I "Heart" Pets
Okay folks...going to share my list today too! In fact, I challenge all of you to post a list from Tami's blog here and embellish it...or make a page of it!
I "Heart" Pets
While a few random animals mostly stray dogs would be guests, short-lived mind you,
there were also a few turtles won at the Christmas bazaar,
fish, until a hockey puck went through the tank,
canaries and later budgies, or parakeets, that my brother tried to breed,
a random guinea pig named Simon my aforementioned brother got me for my birthday (without my parents permission-therefore on a very temporary basis)
the real big players in the household pet category began with
1. Susie Q, a shepherd collie mix. we grew up together. I was known to occupy her basket and snuggle up to her. She lived 14 yrs+
Me and Susie Q
2. Shag, he was a mini-old english sheepdog that the neighbors gave up on. He was trouble, jumping through the kitchen window to escape, and running away. Eventually under control (mum saw to that!). We had him about a year and found him in a snow pile in January, he'd been poisoned. That was hard to take.
Shag
3. Then came Toma, a real Old English Sheepdog. My brother saved his money to buy him. He named him after the TV cop of the time. Faithful dog, good with kids. Years later I could leave him with my kids napping outside on blankets while I switched the laundry and come back to see he'd moved in closer to guard them. great dog. Nearly crippled in his old age...maybe 15-16 yrs old, Dad had to put him down.
Hannah with Toma
4. Duke, who my brother wanted to call Baretta(after another TV cop) to go with Toma, was a surprise christmas gift for my Mum from my brother (really-didn't learn from the guinea pig?) Duke was a German Shepherd, mum's favorite kind. Duke took the guarding thing to a whole new level we had him for about three years but eventually found a home with the drug task force in the county.
Two puppies, Toma (not quite a year) and Duke (about 10wks)
yes, the dogs played hockey with us, even pulled us on sleds, but they were not responsible for the fish tank breaking...that was my brothers!
There were a few more dogs in my parents home after I left, but we never really lived anywhere where we could own a pet. Oh, we had tropical fish and goldfish that they enjoyed, but they wanted a dog. We used the excuse to the kids that we'd think about it when we had our own home. That took years, but once in to the house the requests for dogs began...so the mantra changed to "once we have a fence". They looked the local paper for free dogs, and finally came up with one they thought would be perfect.
5. It was an Australian Shepherd. Beautiful pup, but big, not at first, but not long after! He needed to be an outdooor dog, he needed to run, he needed to eat...and sometimes it was my defrosting dinner! Andrew was two at the time and that dog would flatten him just to say hi...So Spencer, was well loved, but short lived as a family member. It came down to feeding the kids or feeding the dog...they cried and took it hard, but, in the end, he went to a farmer who'd had this breed before, knew what to expect and had animals to herd...just right for the working dog he was. (photo unavailable but if I find it...I'll update)
Hannah with Spencer
Pleas come once and a while and they have all been told...when you have your own home...As much as I loved my pets growing up...I can get along without the furry friends.
