, and she was 3rd shift, so he wasn’t alone long each day until then. He’d always crawl into bed with me when I went to sleep, and there was many a time when in the middle of a deep sleep, I could sense him just waiting silently for me to take him outside.
My daughter had been bugging me to get another, but circumstances didn’t allow for it. A few years back, she got a decent settlement from an auto accident – I knew that part of it was going toward her getting her own dog, a Rottweiler/Shepherd mix. I love that dog, and I know he loves me. Every time we’re together, he’s my shadow, and constantly leaning on me for affection. With him, we always gotta go for a walk immediately, and/or go for a drive so he can hang his head outside and drool all over my SUV.
Ha, my favorite t-shirt says “my dog lets me sleep in the bed”.
Had mother and daughter German Shepherds until had to put down Mom recently at 15 yo. Got Mom at 3 years old from Berlin, Germany. Shitzund trained, probably borderline abuse training due to her reactions to certain noises etc. , but so gentle and sweet after a short time. Deal was she was free in exchange for having her bred and whelping the pups to go to the breeder (reputable). For her fourth and last litter we got the pick of the litter. Chose a female and bred her twice (the experience of whelping litters is wondrous). She is my constant companion. Loyal and sweet and smart. This dog, Anja, has stole my heart and soul. Well, all my dogs in the past have. Lost a wonderful funny Cardigan Corgi 3 years ago that made us laugh so hard every single day (I’m barking and I can’t shut up!). But there is just something about German Shepherds that I personally find almost perfect. Loyal, loving, protecting, active, never destroys anything. Only downside would be the shedding (German Shedders), and mine have just not liked other dogs (or cats or squirrels or rabbits….), at all. Think its the protector and hunter that is part of the breed. I too think of how many more I have in me to go in my life. Another strong, powerful Shepherd may not be in the future, but a dog or dogs always will be. They add so much more to life than can be listed. I make it a point to enjoy my Anja every single day until that day I so dearly dread, but must happen. And dammit, dogs do go to heaven!
I’ve been a companion to German Shepherds all my life. I sleep the deep sleep knowing they can hear a pin drop.
Update on the walker hound I found way out in the woods while riding atvs with my kid. Trip to vet then we fostered for a few days removed ticks , gave baths. We had a great rescue offer from a reputable place I know. Now I have an older wealthy couple who are experienced hound owners that have 12 fenced acres and horses . They are retired and last hound died a few months ago. This pup I rescued from nasty swampy Florida woods is going to the Shangra La and these people have been vetted by my friend who is their farrier. Blessed!
I just love dogs and a kitty for friends residing in the home. Yes,
it means work and cleanup and vet costs, not to mention the cost
of acquiring a pup in the first place. There is an FBI-like process
to go thru getting a dog from a shelter. Presently we have a rescued
pitbull (blue nose Amstaff XL) getting him at 8 months. He will be
3yrs. in mid-August. He is the most destructive dog I have ever had,
eg he chewed 1/3 of a wooden window sill off during his first week
here. My elderly Mother lives with us now (7 mos.) and next BD = 98yrs.
Jackson is devoted to her. He sleeps at her bedside and follows her from
room to room lying by her side. That behavior alone makes him worth
his care needs. As long as I have 10 yrs to live, I will have a large companion
dog. It is a gamble, but I will do it.
Hello, I am back for another comment. I certainly realize many seniors are
short on money but perhaps family or friends can help out in a DIY project.
I live away from any city, bought an old farmhouse, emphasis on old.
The city house sold (pd. off) so the Mr. and I split the proceeds. I used my
$ to improve the place. Angela, my 1/2 Dobe, 1/2 poodle, 90# was a chore to let out.
I never heard of ticks B4 and Angela got Lyme and soon after had to be put down
as she was super damaged and in pain. The first $ I spent was to surround the house
with a professional grade chain link 5′ fence. Workers came from Michigan and stayed
3 days. They fenced the house, and a planned garden area 6′ fence. By then
the ticks still were a threat but their habitat was mowed away. Soon after I found a
Doberman breeder and got a baby/puppy Maxer. She was a fantastic animal and loved
by all. She was friendly and liked people. What is my point…fence an area or surround
the house. One can let the dog out without worry about the road, and have a safe place
to run and dig holes and be a dog. There is no need to take the dog out on a leash which
is a nightmare for many especially in cold icy weather. Please consider this for an older
parent because a dog can add years to a person’s life, happiness and someone to take
care of and the unconditional love a loyal pet will offer. I used to take my 2 Shelties to
the hospital I worked for/part of the “pet therapy’ program. It was a psyche unit. Even
the most defeated and sad people perked up and loved to pet my beautiful mini collies.
They shared their own pet stories and it was just wonderful to witness. The animals
behaved perfectly, the female, Julia, used to scan and jump on the saddest person’s
lap.
I’m a month too late in posting this but what a perfect moment for this article to appear in my life. Nobody is going to read it but that’s fine.
The wife and I usually have had 1 or 2 dogs in the family. Especially when the kids were young. We thought doge were a good idea for them to learn a little responsibility and appreciate the love that dogs so willingly give. 7 years into retirement the dogs are finding me.We already had Kody. He about 14 and looks like Toto from the Wizard of Oz. We got Daisy 2 years ago as a friend for me and home protection. She’s a pit-mix rescue from the county shelter. What a sweetheart. She loves everybody and everybody loves her. She’s a handsome gal with a gray coat like glistening sharkskin.
Bubba was running south on the main road in front of our house about 6 months ago. I just happened to be there on the front porch reading when he went tearing by. I called for him, knowing he would get hit by a car. He came right over with tail a waggin’. We looked for his owner, posted signs, walked the neighborhood with him expecting someone to say “that’s my dog”. It never happened. He’s a 60 pound pit-lab mix. He’s the smartest dog I’ve ever had.
2 months later while walking our gang, another guy joins our pack of 3 and follows us home. We knew where he belonged and grudgingly took him back to his owner after giving him a couple of days respite. The owner had him tied to 4x4pole on a cement deck. No shade from the Florida sun and no companionship. These folks are building a house and kept “Bruce” alone on that concrete deck by himself in the full sun and rain, day and night. We felt terrible about Bruce’s plight but he wasn’t ours. Bruce got loose about a week later and came over to our house-how did he remember, we live about 1/2 a mile away? So, I posed the question to the owner; “Bruce loves coming over to our house and he’s quickly made great friends with Kody, Daisy and Bubba. Would you be willing to sell him?”. His owner said he thought that giving up Bruce a good idea because he knew they weren’t taking very good care of him. Thank God for Brucie boy and us. He somehow knew his only salvation was coming to us.
So, it all worked out. I have 4 crazy, loving, fun, kids and best friends that I adore and I’m pretty sure they’ve taken a liking to me. At 68 years old, they have given me a good reason to keep on going and I feel great about it all. The timing was just too weird as I just lost my mother and sister. Somebody upstairs has a plan for why this all happened and I’m going with the flow. Everyday is a hoot and filled with love. Then, out of nowhere this article comes along cementing it all together. Wow!