This week I can celebrate my “gotcha” day for Frankie. Seven years ago I found myself without a dog after my sweet Oscar died of bone cancer. Oscar was only seven. Oscar was the next thing to a perfect dog, and I had hoped to have him for a few more years, but cancer is no respecter of age in people or dogs. I had planned to wait a while to get another dog even though my walks out on the farm suddenly seemed very lonely since I’ve had this or that walking dog with me all my life. When I got Max, a lab, some years ago, he was a very small pup, but I took him on walks with me. When he got tired, I would carry him for a while.
Oscar passed over the rainbow bridge in mid-October that year. After a couple of weeks, my granddaughter started hunting online for a new dog for me. She found one named Reuben at a nearby humane shelter and wanted to go with me to check him out. So, how do you say no to a granddaughter? I don’t think I know how to do that. LOL.
Anyway, off we went to the shelter on the day before Thanksgiving that year when she was off school. Reuben was a cute dog. Very energetic. But he didn’t seem too interested in getting to know me when we went out into one of the pens to get acquainted. I took a walk around to look at the other dogs and noticed a dog the shelter had given the name Tyson. He had been picked up as a stray and was just that day available for adoption since they keep the dogs for a period of time to give any owner time to claim them. They had also just neutered him.
He stared through the wire mesh gate of his cubicle seeming to say “How about me?” I’m a sucker for a dog with wavy hair, so we asked to take him out for a walk. Not good at all on the leash, but in the little enclosure where we could turn him loose, he kept coming back to me, wanting to be petted, putting his head in my lap. I had found my dog.
My niece had a dog named Tyson and I didn’t think it fit this dog anyway. So, when I went back on the Friday after Thanksgiving and somehow got him in the car, I changed his name to Frankie. I should have known what I was getting into after that struggle getting him in the car and then driving home with one hand on the wheel and the other hand holding Frankie away from me. Yes, I did start out with him in the back of the van. The seats were no barrier to him as he wanted to ride up front. In my lap. Or perhaps he just wanted out of that car. Seven years later, we can finally get him in the car when he has to go to the vet with me pulling and my husband pushing. For the first few years he went berserk at the mere thought of getting in a car. I decided maybe it was because he’d been dropped by his former owners and deserted.
The humane shelter people told me he was two or three years old. He weighed 55 pounds at the time. Just the size dog I wanted and I was happy he would be out of his puppy days. The humane shelter people were wrong! Frankie was a wild teenager ready to chew anything and everything, didn’t know the word no, and gained 45 pounds in the next few months. He might have been 8 or 9 months old.
Frankie has been an adventure ever since. He likes to hunt anything that will run from him. If he spots a stray cat out in the field, it’s a mad race to chase it up a tree. He has given my feral cat, Mama Mia, a scare or two when he got away from me. He loves people and the sound of a kid in a neighbor’s yard is a temptation he can’t resist. He forgets that he’s supposed to be walking with me and goes wherever he wants. Most of the time he watches and follows me if nothing tempts him in another direction. But oh, the temptations out there for a dog like Frankie.
In spite of our large farm, I have to keep him on leash when we go walking until we are well away from the neighbors’ houses and even then, like this morning, he will sometimes take off, disappear, and then turn up in their yards doing some exploring and potentially bothering their chickens and ducks. So far, he hasn’t brought home a duck.
My daughter says that at least I get the benefit of some weight training when I tussle with him to make him do what I say. Sometimes I have to run to catch him although that is mostly just exercise for me since he can outrun me with no problem. Since I’ve had Frankie, I’ve rarely needed an alarm clock. He is ready to be up and at ’em early every morning. Maybe best, he gives me plenty of stories to tell, and Marley loves him.
For sure, Frankie is one of a kind, a dog with a mind of his own. Could be he needed a better trainer than I am, but he is a sweet fellow most of the time. He just needs some adventure in his life and he’s not afraid to go out and find it on his own.
Have you ever had a dog or cat that had a mind of its own? Do their adventures or Frankie’s make you smile?
This is the last post before I pick the winner of my 3 Hidden Springs mystery books. If you’ve already entered, you can get another entry by leaving a comment on this post. If you haven’t entered yet, you still have time to beat the deadline of midnight EST November 26, 2024. Also if you’ve already read the Hidden springs mysteries, Murder at the Courthouse, Murder Comes by Mail, & Murder Is No Accident, you can chose one of my other books instead but you’ll be exchanging one book for three. Remember, books make great presents and it is almost December. You do need to be at least 18 years old to enter. I’ll contact the winner by email on Wednesday and announce the winner here on my next blog post. Thanks for always making it fun to write new posts here.
Comments 38
Frankie sounds like a loveable handful. I have a mini-goldendoodle named Lucy and she is quite the character. I’ve never had a dog quite like her. She’s super smart but very stubborn, which makes training a challenge. I think she and Frankie would be great friends 😉.
Author
If Frankie got together with your Lucy and some of the others mentioned here, I probably would never see him again. He would be having too much fun getting in trouble with all of his new friends. I considered getting a doodle when I was looking for a dog because one of my grandsons is very allergic to dog dander. My granddaughter has a couple of them. One is sweeter than the other one and my grandson still has some allergy issues around them.
Frankie has a wide stubborn streak, but then, I’m not the greatest dog trainer either. I’m sure you will do better and Lucy will learn to do what you say.
I loved your story of your dogs! I am blessed to have 2 wonderful dogs — one old guy, a chocolate lab cross who is starting to get a little feeble and one younger one, a black and white collie cross who is just a big happy girl. Her name is Jenny and she loves to play. Since she also knows how to find her own adventure, I imagine she and Frankie would get along wonderfully. Unlike Frankie, she loves car rides and will jump in quite happily to go visit the vet!
And if you are wondering if Jenny has a job, she does. She barks at any coyotes or foxes she hears and protects our alpacas from them! And to bring it full-circle — we have an alpaca named Frankie!
Author
Fun comment, Teresa. Lab mixes have been my favorite picks for dogs for a long time now. Frankie is probably the fourth mix I’ve had and he looks the least like a lab. I did have one purebred lab that was even registered. Somebody gave him to me. Like Frankie, he had a mind of his own and a tendency to wander around the neighborhood. I needed a fence with him, but I didn’t get one built enclosing our backyard until Frankie. I figured the cost was worth my sanity. I may have shared some of Dub’s adventures on posts here in the past, but if not, I need to.
Good that your Jenny has a job. Some dogs need that. I always loved the look of collies. We had a mix once that had some adventures of his own. We got him as a very young pup. Sounds like I could have inspiration for several more dog posts. 🙂
I love to read your Sunday Morning Coming Down and find out the latest adventures of Frankie and what he gets into or out of. He is an entertaining dog and he does make me smile.
Author
He can add some more interesting moments to our Sunday morning walks, Connie. They might get boring without his hijinks. He’s on a digging streak now, hoping to find moles or rabbits’ nests. What he usually finds is lots of dirt and he leaves a big hole.
Frankie sounds so amazing I had a dog and her name was Lassie she sounds a lot like Frankie have a blessed day!
Author
You have to wonder how many dogs were named Lassie or Laddie after the show Lassie on television, Sarah. Then, I have a Marley that was probably named by his first owners because of the book, Marley and Me. I hope you had fun with your Lassie.
I think most cats have a mind of their own! Still, I do love cats, and most dogs!
Author
The feral cat that has decided to live in my front yard has turned out to be sweet and loves to be petted as long as nobody makes any sudden moves. She’s still very skittish. But cats can be independent and do as they wish. Dogs can be too, but usually want to please their people.
Think you’ve found a winner in Frankie!
Author
A challenge anyway, Wilma, and on most of those challenges, he turns out to be the winner. LOL.
My cat “Trouble” has a mind of her own hence her name. Originally named Oreo it quickly changed. Have a blessed Thanksgiving.
Author
Lucy, I named Lorena’s dog in my Rosey Corner books Trouble, but then Aunt Hattie in the book told them that naming the dog Trouble might make him live up to his name. It worked for the story, but I think the dog that became Scout turned out to be like my Frankie. A good dog some of the time. You went the other way in naming your cat. I’m guessing a cat might like the name Trouble.
I hope you are feeling better after your surgery.
I have not read any of your mysteries and would love to do so. While my husband and I had a fabulous dog in the early years of our marriage, we haven’t had one since because of my husband’s allergies. We do love our grandpuppy Thor, and right now he and his momma are staying with us for a while following her surgery. He’s a little chihuahua that someone gave my daughter; he’s a wonderful companion for her. Since he’s small, she’s paper trained him. While he’ll go outside to do his business, he’s content to take care of things on pee pads. He’s quite lovable and a delight!
Author
That’s almost like having a litter box trained cat, Suzanne. Could be very handy during bad weather. Wouldn’t work for my big guys though. Allergies can mess up having a pet, but glad you can enjoy your grandpuppy. hope your daughter heals quickly from her surgery.
I enjoy all your books but haven’t read these yet. I am looking forward to your next book. Thank you
Author
Well, then if you turn out to be the winner, you can give my mysteries a try, Shirley. They have been pretty popular among my readers.
Thank you so much for reading my stories and I hope you will enjoy the new one, The Pursuit of Elena Bradford when it comes out next May.
We had a dog who showed up out of nowhere and stole our cat’s food. She never left. Our cat’s name was Smokey, so we named the dog Bandit.
Author
Love those names, Diana. They sound perfect for your furry buddies.
I do love your walking adventures with your dogs!! I am a dog lover and also have many stories to tell of “interesting “ times walking dogs.
Author
Dogs can add so much fun to a walk, Nadine. Well, sometimes Frankie adds some irritation too. LOL
Happy Gotcha Day Week to Frankie,Ann! Psalms 68:6 Happy Thanksgiving week to you and your family,Ann! Psalm 100 💜🥳
Author
Hi, Emily. It’s neat how you always have that Scripture reference. I looked these two up. 68:6 talks about setting the lonely in families. Dogs can make great friends and be fun companions for sure. Hope you have a great Thanksgiving too.
I love how you love your furbabies! We are “kindred spirits”. We have 3, all rescues, and we celebrate birthdays and “gotcha days”, too. Frankie and Marley are both handsome boys. Thank you for sharing their stories with us. I particularly enjoy your Sunday morning walks and hearing about your adventures.
PS: I hope you and your family have a blessed Thanksgiving!
Author
I hope you and yours have a wonderful Thanksgiving day and weekend too, Judi. It’s fun to celebrate or at least remember those days when our furry guys become part of our families.
I’m so happy you and Frankie found each other. I had a beloved dog named Charlie when I lived alone after college. I haven’t been able to find another dog since but have a compassionate cat named Leo.
Author
I think Frankie likes it out here on the farm, Dana. Now if I could just get him to stop when I tell him to and to listen better. Still, he is a cute guy and has some endearing qualities along with the irritating ones.
A compassionate cat is a good pet too.
We have had a dog now for several years…but have babysitting setting duties for granddogs ! We both love dogs and have really enjoyed your stories about Oscar and Frankie
Happy thanksgiving to you and your family!
Author
Happy Thanksgiving to you too, Becky. I hope you have so many blessing to count that you will be busy counting unti Christmas.
I have done dog sitting for the kids too. When I do, that gets the dog rooms really full. I havne’t done as much lately but always enjoyed the granddogs when they come to visit.
I knew Frankie’s “gotcha” story, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard Marley’s. I hope you’ll tell that at some point.
Author
I’ll have to do that, Gin. I thinking it might not be as interesting, but then again… It migth be.
My previous dog, Cinders (cocker), found a bag of strawberry-filled hard candies. She hid them all over the house, main floor & lower level. They were in corners, tucked in couches & chairs. We found over 20 of them. The funny thing is one fell out of the sofa sleeper several months later. We don’t think she ate any of them.
Author
That’s funny, Alison. Your cocker could have had fun with some bones and a soft backyard. LOL. He was saving those snacks for a rainy day. It’s sort of neat that she hid them one by one instead of several at a time or perhaps the whole bag.
I love this story! As I have stated before, your Frankie and my Tank are so much alike, right down to their looks! Thanks for sharing your daily adventures with Frankie and Marley.
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They do look so much alike and sleep upside down alike too, Victoria. I hope your Tank is better behaved. 🙂 When people ask me what kind of do Frankie is, I always tell them a lab Australian shepherd mis. I think that’s what you told me Tank was, but I came across of purebred dog online, Hovawart, that looks so much like Frankie that he could have posed for some of the pictures. I had never heard of the breed before and don’t think Frankie is that kind of dog, but it is interesting. https://www.purina.co.uk/find-a-pet/dog-breeds/hovawart
Frankie sounds very sweet! The dog I had when I was a kid was named Buster. We lived out in the country, and some mornings I’d go for a walk. Buster would usually be chasing rabbits, but he would have defended me against anything.
Author
We had a dog named Buster once. He was a shepherd collie mix, Marti. A very good dog. We didn’t live far from my parents and Buster would go visit them all the time. My dad was really fond of him, and my mother thought he was protective of her one day when a couple of strangers stopped in front of her house and seemed a little iffy.