Tuesday, April 5, 2011

D is for...

D is for Donuts, Days off, and Dogs.



Since I posted yesterday about my cat, it's only fair to dedicate my blog today to my dogs.



Growing up we had 3 dogs. Sugar (who was wild and crazy and my parents got rid of him when my mom was pregnant with my sister, Christy) Casey the cocker spaniel, and Korki the yorkie.



I think that having dogs, as a kid, teaches you a certain sense of responsibility. Granted, my mom was really the one who took the most care of them, we still had to bear the punishment when we didn't feed or walk them.



I started my own business when I was 10 years old. I walked my neighbors dogs for 25 cents. My sole customer, Mr. Benevides, had me walk his little gray scottish terrier around the block a few times a week. Once he saw how incredibly responsible I was, he also hired me to watch Bubba while he was away on business, which turned out to be quite often. Bubba and I became fast friends, and this relationship/job lasted until I went to college.



In high school I got a job at a puppy daycare center. This was the best job I've ever had. Regardless of scooping poop and cleaning up after various other accidents, I played in a room full of puppies for hours on end.



It.



Was.



Bliss.



I worked there all through high school and into college and really did love every second of it. It helped me to become acquainted with dogs of all shapes, sizes, breeds and temperaments. I learned early on that I wanted a golden retriever. They were by far the best.



I've never felt a maternal longing to have babies. However, when I see puppies (any puppy, really) I get this feeling inside that tells me my life isn't going to be complete without one. I imagine this is how normal women feel around babies.



Enter Maggie.


Right before Easter in 2004, we happened into a pet store while waiting for a movie to begin. Maggie was the cutest thing I'd ever seen in my life and I knew that she was placed here on this earth for me. She was way over-priced, but none of that mattered. This was my dog.


Maggie was a wonderful puppy, she house-trained easily and quickly, and she loved to cuddle. She was, however, extremely needy and hyper.


Enter Samson.


We'd had Maggie for about a year when I think I finally convinced Andrew that she needed a play toy/friend. Having always wanted a golden retriever, I really played that breed up to him. One Friday evening, Andrew came home from work and said that he wanted one too.


That was all it took. We looked up the classifieds and found a breeder with one more 4-month old puppy in her litter to get rid of, and he was a bargain. We called her on our way north of Columbus, ready to meet the newest member of our family.


Then reason set in. He was going to be big, he was going to be hairy. Were we rushing things? We met Sammy and I immediately fell in love, but we decided we needed to sleep on it. This was a big decision.


At 8:00 the next morning, our decision was made. We went to pick Samson up and bring him home. Any questions we had about how Maggie would take to him were erased the second he walked in the door. He rolled over and they touched noses, and played chase for about half an hour. It was love at first sight, and Maggie's been bossing him around for the last 6 years.


I really can't imagine our home without dogs. Sure, they're a pain in the butt at times but they bring so much joy and entertainment to our lives! (Plus, you can leave them home all day and stick them in their cages when they're being bad).

2 comments:

  1. Man it has been a while since we have seen sam and mags! My dog experience starts and ends with the two of them. :)

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  2. I love those dogs! They can win just about anyone over.

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