My Journey doesn’t begin in a house or school, it begins in my backyard with two patient loving dogs. With their tender nudges and gentle touch endowed a place in my heart for the most wonderful creatures in the world that will last forever.
When I was 6 years old we lived roughly two miles outside a small Central Texas town. My grandparents home was no more than a eighth of a mile from our house and the only thing between us was open field and one Huge oak tree. We had a German Shepard named “King” and my Grandparents had a beautiful Collie was named “Lady”. King and Lady were my playmates, my guards and my protectors. A small Farm to Market road covered the distance between the two houses, a path we would take to go see my Grandparents every afternoon when they came home. Mom would call my Grandmother to say, “their on the way”. Off we would go King, me, and Lady. Up the road to visit. During this short walk, King was on one side and Lady was on the other, and I of course was in the middle and that never changed. My Protectors, my Champions, my Angels. If I strayed a little to the Left, it would be King nudging me over–as if to say–to far little girl and I understood. We had many adventures around that twenty four acres, picnics, exploring trails, and the only time we got in trouble was the time I set King and Lady to chasing the cows, the ones my Grandfather was feeding to gain weight and then to the cattle auction. Lesson learned.
At the age of twelve, we moved to Austin, Texas, I had to say goodbye to my Protectors, my Champions, My Angels. Leaving them was difficult by this time they were senior dogs, running, playing, living the best senior dog life. Advance one year, a move from Austin to Longview, Texas. This was a difficult time for me, new neighborhood, new school, new friends and no Protectors. After six months or so, we were the proud family of “Rebel” a solid black German Shepard with brown tips on his ears, four months old and full of puppy energy. Since I was the oldest, he was my responsibility, a charge that I accepted gladly.
Rebel was a trip, he was the neighborhood sentry, watching over numerous baseball, kickball and hide and seek games, warding off anyone trying interfere. In fact, Rebel had a trail worn around the fence line as he made his rounds so many times. Our Dad accepted a promotion and we moved to Tyler, Texas. Rebel continued his role as the security guard for the neighborhood games, watching every move we made and every move anyone else made also. Years later my parents decided to get another dog, introducing Prince, the Old English Sheep Dog. Prince was off the charts funny, I would spend hours brushing him and he would go out in the yard, roll around picking up twigs, leaves, come back in the house and shake them off. He was a mess. Later, I left to go to college, but I still kept tabs on my babies. Fortunately for me, my precious pups had a forgiving heart and when I came home for visits, it was like your back and your absence is forgiven, “let’s play.”
Move to a new chapter. Married, still in the same town, outside of Tyler not far from the city limits. People that were not responsible dog parents would just dump their dogs and hope someone would care enough to take them in, that’s how we had three dogs and two cats the first year we lived in our new home. That’s OK, they ranged in age from a small puppy to five years old. I do not understand people that leave a dog, no matter what age alone to fend for themselves in a world that is not kind or receptive to helping those that are less fortunate. They were precious, so giving of themselves, and only asking to be loved. As they got older we lost them due to health and age. When we lost “Little Man”, I said “No More Dogs”. You think you cannot bear to lose another friend that you have had for so long. My husband said he agreed and that was it. Until we went to a Christmas open house and the host had a Miniature Doxie, she was a golden brown long haired bundle of playfulness. That did it, a month later we had “MJ”, he was a two month old, brown and tan long haired Doxie. Lovable little ball of fur, his parents said he was a miniature Doxie, however, I don’t think that was quite right. MJ was not a standard Doxie either, not small, not large, he was between the two sizes. He was our “Tweenie Weennie”. We loved that little boy, our house was his “Dog” house, he was not spoiled but he didn’t go without anything his momma thought he might need or desire. Did I say he had his own car seat, yes he did. He could count too. We would toss four balls down the hall, he did not run after the first or the second, nor the third, all four had to go down the hall and then he would retrieve them one at a time.
I retired the end of 2017, looking forward to working in our yard, decluttering the house, that’s another story and playing with our now gray around the edges little “MJ”. January 2018, he lost control of his back legs, it was heartbreaking to see him try to walk, our vet arranged for us to take him to Dallas to see if he was a candidate for surgery to repair his back. The doctor said he thought he could help our little fella. We left Dallas and MJ, which was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. The next week MJ had his surgery, it was successful. We were able to bring him home at the end of that week. His recovery was slow, little short walks in the back yard, NO jumping and lots of love. We were blessed to have MJ two and half years after his surgery, he was two weeks shy of his 17th Birthday when he crossed The Rainbow Bridge. Again, I said no more dogs.
Well, you can only clean and declutter so much, and as someone that had always been busy, I was ready to do something else. A good friend of mine suggested I help her on Thursdays where she volunteered at Nicholas Pet Haven, a no kill shelter for dogs and cats. I helped with feeding the dogs and washing dishes and walking the big dogs. Still getting another dog was not in the plan. I had finished my duties for day and went to the main building to let them know I was leaving. When I entered the room, I noticed a crate that had two dogs, one was a little brown Doxie/Corgi mix named Durango and the other fellow was an English Cocker Spaniel named Charlie. They had my heart the moment I saw them. Owner surrendered and a bonded pair. When they were cleared for adoption, interested individuals only wanted to adopt one. This was not right to separate two friends for at least six years. I called and ask the status and if we could adopt both, the answer was yes, if you hurry! You see someone had already asked to adopt Charlie. They were supposed to pick him up at 10:00AM and it was 10:30AM, we were on the way!! When we left, we had two boys that have filled our lives with antics and Love. When we arrived home, we took them in the back door and opened the patio door to the back yard, they both ran out full speed. However, this was the year of Snowmageddin!! Durango went to the left on the grass, Charlie on the other hand went straight, ice on a walkway, running dog, swimming pool. You guessed it, he tried to stop and slid right in the pool. Oh no!! I called to my husband to get towels and I went in the pool for Charlie. We got him out dried him and warmed him with blankets. I said “Welcome Home Boys” its going to be fun, and it is. Note, Charlie will not go close to the pool. And, both Durango and Charlie have car seats so we can take afternoon rides when it is to cold or to hot for a walk. They have been with us for five years. All of us have gotten older and some a little wiser, however, my love and caring for dogs has carried me through many happy and unpleasant times. I hope I have been there for them as they have been there for me. Dogs are your friend no matter what, there is unconditional Love from them, and that is why from my younger years up to now, I have Loved every dog I have been blessed to know. And, in turn they have Loved me, unconditionally.
“The Boys”