Let me set the stage then I’ll go into more detail later. My father was brought up always having a dog in the house. I can remember him talking about Lucky with fondness, but I couldn’t tell you its breed or sex, I think it was either a Springer or Cocker spaniel. My mother didn’t like animals and there were none in her childhood; she would tolerate our pets but I never saw her touch them. She didn’t have pets growing up but she did have two sisters and two brothers. Only one of mom’s sisters loves animals, my aunt Teri. She LOVES cats, obsessed really, she’s an Aquarius like me (not sure if that matters). Teri has a daughter who loves animals as well. My aunt Toni has two sons who both love animals and now each have a dog, but they didn’t have pets growing up. Maybe they were influenced by our cats and dogs, I don’t know for sure. My uncles, they never had pets or children so for them this story ends.
Now for more detail.... oh did I forget to mention I have a brother? Oops, that wasn’t by design, I assure you.... John. My brother loves animals as well, when it comes to dogs, the bigger the better. His wife Donna also likes big dogs, I say they are crazy. Not that I don’t like big dogs, but the food, the poop, the hair.... Anyway, after John and Donna got married they adopted Bart, a German shepherd. He was a really nice dog but unfortunately died at 2 years old, my brother was heartbroken. The vet was a real son of a b.... he didn’t care that the dog had died and wouldn’t do an autopsy, which really made my brother angry and me too (hence the name calling). Bart was young and the death unexplained. The vet said it could have been a heart attack, stroke or aneurism.
After a suitable mourning period, they adopted Smokey
the Irish Setter, what a lovely dog, very friendly always coming over to kiss you in the morning. This dog liked to lick EVERYTHING, and one morning Donna called me up to ask if I saw her wedding ring. I told her I saw it on the coffee table. Next thing you know, Smokey is at the vet getting an x-ray. Surgery and a good cleaning later the ring was back on her finger. The insurance company paid for it, because it was cheaper than replacing the ring.... go figure. My brother threw in a neutering; to teach Smokey a lesson. Two kids later and Smokey is still licking everything. Sadly, Smokey had some sort of growth and died, he was around 12, a respectable age for a big dog, I think.
Now, without any pets in the house, this is where the BIG DOGS come in. Donna and John and the kids, Zachary & Allison want a BIG dog, so Candy the Newfoundland mix is adopted. Candy is big but surprisingly light footed, she will sneak in on you in the morning and sniff your face and then leave; you barely know she was there. When my little lab mix Lenny jumps on the bed, he manages to step all over you and give you bruises. Well, Candy isn’t a full sized Newfoundland so they wanted another BIG Dog. Donna calls me one day and says she’s adopting a St. Bernard/Great Pyrenees mix called Moose. Now Moose isn’t finished growing but I think this dog is going to be BIG. I haven’t met him yet but I hear he’s a real terror. Candy tolerates him, but when she’s had enough she lets him know, so I’ve heard. More on other family pets to come.
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