My Babies- Gone, but NOT forgotten!
May 22, 2018 16:59:13 #
About the same time my marriage went south, I rescued a beautiful female Boxer pup off the streets. I took her home and made her a regular member of the household. Shortly after that, I rescued a 1 and a half year old Australian Shepherd from a family that didn't appreciate him. I was first going to just steal him (they wouldn't have noticed, anyway), but I decided to just ask if they would sell him to me. Fortunately, they did and that increased the household by one more. In the meantime, my 'Ex' was presented with a similar situation of rescuing a beautiful Siberian Husky pup out of the middle of the street near where she was then living. Not being able to keep the dog in an apartment, she brought her to me . . . making a third new member. Shortly after that, a co-worker of hers ask if she would take their dog as they were moving and couldn't (probably didn't WANT to keep her) take her. She said yes, as she knew she had a source of refuge for unwanted animals (too bad she didn't know of a source of refuge for "Unwanted Men"!) Long story short, and because two of the doggies were hers, we (both of us, for a change) decided that it would benefit the doggies if she moved back in (separate space(s) in everything, of course), thus giving them the benefit of two loving 'Parents' (also benefits human puppies as well- sorry Parents, particularly women, don't realize that). Some time later we were coming back from the Lake with the four babies and almost ran over this ball of gold fluff that scurried across the road immediately in front of the car. It ran to the oncoming side of the road, so I pulled off on that same side. I got out to see if I could 'capture' him, but he ran under the car. Fortunately, the car was an SUV with higher than normal ground clearance, so he wasn't burned, but he would NOT come out. Then, the strangest thing happened: I reached under the car, intending to grab him by the 'scruff' of the neck, and he grabbed my hand with his mouth (think 'bite'). But it wasn't a bite; he just gently held on while I slowly pulled my hand back- coming out with my hand still in his mouth. I picked him up (could then see he was a beautiful Golden Retriever puppy about a month old and half starved) and told my 'EX' to fasten her seat belt and I put the pup in her lap, closed her door, walked around the rear of the car, got in, closed my door, fastened my seat belt, started the engine, put it into drive, and . . . just before I started driving, looked at my 'EX' who said, "He's snoring"! I named him "Lucky"; can anyone guess why?
So that is my story of how I (then, we) acquired 5 beautiful 'children'. Here are some photos of them. Oh, BTW: while the last three lived pretty normal lives, the first two lived abnormally long lives. The Boxer developed a brain tumor and had to be put down; but SHE WAS ALREADY 18 YEARS OLD! The Australian Shepherd died in my arms about 4 months short of being 21 YEARS OLD! Don't bother telling me that LOVE won't increase one's life!
So that is my story of how I (then, we) acquired 5 beautiful 'children'. Here are some photos of them. Oh, BTW: while the last three lived pretty normal lives, the first two lived abnormally long lives. The Boxer developed a brain tumor and had to be put down; but SHE WAS ALREADY 18 YEARS OLD! The Australian Shepherd died in my arms about 4 months short of being 21 YEARS OLD! Don't bother telling me that LOVE won't increase one's life!
May 22, 2018 18:07:59 #
I love your post and your story of your heroic rescues. I always thought rescues had shorter lives due to early trauma, but you prove that wrong. One of the worst things about getting old is outliving all your beloved pets. The other is worrying you are not going to live long enough to outlive them. My last two rescues are gone now and I miss having a dog so bad. I just read something saying the older folks who have dogs are healthier and happier and live longer. A good reason to start looking again. But it appears you don't have to look--they find you!
May 22, 2018 18:16:29 #
a thousand blessings to you for loving these beautiful dogs.
May 22, 2018 19:01:42 #
Thank both of you for your replies. To Katydid: PLEASE find (by whatever means) another doggie; you BOTH will benefit for having him/her!
To Dancers: the 'blessings' were them loving me.
To Dancers: the 'blessings' were them loving me.
May 23, 2018 05:39:02 #
May 23, 2018 06:20:33 #
May 23, 2018 06:56:38 #
I do not intend to sell ANY religion here.And I am not a Muslim. In a hadith (sayings attributed to Mohammed ) he said, " An act of kindness toward a beast is the same as an act of kindness toward a human."
What the poster said and captured so wonderfully in words and photos has brought me joy and awe.
What the poster said and captured so wonderfully in words and photos has brought me joy and awe.
May 23, 2018 07:39:03 #
May 23, 2018 08:01:24 #
May 23, 2018 09:13:25 #
Sounds like my like story. I'm 80 with 5 furballs that keep me going. My youngest dog is a Heeler who I got from a neighbor who he was too rambunctious for. Not bragging but I am the center of his universe. I have the same problem with age as he is only 2. But who knows I may live to 95. At least the time he spends with with me will be better than his first year. 
May 23, 2018 10:37:57 #
Great story Snapshot, I admire you for what you did, you made them pups very happy.
May 23, 2018 11:28:50 #
Beautiful story! Beautiful photographs! This proves what I've always said: you don't BUY dogs, DOGS HAPPEN! I've got four myself, all rescues.
You can tell a good person by the company they keep!
You can tell a good person by the company they keep!
May 23, 2018 11:53:52 #
May 23, 2018 12:21:33 #
Lovely story. I have had dogs most of my life but and I recently buried the last one (a Portuguese water dog). It hurt with the previous two (a rescue and a Bichon frise) but the last resulted in such sadness, pain and sense of loss that I realized it was getting cumulative and am not sure I could handle it anymore. My wife and I are near retirement and we agreed to wait a few years before even thinking about getting another one. The heartbreak becomes just too much. Well, this note is to say that life without a dog seemed to be unfulfilling and we broke down and brought home a tiny 3 pound Havanese puppy. I just wrote to the folks a Webster's dictionary to tell them that they have to find a new meaning for the word cute.
Do the dogs live longer in a happy home? Maybe. But I am pretty sure the owners do. Life is good again (her name is Beauregard, Beau for short).
Do the dogs live longer in a happy home? Maybe. But I am pretty sure the owners do. Life is good again (her name is Beauregard, Beau for short).
May 23, 2018 12:49:43 #
What a love story!! Thank goodness for people like you! Your food bills must have been tremendous
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