Tell me about your dogs!

PANZERIA

Hi everybody!

I'm a dog trainer in northern Canada and I just ADORE dogs!!! They truly are my passion in life. When I join the police force next year, I'm hoping to eventually make it onto the k-9 unit in order to mix my two favorite passions: the law and dogs, lol.

Tell me about your dogs and your most memorable moments with them/what you love about their personalities/anything you want to tell me! I LOVE hearing about dogs! (it's almost a sickness really)

I have 3 dogs!

My eldest (I call her my step-furbaby) came with my fiance when we moved in together. Her name is tugs and she is a 6 year old terrier/poodle. I have never met a dog so smart, but with such an attitude! We didn't start out well - she bit me in the first few months. Drew blood too. Two years later, she's a calm, gentle dog and we tolerate each other. I'm totally kidding - I love that dog to death, attitude and all. She grew on me. She's still a daddy's girl, but we get along.

My second came from the humane society in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Her name is Kira and she is a 4 year old border collie cross. She is my wizz kid - wicked smart. Picks up on any trick within five minutes. We nicknamed her the 'Darling' because she is just so gentle, but she is little miss manners - in the dog park, if a dog is being rude, she is the first one in there correcting that dog and teaching that dog how to properly act.

My youngest furbaby is my 100lb german shepherd, Bear. I've been told that he must be a cross with a wolf, but I don't really know. We lived in a horrible area for a while, and he was the only silver lining from living there. He randomly showed up on my doorstep one day and refused to leave. We almost lost him to worms (we were so far north that the nearest vet was 4 hours away), but after we got him the proper meds and got him strong and healthy, he wouldn't stop growing!!!! We were hoping for him to be MAYBE 30lbs (about Kira's size) but he blew past her at just 4 months! After that, we wondered what we had gotten ourselves into. But, I am proud to say that Bear is my little show-off dog. I always meet people who are terrified of large breeds, especially the bully breeds (shepherds, Pittys, rotties) and I love them. Bear always breaks their expectations with his gentle nature. He is wonderful with children, as my nieces can, quite literally, ride him around the house and he doesn't care. They can pull on his tail and he'll just lick them, and he's only 2 years old! Still a baby! An absolute gentle giant.

My goal in life is to own a rescue specifically for the bully breeds and dogs who are deemed 'untrainable.' That's about ten or fifteen years in the future (I'm only 23 years old), but that's the plan!

So there's my long-winded rant about my doggies. =D Tell me about your dogs! PLEASE!!!

margo36

I also have three dogs :happy: Jack my eldest is a Dalmation and is 13 yrs old and still loves a good run around the woods despite his age.I've had him since he was 8 weeks old. Daisy my youngest is also a Dalmation. She is 3 yrs old. I got her when she was 8 weeks old because I thought Jack was nearing the end of his life span but he is still going strong. Prince is a Black Belgium Shepherd and he is 5 yrs old. He came with my partner who moved in with me 3 yrs ago. Prince is totally in love with Daisy. My Profile Photo is Prince and Daisy :flowerforyou:

PANZERIA

I also have three dogs :happy: Jack my eldest is a Dalmation and is 13 yrs old and still loves a good run around the woods despite his age.I've had him since he was 8 weeks old. Daisy my youngest is also a Dalmation. She is 3 yrs old. I got her when she was 8 weeks old because I thought Jack was nearing the end of his life span but he is still going strong. Prince is a Black Belgium Shepherd and he is 5 yrs old. He came with my partner who moved in with me 3 yrs ago. Prince is totally in love with Daisy. My Profile Photo is Prince and Daisy :flowerforyou:

:flowerforyou: Aww! Dalmations were my dream dog when I was a kid. They sound wonderful.

I had a lab/setter cross who lived to be 15 years old and STILL played like a puppy whenever Bear was around, haha. Love large dogs!

clarkeje1

I have a 7 month old miniature poodle named Carter. He is a terror that has chewed my shoes, cat turds, and a hole in the wall. But I love him!!!

jrditt

i have a step-doggy too! She's a 10 year old boxer mix that i just adore. When we first met 6 years ago, she was super jealous of any girls and would literally put herself between us but now she knows who takes her on the long walks. She has so much personality and would always rather be cuddling. Can't imagine living without her!

I love your goals! I am glad we are friends on here.

margo36

I also have three dogs :happy: Jack my eldest is a Dalmation and is 13 yrs old and still loves a good run around the woods despite his age.I've had him since he was 8 weeks old. Daisy my youngest is also a Dalmation. She is 3 yrs old. I got her when she was 8 weeks old because I thought Jack was nearing the end of his life span but he is still going strong. Prince is a Black Belgium Shepherd and he is 5 yrs old. He came with my partner who moved in with me 3 yrs ago. Prince is totally in love with Daisy. My Profile Photo is Prince and Daisy :flowerforyou:

:flowerforyou: Aww! Dalmations were my dream dog when I was a kid. They sound wonderful.

I had a lab/setter cross who lived to be 15 years old and STILL played like a puppy whenever Bear was around, haha. Love large dogs!


All three of them need plenty of exercise as well which is a bonus. My Vet says Jack has lived so long because I have kept him slim and given him plenty of exercise. A lesson to us all :flowerforyou: All of them go for a six mile walk everyday

ChevyChick88

I volunteer at my local no-kill shelter and love it there!!! That's where I got Daytona - my very large (16 pound) Pom. She is the best! She has big attitude, including the "big dog syndrome." She is fearless and will take on anything she thinks she does not like. While very smart, she loves to do things to spite you becasue she is not happy with you. She is one of the most spoiled dogs ever. She gets whatever her little heart desires. We go to the store about once every other week or so and she gets to pick out her own toy. We do this by trying to get her to play with toys until she finally finds one that she carries around..... and thats the winning toy. When I am going to be gone for more than a couple of hours, she even gets to go to her "doggy sitter" (my mom or grandma).

I would like to get another one, but she is pretty particular about her stuff and space.....

easfahl

I'm definitely a dog person, always have been and always will be. I was even a dog person as a toddler before I even had a dog.

I currently have two English Springer Spaniel brothers, Newton and Pascal. My mum has the sister, Dalton. They're just over 4 years old. I got them as my adventure companions, and they definitely fit the bill. We hike, camp, mountain bike, trail run, pavement run, sail, etc.

As for personalities, all three are quite different. Newton is the oldest. He's actually the half-brother of Pascal and Dalton, as he has the same dad but a different mom. He's field-bred so he's VERY critter oriented, and is such an athlete. I think I'm gonna try to get him involved in agility or coursing. He's also a bit high-strung. He wants to please but if he's not exercised or is bored he'll try to push the limits. He desperately wants to be next in charge. I, of course, am the Alpha of this household. Every once in a while I have to remind him while pinning him to the floor and sitting on him. He's also very wary of strangers, especially men and kids. I don't usually let people pet him right away. And sometimes Newton bullies Pascal.

Pascal is the lover of the three. He's the next oldest, born just a few minutes before Dalton, his sister. He has LOTS of girlfriends, doggy and human. He's bench-bred and just has the most welcoming demeanor and is all about puppy kisses. Everyone wants to take him home. He's happy to be lower in rank to Newton, except when Newton bullies him. Pascal is just a happy dog all the way around. But if Newton picks a fight, Pascal will definitely defend himself and sometimes shows Newton up. When we run, it usually takes Newton a mile or two to settle in as he's VERY excited and has a hard time dealing with it. Pascal is my pace dog. He sticks right with me. Newton is definitely the athlete of the three; Pascal is the bulkiest in that his bones and head are just BIG; however both have great endurance. We often run 10 miles or more.

Dalton is my mum's dog but she comes over to play multiple times a week. She's the youngest. She has a personality in between Newton and Pascal, although probably a bit closer to Pascal.

Newton, unfortunately, was diagonosed with colon cancer back in late 2009. I was devestated. Had one tumor removed but then they found more farther up in his tract. In order to even try to remove those I would be putting his life in danger, and they still might not get it all. Since his only issues from his cancer has been during "potty time" and that he's lost a bit of weight, I decided to not try the extra surgery. He's a happy pup right now and I'll try to keep him that way and love him until the end. He gets a grain-free dry dog food and omega-3s to help boost his immune system.

Since colon cancer is usually an elderly dog ailment we were initially afraid it might be genetic. But Pascal and Dalton have thankfully shown no signs. Fingers crossed it stays that way.

Anyway, that's the story on my furbabies. They really are a pleasure. I can't imagine my life without my canine companions.

Oh, and the names:
Newton = standard industrial unit of force
Pascal = standard industrial unit of pressure
Dalton = an a.m.u. or atomic mass unit

skedzie

I have three also! An Australian Shepard/Blue Heeler mix named Clyde - He will be 12 this May. Sky who is an Australian shepard minature and my latest (3 weeks ago) a 5 month old full bred Austrialian Shepard named Harley (a rescue). I don't have kids at home any more and recently my husband started traveling for work so they are my family! They even go to work with me everyday.

Recently the vet told me that he is 95% sure that Clyde has bladder cancer. We are taking it one day at a time.... He has helped me through some pretty tough times in my life!

MdmAcolyte

I have two puppies... Frankie and Carlos are going to be 2 in April and May, respectively, and they are both long-haired chihuahuas. First we had Carlos, because The Man owned him, and soon after we decided we found our forever in each other, I stole Carlos, and he's been MINE ever since. Then recently, when we moved in to our own house with 2 of my kids (13 and 11) we decided to get another dog and found Frankie who was being fostered in a rescue society. They are such sweet little guys when they play together, and I love it when I come home and the two of them are just so excited to see me.

fjrandol

We have an Australian Cattle Dog named Old Jack. No clue as to why he's "old", or if there's another Jack in his life out there. He came to us as a rescue dog about two years ago, and has been a real blessing to our home. He's about 8, and has funny little quirks, like shoving his whole face into the water bowl to drink. He also loves to climb up on my husband's lap when he's sitting in his gaming chair.

I took classes with him, so he's an expert now at all sorts of things like rolling over, crawling, and shaking hands.

We think that Jack got punished alot when he was little (perhaps for chewing?), and as a result he won't touch anything that requires being in his mouth for any length of time. Rawhide bones, toys, and balls are all left neglected. He gets excited about them, but won't touch them. Therefore, if you try to play ball he'll just keep staring at you when you throw it, rather than chase after the toy.

He does, however, love to play with other dogs, and if they're playing fetch he'll chase after them until they get the ball and come back, and barks if they won't return the ball to whoever is doing the tossing. When we go for walks, we have a huge field we take him to where he can run off-leash and chase after rabbits, squirrels, and quail that happen to cross the path. The one time we actually thought he'd caught a bunny, he cornered it against the fence and then just sat down and stared at us like "Now what?". Lol!

I love my little guy. :happy:

springermad

I have 2 springer spaniels both rescue. Bramble (my profile picture) is 5 years old and I rescued her when she was 3 she was used as a punch bag and a breeding machine she had her tail cut off and was made to sleep outside in the snow, the owner was going to shoot her but she was saved at the last minute.

Daisy is 2 years old and again a rescue she was found in the middle of a busy main road at 6 months she is scared of everything but with a lot of love and care she is beginning to trust and love poeple

Nerple

I have one dog, Annabel who is a 23lb Corgi/Pekingese blend and is 5 years old. Her favorite activities include laying on the radiator covers staring out the windows until other dogs come to bark at, playing stick, playing ball (but never ever bringing the ball back, you have to get it out of her mouth to throw again), running away from my 16 month old niece that adores her just a little too hard, and never letting my father sit on the couch, because if he is sitting on the couch, he has time to take her for a walk.

Her favorite food by far is chicken, and getting her to behave when chicken the smell of chicken is in the air is a pretty futile effort. She is definately a people person, and always has to be curled up next to you if you are resting, or curled up in the same room if you are occupied. She much prefers to be outdoors, especially if there is snow in the ground, but she is never quiet when outside unless on a walk. She generally likes other dogs but gets bored with them and begs for attention by whoever is walking the other dogs (the neighbors all adore her). But she doesn't like seeing other dogs walking in pairs (started after she was attacked by two of the neighbor dogs). She also knows her routine and has a habit of knowing when it's time for something she doesn't like and imposing a toll for her cooperation. That toll is a tummy rub.

She hates the rain, but when coming in from the rain she goes psycho and acts like a puppy again, running full speed throughout the house, crashing into everything without stopping. In the summer she sleeps off to herself, usually in my computer chair, in the winter she curls up so close on my bed she pushes me off the bed.

She is also about the most enthustiastic greeter I have ever known. She has to say hi to everyone who comes in the house multiple times, and they all have to pet her. Failure to do so results in non-stop barking.

I have pictures on my profile.

HauteP1nk

My dogs are Molly and Moe.

They are part American Eskimo, collie, and who the heck knows what else! lol They are the sweetest little things in the entire world. Both are about mid-size, white with brown and black spots on them. Moe has a wider nose while Molly has a thin nose.

Molly has a bit of a weight issue. She is 54lbs...but should weigh about 10lbs less. We have been trying to get her to eat less, but this girl is a little pig! She also has the perfect face for a dog in an Animal Shelter Ad. She gives you the saddest puppy dog eyes. Honestly, she knows how to pull the heart strings. She is kind of anxious and skittish. She is terrified of Thunderstorms, hates louds noises and hides in the closet when scared. Molly is an active dog that loves to play catch. Rarely is she without a ball or a bone. She will run in the fields playing fetch until she can't run no more. She never gives up! Molly also has a tendency to be very jealous of her brother Moe. If he is getting attention and she isn't, she will pull you with her paw until you are petting her instead.

Moe is about 47lbs (so just a tad over weight) and fluffier than his sister Molly. He is very calm and lets his sister walk all over him...she is very demanding but he doesn't care. Moe is my shadow. This dog loves me to death and goes wherever I go! When I am not around my fiance says that Moe mopes around the house like a lost puppy. When my fiance tells Moe that I am home he will go and sit at the door waiting for me... He is the sweetest dog in the world. He is such a big baby and wouldn't hurt a fly. He loves to cuddle and he loves his walks...he lives for walks. We can't even say the word walk in the house because it will get him all riled up.

Both dogs associate the word 'coca-cola' with the word 'walk' too...we really have no idea why...but we can't even say that word in the house either! haha

MariaAlbinaxoxo

I have a papillon named Ali (Ali means 'wings' in Italian and since Papillon means butterfly I thought it was the perfect name anyway, she's soooo hyper! She's 2 years old now and 8lbs and she'd rather run around than cuddle but there's definitely times she's very lazy. She actually does not like walks. What kinda dog doesn't like walks?! hahaha She sleeps with me every night and definitely the best thing that's ever happened to me

http://s1017.photobucket.com/albums/af293/AlisMommy09/Mobile Uploads/?action=view&current=Photo0095-1.jpg

bhalter

My sister used to run a rescue in her college town and my mom volunteers with a German Shepherd rescue as well, so we've collected a few, haha. (These are not "MY" dogs, but I live near my parents and see the dogs regularly. My apartment doesn't allow pets, boo.)

We have Mitzi, an old German Shepherd...super sweet, but was used for breeding at a puppy mill and she is very skittish around people, even after living with my parents for several years.

Gypsy is part-boxer and SUUUUPER sweet and fun. She has tiger-stripe brown and burnt-orange fur and big ol' eyes. My fiance wants to kidnap her, she's an amazing dog. Loves to play and cuddle and even though she's a large dog, will crawl into your lap to watch a movie.

And then the ruler of the roost is Sheba, part-Schipperke and part-Chihuahua and all black with a bit of white on her neck. She LOVES people, wants to sit on your lap at dinner, and licks the dirty plates clean in the dishwasher as they're being loaded. I never thought I would like small dogs (I was raised with large Akitas), but she doesn't make much noise and is such a sweetheart.

Poohsta0

I have three as well- 350 pounds total.

Mabel is an ancient (8 year old) brindled mastiff. Arthritis, bad vision,and worse breathe.
Cooper is a 4 year old Flat Coated Retriever. A complete spazz unless he has run the back yard for 30 minutes or so after work.
Youkilis is a 2 year old shepherd mix who patrols the grounds and woe be it to any stray squirrel inside the fence or old lady on a walk through the neighborhood outside the fence. The UPS and pizza guys don't even get out of their cars- just beep the horn and wait in the driveway.

All rescues!

fimary

my dog is not keen on walks either, if i get too energetic he hides under the table when i get his leash out.
He is called fudge and 4 year old.

emiliewright

I have a 1 year old Shih Tzu named Gary. He is the very best little man that ever walked. He is such a blessing in my life and loves me so much as I love him. I keep him shaved so he looks like he is half bull dog half shih tzu. He has crossed eyes and his tongue hangs out.. I love dogs so much too, it is a sickness!

doctork29

I have a purebred Siberian Husky named JB and a JackRat named Nugget. Nugget is short for Chicken Nugget which is the result for letting your 3 year old name the dog. However, after time we have realized the name makes perfect sense.

songbyrdsweet

My little girl is Margo. She's a jack russell/beagle mix that I rescued from the HS back in September. Here's some of the wonderful stuff about her!

She is SUPER smart. She can untie knots and open boxes and consequently gets into everything!

When she does something naughty, even if we catch it hours later (like tearing up a cat toy) she KNOWS she did wrong and won't look at what she destroyed! She slinks over to the couch and shows her belly with an intense look of guilt!

She loves to be picked up and has to sit in my lap if I'm at the kitchen table (not while eating) even though she's 26 lbs! She also knows when it's bed time and since day 1 has always hopped in my bed with me hah When I go toward the couch, she races over and gets in her spot and waits for me to sit down with her. I think she loves it because I used to take naps with her there a lot when I first got her.

She is STUBBORN...she knows a trick, but if she doesn't want to do it, she won't look at the treat....like, "I didn't want that treat anyway."

She loves my kitty, Veli. She also loves kids and is SO patient with them.

She is a survivor. She was a stray for about a year, and as a puppy apparently got hit by a car and her leg was never set properly. But you would never know because she is super fast and jumps very high!

I love my Margo!!

iamahealthychick

My first dog as an adult, Kaili, was a pom/terrier. She passed Oct 15 of 2011. She was my absolute joy and love and I miss her every day.

Our 2nd dog is a doberman/akeida/rhodesian ridgeback cross. He is the body and colour of a red doberman, he has the akeida tail and eyes and he has the skull/ears and ruffle like a ridgeback. I was worried about aggression and the hunting instinct with such a mix but he is the biggest suck on the planet. Nothing like an 80#+ lapdog!

Our newest, Bailey, is a 3/4 shih tzu/ 1/4 jack russel. My husband gave her to me as a surprise for my bday at the end of Dec. She is brain numbingly cute and is a handful to keep up with/keep in line. She's only 10 weeks today so she is little yet and we are pretty consistent with the rules. Now if she would just housetrain better!!!

kappy_hollowell

I have a son. He is my chocolate Labrador Retreiver, and like I said, he is my son! LOL. He sleeps in the bed with my husband and me. He is spoiled rotten. He is BEAUTIFUL!!!! He looks almost black because he is so shiny and soft, but he is a true dark chocolate lab. He protects his mommy (me)! He won't let anyone come into the bathroom with me especially a stranger or someone he is nto too familiar with and this doesn't matter if I'm showering, putting on makeup, brushing teeth, hair, etc. I guess he feels like I'm vulnerable in the bathroom??? Not real sure. He like to bark at the fourwheeler, and this weekend I ran over him a little bit (I was MORTIFIED when I did it) but he is ok. Didn't limp or anything, just got a small cut under his eye. Oh I cried! If I ever have kids I will be a pitifully overprotective mom!

When I tell him to get his ball, he picks up the closest toy and I can tell him to take it to his daddy and he will take it to my hubby and nudge him with the 'ball'. He loves playing catch with the frisbee. He likes to try to get some from our neighbors great danes, but he can't reach it! LOL

tistal

I have a 3 year old Lhasa Apso named Daisy who was a rescue. When we got her she was just shy of a year and had already had a litter of puppies and was half hairless and 3lbs underweight! Now she is a jumping fluff ball of nothing but attitude! And she has a sock fetish. If I dont close the kids doors she will go in there and find every stray sock there is and hide them behind the couch or get my daughters stuffed animals and hide them too. One day I was sorting clothes and had them piled on the floor and had to leave to get my son and when I got home she had dug through the piles of clothes and taken out about 7 socks!!!

hbrittingham

I have three of my own.

My oldest is Jasmine who just turned 11 this month, but don't tell her. She still thinks she's three and is a little energizer bunny. She's a lab/golden mix and the queen bee of the house. I've had her since she was 6 weeks old.

Next oldest is Jasper, a golden retriever. who will turn 7 in April. He was my first foster "failure". I foster for our local golden retriever rescue and have been since 2003. He came to me starved almost to death and 14 lbs at 4 1/2 months old. When I picked him up as my foster puppy, he put his head on my shoulder and breathed a huge sigh. I was done and he was mine.

Youngest is my Danny boy, a golden retriever. He is my second foster "failure" (I've fostered over 50 dogs and puppies). He came to me at 5 months old and in congestive heart failure due to two hereditary heart conditions. He underwent surgery at the local vet school and came through with flying colors. He has been a nice puppy/dog from day one. Once his heart had been repaired, he turned into super energy dog and scared off all potential adopters, so after 6 months, I adopted him. I've never looked back! He turned 5 in October, but I call him Peter Pan because he will never grow up!

Both the goldens are therapy dogs and work with children in our local elementary schools who have trouble reading. The kids read books to the dogs and it makes them more comfortable with reading. And the dogs absolutely adore the kids!

I also do in-home training for a trainer in our area and work with puppies that owners are having troubles with.

rollycollysmama

I have a Pitty named Teddy, and a Pitty-boxer mix her name is hope, both were adopted from a no kill shelter in Ill- Hope came to us heart worm positive and after a long fight we won! she is now a healthy happy 1 year old girl! Teddy was an outdoor dog before he went to the shelter and they got him from a high kill shelter in Ak- needless to say this wisconsin winter (even as nice as its been) has not been kind on him, we've tried trainer after trainer, even went as far as to BRING him to a trainer where he stayed for intense training for 2 weeks but he REFUSES to come inside, and as a result has gotten sick 4 times in the two months we've had him. The last trainer suggested we rehome him asap before he falls sick and dies, obviously wisconsin isn;t the place for him. We've tried coat and boots, but he chews them right off, we tired dog house, he won't go into it. he was obviously never very socialized before he came to us. He is such a sweet natured baby, just a GIANT cuddle bug, WHEN we get him inside he is a lover all the way, the problem is he wont potty on a leash, or a stationary rope, he just chews it and sits there, and as soon as we let him off the leash he runs and hides under things, and as soon as we get close enough to catch him, he BOLTS. it takes anywhere between 20-60 minute to catch him, and let me tell you, in the dead of winter, thats the last thing anyone wants to do, but we manage. I want to keep him so much because I've never had such a lover as a fur baby, but I don't want him getting sick either.
Hope on the otherhand has adjusted wonderfully, she is a sweet, loving, very active cuddle bug and has adopted my two year old as her own. Anywhere my two year old, she is right there watching out for him. being a boxer I thought we would have issues with table and counter jumping but she's not doing any of that, and has been super easy to train. shes a angel!!

mommanurse33

I have three dogs, too. My first baby is the only other girl besides be. Her name is Annie, and she is a malteze/****zu mix. We rescued her from the humane society about 7 years ago and have loved her since. She is very sweet, but moody. Very loyal to her momma. I work nights and she does not leave my side while I am sleeping. She has lots of spunk.
Jack is our 5 year old little black wiener dog. I call him the slug because he doesn't move when you want him to. He has a great personality, and loves to burrow. His best friend is actually my husband's buddy.
Cody is our blue heeler/boarder collie mix. He is our naughty boy. I rescued him from the humane society, too. He will be a year in a couple months. He is kinda like our "marley" dog. He has destroyed our drip lines in the backyard, ripped of the cover of the phone box outside, busted through the fences to play with the neighbor's dogs (we had to get an underground electric fence) and now that it is freezing cold, he has put a hole in our couch. BUT, we love him anyway and we know he will grow out of that stage (hopefully soon.)
Our dogs love our kids, and our home wouldn't be complete without our furry family members.

acakeforawife

Yay doggies! I have a 6-year-old cocker spaniel named Riley. He's a puppymill rescue, we took him in about a year ago. He was in very rough shape -- worms, chronic ear infection, severely underweight, and no muscle tone in his back legs because he'd been kept in a cage for five years. Now he is so happy and healthy (okay, even maybe getting a little pudgy!! ).

He has a lot of issues still -- he's scared of almost everything and everyone, but he tries so hard. And he's such a good dog -- he never chews anything he's not supposed to, and he loves snoozing and walks, never very hyper (except when he sees a squirrel!), he loves sleeping in and never wakes us up on weekends, etc. We let him sleep on the bed with us (at the foot), and as soon as he hears one of us wake up in the morning, he climbs up and stretches out between us, so that we're all 'spooning'. Hahaha!

SARgirl

I have two dogs. Doogan who is a German Shepherd and Zoe the Border Collie. They are both super smart and we keep them busy! My husband and I are members of a local search and rescue team and Doogan is my k9 partner and Zoe is his. Doogan is definitely a "mama's boy" and has to follow me everywhere! They are both certified Therapy Dogs as well. We also have two cats who think they are dogs and one will even eat Milk Bones! We love our animals and spoil them rotten!

ceannesjourney

I love this topic!!! Thanks!

I currently have a LaShon (Lasa Apsa Bichon Frise `designer`cross). She is the BEST dog, so sweet, loving, and funny! She is my fifth dog I`ve had as an adult. Her name is Ruby and everyone loves her because she so obviously loves other people, dogs, other animals. She can be a bit of an escape artist so I`ve had to protect my back yard so she can`t dig under the fence--she just wants to go explore the world around her. She is also very smart, picking up `tricks`easily.

Previous to Ruby, I`ve had mostly rescue dogs, and although they came is `issues` I`m glad to have had them in my life.

My `soul dog` was a rescue dog (from a puppy mill) called Misty, who was a Chesapeak Retriever. She was such a terrified dog when I got her, having been abused, she would hide around anyone else but me (except for my mom and best friend). She was especially scared of men. Around me she was a `normal` dog, playful, loving, sweet natured. She was an old soul and one of the gentlest dogs I ever came across, she never bit, even in play. When she was about five, she suddently came into herself and grew confidence in others and would go to them for affection--finally knowing that people I brought into the home could be trusted and everyone could see what a beautiful soul she was.

She passed suddenly around 10 years of age--she was a stoic dog, and I never knew she was sick. When I took her to the vet, when I noticed she was losing weight and not energetic, I found out she would not survive long at all. She lived only one week more, when I realized she was in pain one night. I am still heartbroken by losing her, but I am ever so grateful to have had her in my life.

Take care dog lovers!!

jennifermcornett

My gorgeous 8-year-old Golden Retriever, Sammy Bear, has helped me through so much. The day I got him (my 21st birthday, when he was 11 months old), he became my everything, and I became his. I was dating and later married an abusive man (I was stupid, I know), and I was very isolated, and Sammy was my protector and only friend. He never attacked my ex, but I thought he was going to on numerous occasions when things were getting violent. Since divorcing my ex-husband a year ago, I have had to have some talks with Sam. I had to tell him that I no longer needed him to protect me and that his new daddy (my current boyfriend of about 10 months) would take care of that. I told him he could just relax and enjoy his spoiled life now. And boy, does he ever!!
Along with the boyfriend came a stepbaby in the form of a 4-year-old Chocolate Lab. Her name is Cami, and she's a ball of energy. Sammers was starting to really show his age until we moved in with Brett and Cami. Sam loves his new sister, and he lost 10 pounds from playing with her constantly! He has absolutely reverted to his puppy years. Yes, he has silver hairs all over his once-red face now, but he has the same energy he had when he was two!