[Dailydrool] What My Dogs Have Taught Me

[Jennifer Martin via Dailydrool]

The most important thing my dogs have taught me over the years is we never
know how long we have on this earth. Don't squander it. Take a little time
to stop and smell the roses and rub a belly.

The right replacement dog is out there. It will never be a replacement for
the dog you just lost, but it will add quality to your life. Don't rush
this step and take a dog you don't get that special feeling about. It could
be a mistake. Also, the right dog may not come in the form you thought it
would.

I have to explain this one just a little. Our first generation was composed
of Bubbles, Bismark and Banshee. We got Banshee wsooner than we expected
because it was looking like we were not going to be able to keep Bubbles
comfortable enough to reach the age she needed to for hip surgery. Bubbles
and Bismark were extremely bonded and we were afraid that Bismark woul just
give up the will to live if something happened to Bubbles. Anyway, as fate
had it, Bubbles holds the record for the longest lived we have had so far
at 13.5. Banshee got a brain tumor at 9.5 and went to the bridge. We were
devestated. That wasn't the way it was supposed to work. Banshee was
supposed to outlive Bubbles and she didn't. It took me about 18 months to
start looking for another dog. When I did, we wanted a male 2-5 years old.
Bubbles was extremely alpha and we didn't want another female she thought
she could beat up. Well, I was looking and looking. I remember at one point
the rescue offered us 2 littermate males 9 months old with zero manners.
They were really mad when I said I didn't think it was a good fit. I just
couldn't imagine having 2 wild children with no manners and two seniors at
10 and 11. One morning I got up and went into work (we didn't have
ingternet at home). The new dog that week was a 96 pound (can you say
obese!) 7 year old red and white male. I got this really weird feeling. I
am sitting there going, "God, are you sure this is the one? This is NOT
what I was looking for?" The feeling got much stronger! I knew this was the
one He wanted us to have. I called the adoption coordinator totally
forgetting that IL is an hour behind IN. So I was calling her at 7 am! How
rude! She got more pictures from the foster mom and sent them during the
day. One half of my brain KNEW this was the right dog. The other half said
I don't want to deal with getting all that extra weight off and he is SO
old! Well, we were approved. Our biggest problem was his dad had been
working 2nd shift. We are first shift people, Elwood got where he didn't
want to play ball when we were trying to go to bed. He played it when we
got home from work. He never was a morning dog, but he was a fantastic dog
who did an excellent job of taking care of Bubbles and Bismark in their old
age. Then he went on to raise Blitzen. We had him for 6 years. I got the
weight off of him, but it was the arthritis in his feet and legs that
eventually did him in. I will always miss that boyand am grateful for all
he did for us and others. When the vet had a dog (or cat) that had given up
the will to live and that was what was going to get them through, he would
call and ask if Elwood could work at the vet's that day. Elwood would just
sit with them and lick on them and the next thing you knew, they were up
and playing very gently.

Jennifer wtih Beauford, Bugsey and Browyn the Fairy Princess
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