2010! It’s a new year beginning! And, for our family, a new dog,
which carries on an old family tradition. Our twin son, Greg has
acquired
”
Carbo,
”
a dachshund, a wiener dog. Thus, the reference to
carbohydrates.
2010! It’s a new year beginning! And, for our family, a new dog, which carries on an old family tradition. Our twin son, Greg has acquired “Carbo,” a dachshund, a wiener dog. Thus, the reference to carbohydrates.
Over the years our family has been owned by several dogs. They came in many sizes and shapes from little dogs like Chihuahuas, poodles and Maltese to big dogs like Great Danes and Lab mixes. Yet, and to the contrary of what you may think, being owned by a dog is really a wonderful experience. Through 50 years as our family matured together; we always thought it was wonderful.
As humans, we all maintain the mistaken idea that we are our dog’s master. Not so; just think about it. Who has to feed the dog; let it out to relieve itself; walk and run the dog? Doesn’t your dog communicate his necessities with a whine, bark or nudge? Of course! Well, then, who owns whom?
But, to our first master.
In a weak moment during the 1960s, I visited my neighbor who gave me his last profits from his defunct French poodle kennel. Seriously, dogs are really tricky. Even tiny baby dogs! I looked at this ball of fur and became an emotional sponge. I, Dad, could not resist bringing home a special tiny poodle. He looked at me! I looked at him! That’s all it took.
My girls and boys “oohed!” and aahed!” They questioned, “Can we really keep him?” Well, of course. Dad had chosen a master! And, Charley became the master of our entire family.
He was exceptional. He understood our human speech. He knew when we talked about traveling in the car. Secretly, Charley would slink to the car and hide under the seat. Time after time, when we were miles from home, we would discover him. What a master!
Unfortunately, when we moved to a new home, he became lost, was hit by a car; and was taken to the SPCA. Three days of searching led us to the pound and we found his bandaged body. Many expensive operations later resulted in a three-legged dog. As time progressed, Charley’s mastership began to fade.
In the mid-1970s, our other twin son came under this spell when he was proffered a small Great Dane and Lab mix. Brad succumbed. Actually, this sand colored puppy with gigantic paws looked Brad in the eye and Brad had no resistance. Brad brought Ralph home. A look was all it took!
Ralph, the puppy, became the great half Dane, half Lab master. Actually Ralph did what he wanted, as masters do. Should I be watching TV and not watching Ralph, I might receive a great shock. He loved to leap on my lap – all 50 pounds of puppy and gigantic paws. Quickly, Ralph became the great king of our family. We loved and adored him.
As time elapsed, our family concluded that Charley had to come to finality. Greg, our family’s only brave heart, took Charley to our veterinarian. None of the rest of us could.
Thus, Ralph became the second owner of our family, who not only needed the companionship of those who loved him, but also needed to perform the spectacular.
Ralph knew no bounds. He loved many females, but always returned to Sassie, a black Lab. One day, Sassie’s house owner called twin Brad in a frenzy. Ralph had gone through a partially opened sliding glass door to Sassie. Sassie’s owner had found them together in his family room.
These two brought forth many Lab puppies. However, the most important was a black puppy. Ralph and his new son, Billy Bob, romped for four or five years, together.
In the early 1990s, Ralph required a surgery on his hips to relieve arthritis. Supposedly, this was a temporary fix. Nevertheless, the condition worsened and the family decision was made. Again, for the second time, only Greg could perform the loving, long good-bye as he took Ralph to our veterinarian.
Billy Bob, the son of Ralph, cried for weeks, missing his father. Tell me that these animals don’t miss their friends and mentors. Tell me that humans don’t miss the companionship of animals, long gone. Yes, Billy cried for weeks when he lost his father. So did we.
Billy Bob was the last wonderful master of our family. Billy cuddled with us. Billy kissed us. Billy loved us. He was our absolute love.
His father lasted 13 years. Unfortunately, Billy Bob’s genes were not much better than his father’s.
Greg performed his third trip to our veterinarian for Billy’s demise.
During this past decade, our daughter’s small white Maltese, “Rascal,” was loved and adored by all until his peaceful end.
But now, a new decade begins with a new dog master, “Carbo.”
The tradition continues.
Burton Anderson, Purple Heart Korean War Marine, B.A., M.A. degrees, junior college instructor, 32 years in aerospace industry, retiring from contract negotiation in 1992. He can be reached at
ba****@ao*.com
.
