Celebrating National Dog Day

“Once you have had a wonderful dog, a life without one is a life diminished.” ~Dean Koontz

Did you know it was National Dog Day? Maybe a better question is did you even know there was a National Dog Day? The only reason I do is because of Facebook. We dog lovers are always ready for a chance to post a picture of our furry buddies. So, dog pictures have flooded social media today. Of course, Frankie and Marley got their pictures on there.

In case you’re curious about why we have a National Dog Day you can check out the National Dog Day website. Some great dog pictures on there. Dogs are such individuals, even those that look alike in the same breeds. And isn’t it fun how you can have a teacup size dog and a monster size dog like a Great Dane that could get a bone off the top of a refrigerator? I prefer the mid-range sizes but I’ve had fun with some of the smaller lap dogs and some of the big old fellows that sometimes still want to be lap dogs.

Here I am with the very first dogs I could call mine. The dog on my right (left in the picture) is Ollie and the one that was really my dog. Poor Blue, the other dog, came on the scene a bit later and never quite caught my heart the way Ollie did. The hardest thing about these two was that they hated each other from the word go. Nothing at all like Frankie and Marley. They weren’t neutered as my dad wasn’t one to have vet bills and that wasn’t as common a thing to do when I was a kid. At least not if you lived out on the farm. But these guys periodically tried to kill one another in a major dog fight. But somehow they always survived. without too much damage. Also, Ollie did not like strangers and I had to tie him anytime we had company. When I started dating, he never warmed up to my boyfriend and future husband. But then he didn’t warm up to anyone but us in the family. But he was my dog and I loved him. I still had him when I married and he and my husband managed a shaky truce.

Then came Buster, a shepherd/collie mix, that looked something like Lassie. Another good dog. This one split his time at our house or at my mom and dad’s house. I was busy with babies without as much time to play with dogs. And Buster loved my dad and my dad loved him. He, too, liked to fight and eventually was caught by two coonhounds going from our house to my parents’ house and was killed. Sad day, that one.

After that we had a several hunting dogs that were my husband’s. Those were never really my dogs but his. I fed them and petted them but again, perhaps I was too busy raising kids. But then, my husband gave me a cockerspaniel one year for my birthday. I had loved cockerspaniels since I first knew one when I was a kid before I got Ollie. Jodie was a wonderful dog. Loved to go walking with me. He was a terror on terrapins and would often relocate them although he didn’t kill them. He was my first inside dog. He had a way of giving you such a welcome whenever you came home from anywhere that you felt especially loved. By the time I got him my kids were getting older and I had time once again to pay more attention to a dog buddy. Lots of great stories I could tell about Jody.

In fact this is getting so long that I think I need to have Dogs I’ve Loved, Part 2 on Sunday night. I’ve got a few furry pals to go. So tune back in on Sunday night or Monday for more dog stories.

Did you post a picture of a dog buddy today? Are you like me with so many dog buddies, it takes you a while to tell about them all? Share a dog story if you’d like to? Love reading your stories.