Our First Dogs - Page 2

Thanks, she was about 4 years old in that picture, she's 32 now!  (How'd that happen?) jackie harris

I know what you mean Jackie, my "baby" will be 30 in July!  I can't figure out how they got to be the same age as me!

My first dog wasn't mine. :-) He was a black Cocker Spaniel named Blacky (how original). He lived down the street and terrorized the neighborhood, but adored me.

Female German Shepherd, Queenie.   I was about 3-4 when we got her I am guessing, I don't actually remember that part. She would become what I always held as a standard for dogs.  She was hard to handle in many respects, could get out of the garage through the heavy garage door that my older brother and I had a hard time opening.  Leaped our 5 ft fence and concerned our neighbors as I remember my mom always saying.  I remember trying to ride her like a horse, that did not go over but she was incredibly tolerant of my brother and I.  We had a very dog rich neighbor hood, a large male gsd next door that was terrifying.  I am sure he was a protection dog as he was owned by a Japaneese man and this was shortly after WW2.  He was hard with this dog, but probably needed to be.  Two Dobermans two houses down that no one messed with.  Old school Dobies.  A Colie that was what they were supposed to be a few houses down the other way and a pitbul across the street about 4 houses down.  These were all great dogs, all strong and all seemed to be very capable.  A good friend also had a Boxer, also a nice dog.  Our neighbor hood was filled with kids, seemed like most houses had 3 kids with two boys and a girl.  Great time to grow up with dogs.  One of my jobs was to go to the garage side door and let her out each morning to go in the back yard.  For the life of me I cannot find the old pictures of her so this is a dissapointment.  She was not the rich deep pigmented dogs of today, lighter and a sable.  I remember birds sweeping down and diving at her.  Rin Tin Tin would become my all time faorite show.  So much to give and expect so little in return.

German line black & tan female GSD named Schatzie (back in the 1960/70's). What a lovely dog she was, and as smart as they come. She was my best friend and I miss her to this day.

When I was younger we only had cats. My parents ended up getting a divorce and both remaried so my brother and I went back and forth pending weekends, luckily we were left up to decide if we wanted to go over or not. I primarily lived with my dad but one weekend I was over with my mom and she told me to hop in the truck. I got surprised with a German Shepherd/Rottie mix who we named Max - much to my dismay. He was very boxy and had the sable colouring of a GS and a black mask. We had bonded so quickly. They had actually warned me that the dog would be closest to them probably because they would be taking care of it most of the time, I love to say that he was my dog. I think my brother got jealous and snatched him away to his room, he imediately pee'd on my brothers bed and then he gave him back. LOL Though, I don't even remember why they got rid of him, they just did it behind my back. I was livid. Then they got a Boxer, got rid of it, then a chihuahua then gave her away. Needless to say I didn't inherit my families "animals are expendable" attitude. So I never really got attached to any dogs after Max.

So my REAL first dog who has made it to one year is Lukas, because I would kill somebody if they took him away.  :)

When I was staying with my grandparents our neighbors had a black German Shepherd named Gar who I constantly gave treats to. We'd always kick balls into their yard and I'd be the only one to jump over and get them because everyone else was scared of him. I think I actually unintentionally had him Heel with me every time I went into their yard.

A mongrel dog named Star was our first dog...She wasn't all that smart, but she was pretty sweet....The dog I remember best was Dakota, the collie that came to live with us, though we didn't want him...Right about the time she was with us, was when that Collie came to live with us.  He wouldn't leave, and when the neighbor's GSD came after me one day (to be truthful, I'd teased him, so I had it coming) and bit me on the leg, that Collie came out of nowhere and tore into that GSD, fought him off me, and then escorted me home.

For a period of time, he was our beloved pet, until he vanished from our lives, just as he'd entered it, about three years later.  Dakota was owned by a wealthy family, we found out by the tattoo on his belly, but he seemed to be bored there, and went from one home to another, bringing joy and love whereever he went.  They told us to keep him, but he had other ideas...He helped me get over my fear of dogs (stupid to tease a big GSD when you're afraid of dogs in general, huh?).  After him, I found that I loved the Collie breed (not the grooming, though) and that I loved the GSD.  He was the older style Collie, with the more almond shaped eyes, and not so strange looking head...We loved him dearly, and we cried when he vanished.  He was an awesome dog, though he never stayed anywhere...Would and did find a way to escape no matter what you did, once he decided to move on:-)

Crys