November Gratitude Mosaics - D for Dogs

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November 4

My love affair with dogs began in earnest in 1983 when I bought Zack the Crazy Border Collie from a local farmer for $6.  He was just a little black and white butterball in the litter.  Apparently his mother, a working girl border collie had her head turned by a handsome black lab on Friday night. . .Anyway, I brought Zack home to an apartment that did not allow dogs.  We got evicted, forcing me to buy a house which was great.  For 16 years Zack led me for a merry chase as you can imagine.  Border collies are not meant to live in the 'burbs!

In 1985 I adopted little black Frank (named for Frank Sinatra because he had one blue eye).  He showed up at my friend Sherry's basement door on moving day for her.  We were just sure he was a valuable dog so advertised finding him but nobody claimed.  Took him to vet for his first well baby check and found out he was blind in that blue eye and full of worms.  But he and Zack were great buddies.  He lived for 15 years.

In 1991 I moved from Frankfort to Louisville and rescued Dan the Golden (I named him for former Vice President Dan Quayle because, like his namesake, he was very handsome but not so smart). Dan was collateral damage in a divorce.  When I picked him up from the young family that owned him he was tied to a dog house in the middle of a bare yard and stunk to high heaven.  Luckily, he fit right in with our pack and lived for 12 years.

And then trouble came in the form of Willie the Pit Bull Mix in 1997:

Willie and his sister Hallie were found by the dumpster at a Ben Franklin Store by a friend.  She asked me to come over and LOOK at him.  I did, bringing along a milk crate just in case. . .He climbed in that milk crate and in just a few months turned our home into a battlefield.  By the time he was a year old he was the alpha dog.  I was at my wits end because I had never dealt with this canine rivalry.  However, by 2002 he became an only dog with Zack, Frank, and Dans' deaths from old age and disease.  He thrived as an only dog and was my good companion for 14 more years.  I called him my Goodwill Ambassador for Pit Bulls.

Finally, when Willie died in April 2012 I immediately adopted Mr. Personality Chet from the Shamrock Foundation (his former name was Bubbles for the big ones on his butt).  I don't need to say much about him since he appears regularly on this blog and Facebook.  He's a thoroughly modern dog who embraces social media.  When he and I have disagreements, he takes to social media to tell you all what he's having to deal with and get some advice.  I absolutely adore him because he's so stinkin' cute and funny.  Here are some of his baby pics:

My goodness!  If you're still reading this I'm amazed.  Of all the areas of my life that I'm grateful for, living with these five dogs is right up there.  They have been a constant source of joy, humor, and companionship for most of my adult life.

Linking to the November Daily Blog at Myanderings and Mosaic Monday