Today is National Dog Day. We, as humans, don’t deserve dogs. They love us when we don’t always love ourselves. Dogs move thru the world looking for the best in people and other dogs.
My history with Dogs
I got my first dog when I was in first or second grade. I don’t remember any interactions with dogs before my family moved from New Hampshire to Missouri. I’m sure there were some interactions but they have left my memory.
My first dog was named Buddy. Buddy was a full grown, AKC registered Golden Retriever. We brought him home from the breeder we got him from and I was excited. He proceeded to not interact with us, not eat, and only really moved to goto the bathroom. My parents talked to the breeder and it turned out he was missing his girlfriend, Ginger. We took him back to the breeder and once he saw Ginger he was a brand new dog running around and happy. The breeder kindly let us pick a puppy from Ginger’s new litter that was ready to go home.
I stood in a pen with six or so puppies running around me and I, as a seven year old was to pick my new best friend. There was a quite puppy off to the side and that’s the one I wanted. My mom mentioned that appeared to be the runt and and they usually got sick (this myth is now busted but this is what she believed and told me back then). So, I went to the polar opposite of the quite little girl. I picked the puppy who was tearing at my velcro straps of my shoes. The breeder mentioned he was nicknamed Mike Tyson since he beat up every other dog. We took him home.
His AKC name was Andy’s Golden Buddy Jr. or, BJ for short.
BJ was the most stubborn dog I have ever met. My parents and brother paid to have him trained. The trainer said he was so smart he stayed two to three steps ahead of her at all times. That was BJ. He loved to chase the ball and most of the time loved to bring it back in order to run and get it again. One of his other hobbies was to spill his water bucket and make mud in his pen when my dad mowed the lawn in order to get my dad muddy when he mowed by his pen.
As he got older, like lot’s of big dogs BJ got issues with hips. He lived to be 12 years old.
Around the time I was a sophomore in High School I like most kids found all sorts of reasons to drive my car. I had a friend who I would drive home in order to keep even just a few moments more of freedom in my car. One day I dropped my friend off and before she shut the passenger door a small black and grey fur ball jumped in the car and looked at me and cocked his head. My friends mom had mentioned that the puppies were dropped off near their house and this was the last one they had not gotten rid of. That, along with his face which was the cutest face I think I have ever seen meant he was going to be my dog. I drove him home and left him in the car and went in to ask (tell) my mom we had a new dog. My mom seeing my face she knew I had an animal in car. Once she saw puppy in the car we agreed to convince (tell) my dad this new dog was going to added to our family.
Skeeter was a black lab and blue heeler mix. Skeeter was the first dog I would say I was pair bonded to. He was my first heart dog. Skeeter spent his first few years outside as BJ’s puppy. BJ loved Skeeter very much and was quite protective of him. When BJ passed away we made a decision as a family to have Skeeter be an inside dog. If dog’s had human’s IQ’s he had an IQ of 150. He would learn commands the first time I tried to use them. For example, we’d wrestle and one time I was ready to stop so I said “Calm Down” he understood what I was saying and laid down beside me. He would do this from then on.
Skeeter stayed with my parents when I got married and he lived three years or so after I left home. He was 14 when he passed.
The “Modern Era” Dogs
I say Modern Era because there was a long gap of about 12 years between Skeeter’s passing and me getting a new dog. Sure, my parents had a dog after Skeeter and my brother in law had a dog I adored but they were not my dogs.
After the pandemic I finally convinced my then wife to let us get a dog. She was scared of big dogs so she insisted we get a small dog. I had heard about the trend of Doodles which are poodles mixed with other breeds. A co-worker of my wife got a mini golden doodle from a breeder in Iowa. This little puppy made her ways to Zoom meetings my ex wife was in. We then started making plans to get a puppy from the same breeder.
Cali is a mini Golden Doodle my Ex Wife and I purchased from the breeder in Iowa. From the moment we entered the doors of the breeder Cali was my Ex’s heart dog. They were two peas in a pod. When the divorce came it was decided she would take Cali and for a time Cali would come spend some weekends with me. This ended, but Cali will always have a special place in my heart. Cali allowed me to start grieving my mother’s death. When mom died I was numb, I didn’t cry I didn’t get depressed. I just, well, moved on with my life. When Cali came I didn’t have my usual person to talk to about funny things Cali did. My mom, brother, and I were the dog people of the family. So, when Cali did something cute I would want to share it with my mom. She wasn’t there to share with anymore and that made me sad. That little 20 lbs doodle opened my emotions up and allowed me to feel my feelings about mom’s death and I will forever be grateful to her for that.
When my brother and his kids moved to Missouri he had a chance to meet Cali and decided he also wanted a mini doodle from the same breeder. He and I drove up to Iowa on a sunny day in May, in the midst of my divorce, to get his little Doodle. When we got to the breeder and saw his Coco the first time there was the same sense that this little dog found her person. One problem, it was me. Every time I would visit my brother’s house Coco was stuck to me like glue and I was to her as well. Once Mel and her dogs moved in it was clear my brother’s other dog was bullying Coco and Coco was my heart dog so why not let her move in with us? She did and like they say the rest is history. Coco is such a treat to have. She loves nothing more than to goto bed with MEl and I and cuddle. She’s easily the lowest maintance dog we have. If she’s not in our room laying in her (our) bed she’s laying in my lap.
During my divorce and knowing Coco was still living with my brother I decided I needed a dog at home. I found a Golden Retriever breeder near my house. The mamma dog had puppies and there were a couple that still hadn’t had been adopted so I picked one. Oliver Hamilton Picard Small (his AKC name) came to live with me. Oliver is the sweetest, sneakiest, derpiest dog I have ever met. There are days I want to yeet him into the sun and other days I could cuddle with him forever. Oliver can be counter surfing for steak one min and the next he’s in my lap thinking he’s the size of Coco.
When Mel moved in with me I knew her three dogs were part of the package, and I don’t know what was I more excited, her moving in with me or meeting her dogs. Actually I do, meeting the dogs (sorry honey). They moved in on a slushy day in January. Mel had driven two greyhounds and a black lab from St. Joe to Versailles. One of them, Cedar, had an accident in the back of the car about an hour from the house. When they arrived Eva went barking after our cat CJ. The two greyhound boys trotted from room to room sniffing. One at a time they came into my office to introduce themselves to me as the polite gentlemen they are. Mel looked like she had been run over by a bus. Happy to be home, dogs in tow, but run over by a bus.
Otter was the first Greyhound to introduce himself. With brindle coloring the retired racer was bigger than even most greyhounds. He was happiest when he was on his couch with his puppy, Eva, beside him. Mel had adopted him when she still lived in PA. He made the trip from PA to St. Joe and finally to Versailles a few years later. When I met Otter he was an old man. In fact, that’s what I called him. Every morning I would walk out to the living room and say “Good Morning, Old Man” and he would acknowledge with a subtle smile. One morning I woke up cranky and tired and when I walked out into the living room I did not greet him. He waited a few moments and then got up walked over to me and snooted me. I don’t know if he could sense my crank or if he was worried I was mad at him. Needless to say my bad mood was gone. Otter was Mel’s heart dog. I never tried to get in the way or push myself on him. I let him set the tone of our friendship. One day while working from home I walked thru the living room past the couch. Otter grabbed my shorts and directed me to sit on the couch. This was a demand and even if I wanted to say no, I don’t think that was an option. Once I sat down Otter put his head in my lap and let me pet him while he looked at me with his loving eyes. When he was done with me he snooted me off his couch. I only got to know Otter for five months but it was an awesome time. Otter was already having issues getting around when I met him. After a few falls outside and constant pain we made the decision to have him put to sleep. I miss the old man every day, but I see his influence on the other dogs.
Eva is our Black Lab mix. Eva is a ball of fire. Before she moved to Versailles Mel warned me that Eva doesn’t always warm up to men. That’s okay, I thought, she was also Mel’s heart dog. That’s all I needed to know. We both loved Mel and if she didn’t really warm up to me I was totally okay with that. It took a bit of time but she realized I wasn’t going to try and force myself on her. The bond started with her standing on the love seat Mel and I sit on and wagging her tail, in my face. Eva’s tail is made out of some sort of super human metal or something. It’s harder than steel and when it’s set in motion it can take down a small house. She found it funny to wag her tail and whip me with it. Eva then started laying in my lap every once in a while. We would also play tug of war and her version of fetch. As in, she’d go get the ball and never bring it back. Eva is fiercely loyal to Mel. Eva grew up with Greyhounds and had to teach them how to play. Having Oliver as a little brother has been a gift to Eva. She has found a play partner who understands. They will play tug of war with my socks or just wrestle in the yard. Eva is getting older, as we all are, but I’ve only seen a little slow down in her. She’s still a ball of fire. She still barks at anything or anyone that gets close to the house and her mom.
Cedar is Red Fawn Greyhound Mel brought from St. Joe when she moved in. Cedar had always kind of been the “4th wheel” in Mel’s house. Mel of course loved him and he loved her but Cedar didn’t have a pair bond with anyone. He was searching. Then, on that slushy day in January Cedar found his pair bond and I found my primary heart dog. The bond was instant. We understood each other in a way I can’t even start to explain. When he gives me the “greyhound lean” I feel a sense of peace and love that words are not enough to explain. I’ve always tried not to have a favorite animal. That has stopped, Cedar is my favorite and I can’t help it. He is my second favorite mammal. Second only to Mel and it’s close. Cedar is 11 years old and I know our time together is limited. Greyhounds only live 10-12 years. I intend to spend every moment I can with America’s Favorite Sighthound :tm:.
Leo will be the newest addition to our pack…….I’ve said too much!
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