ToT: My 4-legged Family

TOPIC:
Pets-do you have them?  Why or why not?  Dogs, cats, birds, snakes?  What do they provide for you...affection, a sense of security, a playmate for your kids?  Provide pics please.

Do I have pets.  What a silly question.

Morgan.  Morgan again.  Maxx.  Oliver.  Oliver again.

Follow those links for lots of cute doggie photos and stories.  You know you want to.

When I was around 5 years old, my mom got my brother and I a dog.  His name was Champ and my brother and I tried to kill him.

I should probably clarify.

We didn't PURPOSEFULLY try and kill him.  We just loved him enough to try and kill him.  (Sort of like Of Mice and Men.  Poor Lennie.  Poor, poor Lennie.)  I wanted to hold the puppy.  My brother wanted to hold the puppy.  I had the front half.  Tony had the back half.  And we were both pulling. 

The dog lived and had a long life in the backyard of my grandparents after my mom decided that he would probably suffer an ill fate at our house. 

When I was around 10 years old, I had a hermit crab.  His name was Emo.  You know, after the famed Indy Car driver Emerson Fittipaldi.  You know...because hermit crabs are really slow and Emo won the Indy 500 in 1990.  It was tongue in cheek.  I had that sense of humor even at age 10.

After that, I probably had a few goldfish, but no other pets to really speak of.  My dad and his wife had cats that I ended up being pretty allergic to.  I never really thought of them as MY pets though.

Chris is a dog person.  He informed me when we were dating that he would have a dog someday.  And then have a dog we did.

Enter Morgan.  Captain Morgan was his full name.  We raised him up from around 9 weeks old.  He was a police dog's puppy...a German Shepherd.  His dad was a stray lab. 

Morgan taught me how to be responsible for another life.  I still credit him with the fact that I felt confident that I could be a good mom one day.  He was my baby, my protector and my best friend.  I still think about him almost everyday and talk about him incessantly.

Morgan needed a friend.  Enter Maxx.  Maxx came from the Monroe County Animal Shelter.  He was a shepherd looking dog that apparently got thrown in the pound by his former owner for chewing up things and getting into the trash. 

He chewed up what seemed like our entire house.  He even chewed the arm of a leather recliner down to the wood.  IN LESS THAN 2 HOURS.  After some training and some growing up, he became the baby of the family.  A cuddler and snuggler.  I still think about him a lot when I'm trying to get Oliver to sit by me. 

Maxx' life was way too short.  Maxx was 6 when he left us and he was happy up until the moment when he passed.  I learned many many things from Maxx.

A few months after Maxx' death, Morgan started to act out.  He was lonely and bored.  Enter Oliver.

Oliver also came from the Monroe County Animal Shelter.  He was set to be euthanized less than a week later. 

Oliver has been one of the craziest dogs I've ever known.  He is so quirky that he almost seems normal...if that even makes sense. 

Oliver and Morgan were buddies.  Oliver kept Morgan young and Morgan kept Oliver in line.  I still swear they had a system worked out that Moe would stop Ollie from doing bad things and Ollie had to pay Moe in dog treats.

Morgan left us in 2011.  Ollie has been an only dog now for just a little over 2 years.  He's okay with it, but he seems like he's starting to want some companionship.  He spends time with other dogs now (our friends' dogs) and I think he'd like some company.  As soon as we get a fence at our new house...which will be this spring...we'll start looking at the shelters for a new friend.

I think every pet provides something different.  Morgan provided me with a sense of responsibility.  He was also my protection when I was alone in the apartment complex.  It wasn't terrible there, but it was nice having a giant mean looking dog (who was actually awesome unless you tried to hurt me) to make me feel safe. 

Morgan - my first dog child and my bestest friend ever.  I miss him everyday.

 

 

Maxx provided me with love.  Maxx was the epitome of a loving dog.  He gave kisses and wagged his tail even when he was getting into trouble.  He cuddled.  He loved.  He loved every PERSON and every DOG he ever met.

Maxx - look at that face!!  How can you not love that dog?!?

 

 

Oliver has provided me with mostly headaches.  JUST KIDDING!!  Ollie is a good boy, especially now that he isn't a crazy lunatic anymore.  Ollie has taught me a great deal about patience and deep breathing exercises.  Plus...Ollie LOVES Jayna.  He's really her dog.  He sleeps outside of her room.  He follows her around.  And he lets her dress him up and put clothes on him.  He'd be lost without her.  I'm sure that's true the other way around also.  Ollie ran away from me at the new house one night last week and Jayna cried because she thought he was running away forever.  He came right back, but it was still scary for Jayna.

Oliver - can't you just SEE the crazy?!?  This dog is a lunatic.  And quirky to beat all quirky.

 

 



Do YOU have pets?  Dogs?  Cats?  Kangaroos?  Tell me about them in the comments!!  And then go check out the other ToT ladies pets in the sidebar to the right!