Happiness Is... - Page 1

Letting a very small, fragile Down's Syndrome boy pet and hug your GSD's and knowing that they won't hurt him.

Okay, I did have to make sure my 8 mo. old puppy was sitting, so she didn't accidentally knock him over as she enthusiastically washed his face with her tongue...

To me, that is what this breed is all about.

I just returned from a 4 day vacation at a trailer park with my new tent trailer. At the camp site next to me was an 8 mo. old Golden Doodle the owner paid $450 for.  The thing had feet like snowshoes, and was totally uncontrollable. If the owner hadn't held it, it probably would have knocked me down. I asked her to let it loose, just out of curiosity, to see what it would do, and it went totally ballistic, jumping around like a fish on the end of its line. She had to call her husband to help her get it under control. And yes, the dog has been to obedience school.

I had many people stop by and admire my dogs, and ask to pet them. Several wanted to know where they could get such well-behaved dogs.  One man was seriously interested in finding a breeder so he could buy a GSD, but when I told him a pet-quality dog from the same female as my pup would cost him $600, he shook his head, and said he wasn't willing to pay more than $200.

Both dogs took turns going out in the canoe with me. For Star, this was only her second time in the canoe, but she did very, very well. I found her better to canoe with than Ranger, as he is much heavier, and if he's sitting off centre, I have to work a lot harder to keep the canoe on an even keel.

Now, gotta throw some laundry in the tub, and get my tired bod off to bed!

Its nice to hear some HAPPINESS on this board for a change...Wonderful Sunsilver, thank you for sharing that with those of us who needed to hear some goodness. You just made my day!

Happiness is: finding an Alzheimers patient who went missing or bringing closure to a family .

The smile on a childs face after he/she is found by my dog and is getting his/her face licked. 

Happiness is just cuddling with my dogs and shutting out all the mean nastry crap that happens in the outside world. The world far away from the comfort of my 3 best 4 legged friends. Actually my best friends.

Sun, Years ago I was at an all breed show showing my bitch in obedience. I had brought her son then about 7 mos along for the outing and exposure. He was a longcoat that I was often crtiicized for keeping because he was a coat. He had energy oozing out of his pores and went thru life at warp 9 literally - when he got older I got him into sheep herding and it literally was the only thing that could get him tired enough to sleep with both eyes shut. Anyway at this show, a family came up and asked if they could pet the doggies. Their family included 2 Down syndrome children and as you know they tend to hug very very tight and be a bit over effusive. My guy sat there as calm and quiet as mouse and gave them gentle soft little kisses on their faces. He KNEW the difference as all good shepherds would.  That is discrimination a word hardly ever used in our breed anymore. That is "shepherdness" and it's worth a million bucks.

When he was right around a year we were visiting my mom at the nursing home ( she had just had her hip replaced) and one of the patients was this tall very thin VERY fragile man who would walk the halls. We certainly did NOT have the heel thing down very well ( this was 20+ years ago and a very different environment on training obed) and as we are scrabbling our way out of the building he spots us and asks to meet the dog. Once again my guy just immediately quieted down and remained calm and steady and gently said hello - thank god 'cause this guy a puff of breath would have blown him over.

One of my favorite memories is again of this guy but when he was just a small pup about 10 weeks old. His grandma was still with us but at 13+ wasn't as mobile as she once was. But the two of them would go out in the yard and he would come and play bow in front of her - she would dance 3 steps to the left and he would take off and zoom around the yard with the puppy yoohas, come back and play bow to her again. She would dance 3 steps in the other direction and off he would go again. I have some great photos and great mind photos of the two of them playing together and it brings a smile to my face every time.

Thanks for a nice thread and bringing up good memories.

Coming home after the crappiest day where nothing on God's green earth would go right and seeing two sets of gorgeous brown eyes looking at me like I'm the best darned thing they've ever seen.

And being able to make the stupid, idiotic mistakes we make on occasion and knowing they will never hold it against you.

Isn't it amazing how they just seem to know when and when not to be boisterous? I had my girl at a shopping center when she too was 8 months and a lady, probably in her 80s, high pitched voice, with her metal walker (everything that might set off a dog) came up and asked if she could pet my "police dog."  I had my pup sit and the lady reached over to pet her.  My girl calmy laid her ears back, looked up at the lady with those big brown eyes, gave her a big "puppy kiss" on the hand, and that big goofy grin.

The lady walked away a with a big smile and it made my whole day!

happiness is... seeing your normally non-stop highspeed 5-month old slow down and creep by untill they get past your friends 15 month old baby : ), of course he quickly but gently sniffed as he passed...wanted to lick so bad ....they do seem to know tho!

VKFGSD--luv the story about your pup and his grandma....boss did that with my 10 year old rat terrier, but my rat won't play back...lol...he just looks at me like "get this crazy youngster away from me!" boss still tries like crazy to get his attention and i think his approval : )

I love these kinds of stories, this is what our breed is all about!!  Thanks for sharing.

VKFGSD, when my first Shepherd, Lilli, was loosing the ability to walk, my roomie's dog would lie down to play with her. They'd 'face fight', snap and nip at each other's faces, with lots of mock growls and whines, interspersed with sneezes as they hit each other too hard on the nose, triggering a sneeze reaction. It was quite funny to watch!

Happiness is a passel of puppies!

www.youtube.com/watch