Dogs Had Since Retiring

[Naturally]

Have always loved dogs. They're more than "man's best friend" to me. My dogs are family.
Dogs when I was a kid included Sport, Sheba and Toby.
As an adult and especially in the military, was never settled enough to provide a stable home for a pet.
I yearned to have a dog again and wasn't able to until I retired from the military in 2006.

The first dog I got was Sugar. Adopted from the local Humane Society. Mixed breed, unknown origin. Had no history on Sugar.
Sugar would be with me for 15yrs. When she developed mobility issues in old age, I put my mattress and box springs directly on the floor so she wouldn't have to try and jump up onto the bed. My "Sugar baby".

Next was Rowdy. Came to my house in bad shape one night. Sugar Alerted and I took Rowdy in.
Several weeks later, I found Rowdy's owner who lived two blocks away and from where Rowdy had escaped.
Well, Rowdy kept escaping from the guy's house so often and coming to my house, the guy just finally gave me Rowdy.
Rowdy was an intense, no nonsense, all business, focused, determined and efficient "man" dog that was totally and completely attached and devoted to me. My heart dog.
With Rowdy, I had to take special care to always maintain positive control and he was always close leashed in public. I was worried he may become a liability.
Rowdy was an escape artist and went with me everywhere, while Sugar "guarded" the fort.
Sadly, Rowdy would be diagnosed with a large malignant mast cell tumor when he was only five years old and I had to make a tough decision and let him go.

Three days after losing Rowdy, I realized I couldn't live without an American Pit Bull Terrier and put a deposit down on a dual registered (UKC, ADBA) and pedigreed puppy.
Mason was delivered seven weeks later by a dog transporter from Massachusetts. Sugar raised Mason.
Mason is an easy to own dog, except doesn't like cats at all and has a high prey drive.
Mason's bloodline is pure Colby dogs. His pedigree is pure Colby all the way back, with no outs or crosses. He looks like the Colby dogs from the turn of the last century. Owning Mason is like owning a piece of dog history.
I never intended to campaign or breed Mason but as a pup he attended a few sanctioned dog registry events and while he brought home some ribbons, it just wasn't fun for Mason, so we stopped going.

Several years ago, I had an artist put together a piece with Mason, Rowdy and Sugar together and the picture hangs on my bedroom wall.
I see these dogs every night before going to bed and every morning when I wake. And Mason, 12 now, is with me still today and the only one.
The day will come sooner than I'd like, when I can no longer own a dog. That will be a very sad day for me.

 

[Teacher Terry]

19 years ago I realized that most people aren’t allergic to Maltese and that started my love for them. I am allergic to most breeds and have asthma. Mandy was my first dog and within a few years I started to rescue old Maltese that people no longer wanted and always had 4.

Then my son could no longer keep Noki his husky shepherd mix and we became his 4th home in 8 years and drove across the country to get him. Within a few weeks he saved my life, let the little dogs abuse him and was the most protective awesome dog I’ve been honored to live with.

Now the “Maltese Mansion “ is a mere 855 sq ft condo with 2 little Maltese. Living alone they are wonderful company. I will never be without a dog.

 

[LadyEmeraude]

That was so nice to

Have always loved dogs. They're more than "man's best friend" to me. My dogs are family.
Dogs when I was a kid included Sport, Sheba and Toby.
As an adult and especially in the military, was never settled enough to provide a stable home for a pet.
I yearned to have a dog again and wasn't able to until I retired from the military in 2006.

The first dog I got was Sugar. Adopted from the local Humane Society. Mixed breed, unknown origin. Had no history on Sugar.
Sugar would be with me for 15yrs. When she developed mobility issues in old age, I put my mattress and box springs directly on the floor so she wouldn't have to try and jump up onto the bed. My "Sugar baby".

Next was Rowdy. Came to my house in bad shape one night. Sugar Alerted and I took Rowdy in.
Several weeks later, I found Rowdy's owner who lived two blocks away and from where Rowdy had escaped.
Well, Rowdy kept escaping from the guy's house so often and coming to my house, the guy just finally gave me Rowdy.
Rowdy was an intense, no nonsense, all business, focused, determined and efficient "man" dog that was totally and completely attached and devoted to me. My heart dog.
With Rowdy, I had to take special care to always maintain positive control and he was always close leashed in public. I was worried he may become a liability.
Rowdy was an escape artist and went with me everywhere, while Sugar "guarded" the fort.
Sadly, Rowdy would be diagnosed with a large malignant mast cell tumor when he was only five years old and I had to make a tough decision and let him go.

Three days after losing Rowdy, I realized I couldn't live without an American Pit Bull Terrier and put a deposit down on a dual registered (UKC, ADBA) and pedigreed puppy.
Mason was delivered seven weeks later by a dog transporter from Massachusetts. Sugar raised Mason.
Mason is an easy to own dog, except doesn't like cats at all and has a high prey drive.
Mason's bloodline is pure Colby dogs. His pedigree is pure Colby all the way back, with no outs or crosses. He looks like the Colby dogs from the turn of the last century. Owning Mason is like owning a piece of dog history.
I never intended to campaign or breed Mason but as a pup he attended a few sanctioned dog registry events and while he brought home some ribbons, it just wasn't fun for Mason, so we stopped going.

Several years ago, I had an artist put together a piece with Mason, Rowdy and Sugar together and the picture hangs on my bedroom wall.
I see these dogs every night before going to bed and every morning when I wake. And Mason, 12 now, is with me still today and the only one.
The day will come sooner than I'd like, when I can no longer own a dog. That will be a very sad day for me.

That was so nice to read about and the history on your wonderful dogs. The pics are so great, and the piece the artist put together is beautiful!

 

[mrstime]

We like dogs well enough, prefer big dogs, unfortunately here any dog has to be walked twice a day all year. The rules also are that dogs shouldn't be bigger than 13 inches at the shoulder. To us those aren't dogs. So we would rather have cats here. Unfortunately, at the moment we have neither.

 

[BC Flash]

Naturally: Great portrait of your dogs. The artist captured Rowdy's strength, energy and personality.

One of the many reasons (for me) to have a dog is the 2 to 3 daily walks. They are my exercise program, companion, security and best of all they never complain about meals.

Current dog is FLASH, a black & white border collie.

 

[MaryM58]

Have always loved dogs. They're more than "man's best friend" to me. My dogs are family.
Dogs when I was a kid included Sport, Sheba and Toby.
As an adult and especially in the military, was never settled enough to provide a stable home for a pet.
I yearned to have a dog again and wasn't able to until I retired from the military in 2006.

The first dog I got was Sugar. Adopted from the local Humane Society. Mixed breed, unknown origin. Had no history on Sugar.
Sugar would be with me for 15yrs. When she developed mobility issues in old age, I put my mattress and box springs directly on the floor so she wouldn't have to try and jump up onto the bed. My "Sugar baby".

Next was Rowdy. Came to my house in bad shape one night. Sugar Alerted and I took Rowdy in.
Several weeks later, I found Rowdy's owner who lived two blocks away and from where Rowdy had escaped.
Well, Rowdy kept escaping from the guy's house so often and coming to my house, the guy just finally gave me Rowdy.
Rowdy was an intense, no nonsense, all business, focused, determined and efficient "man" dog that was totally and completely attached and devoted to me. My heart dog.
With Rowdy, I had to take special care to always maintain positive control and he was always close leashed in public. I was worried he may become a liability.
Rowdy was an escape artist and went with me everywhere, while Sugar "guarded" the fort.
Sadly, Rowdy would be diagnosed with a large malignant mast cell tumor when he was only five years old and I had to make a tough decision and let him go.

Three days after losing Rowdy, I realized I couldn't live without an American Pit Bull Terrier and put a deposit down on a dual registered (UKC, ADBA) and pedigreed puppy.
Mason was delivered seven weeks later by a dog transporter from Massachusetts. Sugar raised Mason.
Mason is an easy to own dog, except doesn't like cats at all and has a high prey drive.
Mason's bloodline is pure Colby dogs. His pedigree is pure Colby all the way back, with no outs or crosses. He looks like the Colby dogs from the turn of the last century. Owning Mason is like owning a piece of dog history.
I never intended to campaign or breed Mason but as a pup he attended a few sanctioned dog registry events and while he brought home some ribbons, it just wasn't fun for Mason, so we stopped going.

Several years ago, I had an artist put together a piece with Mason, Rowdy and Sugar together and the picture hangs on my bedroom wall.
I see these dogs every night before going to bed and every morning when I wake. And Mason, 12 now, is with me still today and the only one.
The day will come sooner than I'd like, when I can no longer own a dog. That will be a very sad day for me.

Beautiful Dogs, Will be sad when you no longer can have a dog...

 

[Della]

Great story and fabulous pictures of you and your dogs!

Like you, we couldn't have a dog during my husband's 22 year Air Force career. When we were sent to England, I felt so sorry for friends who had dogs that had to be quarantined.

From my third birthday until I grew-up and left home I had a huge, beautiful Irish Setter and I had always planned to get another setter when we finally retired. I looked in the newspaper for setter puppies and couldn't find any, but someone in the neighborhood did have dachshund puppies, so I foolishly said, "Oh lets just go look at the puppies." Of course we came home with one and after she died of old age, "I couldn't live without" a dachshund, so we're on our second one now. Breeds as well as dogs in general can be so addictive!

 

[davey]

let's see if I can put a photo of Lucky on here]
here's my best mate Lucky by name and chance! - FIL heard a whimpering at 4am and went to front lawn and there was lucky almost unable to survive - he had just been dropped there forsaken. Fil being a kindly man fed him by pipette for a few weeks until he recovered strength. He final handed him over to us at about 9mths old and this is him full size. He can fight if he needs but his normal disposition is friendly fella always looking for handout food drops! - he lives with me in my granny flat and I really cannot imagine life without him - he loves being invited into the bedroom in the evening to lie besides my bed. His main aim in life is to eat as much as he can. I once food him in the bush eating a youngish dead joey - one back leg had vanished and I had to gently prise him off the rest - take him home to his annoyance then return and bag the rest of the joey and put it in a large scoop bin. to this day don't know if he found it dead or brought it down on the run?

must mention the little fella - he was I think called scruffy and belonged to another rellie!! but they got on so well of course!

 

[hollydolly]

Great posts.. I love dogs as most of you know.. Had one growing up..King a German shepherd.. and then when DD was small we had a Border collie ( Jenny) and a Jack Russell. ( jess)

I haven't had any dogs since.. because I had to work, and wouldn't leave a dog alone... . My DD however , became a Dog groomer, and her partner was /is a Dog Trainer.. and between them they had many dogs ( My adored and adoring grandfurkids).. many breeds, many rescues among them too.. all but 3 of them gone to Rainbow Bridge now.. but never forgotten. I have one of them buried in my garden complete with remembrance Plaque..

These 3 are still alive... this is Digs he's 13.. a Cockapoodle..

The black one is Stan he's a miniature Labradoodle.. age 14.. and now suffering from dementia.. bless his little paws..

..and the third still alive is even smaller, and she's a 13 year old Chihuahua (pixie )

..and she's as active as a 6 year old..

 

[Naturally]

Sugar and Mason ... I sure do miss the Sugary one ... I'd like a do over for the 15yrs with her