All my life I have been blessed with the friendship of extraordinary dogs. Their friendship has shaped my entire life and everything I have done. Their humor, wit and loyalty touched my soul and made me a lifelong "dog person". My earliest memories, when I was just a wee baby, was a dog that looked a lot like a ridgeless Rhodesian ridgeback, named Bambi, who disappeared one day and never returned. My parents tried a Kerry blue terrier next, but the dog was a piddling idiot and didn't last a week. They then tried a labrador, but it was field bred and just a lot, and not content as a pet. My folks gave this dog to a field trialer and Nubi went on to do well in trials. We then moved off the farm I had been born and raised on, and moved to Seattle, and to be honest it was the worst experience of my life. I was absolutely lost. My parents brought home a little black and tan dachshund we named Agnus, who was amazing. She assisted my parents in teaching me to respect dogs, by biting me with appropriate force when I needed it. We lost her at seven due to back injuries. As a family we could not do without a dog. We had fenced our yard and my dad had been doing research on a rare breed (1970) called "Rottweiler". There were only about 200 of the breed in America. My dad was a pilot for United Air Lines and took advantage of his travel to visit breeders all over the country. We ended up buying two female pups from a Washington state breeder who would become my first mentor, young as I was. The pups were from German imports, and a LOT of dog. I was 11, and to be honest the one that was mine "Renata" was a high prey drive, stubborn, intelligent, huge pup that was way too much dog for me. I was also in love with the next door neighbor's husky, Tora, who I walked daily. I was in love with the idea of "huskies" and wanted to get into sledding in the worst way. The breeder ended up buying Renata back, and she became a breed champion and absolutely the largest female Rottweiler I have ever seen at 130 pounds. Ready, the other Rottie pup who belonged to my sister, was diagnosed with severe hip dysplasia at 8 months of age. They day we had to euthanize her was one of only two times I ever saw my father tear up. The breeder was absolutely devastated and attempted to give us another dog till the day she died.
The neighbor, who didn't have a fenced yard, sold the husky and we were once again dogless. At this point my parents decided to let me get a dog, and took me to see the last of a litter of yellow labradors, absolutely backyard bred. The last pup, a little female, was so shy she was hiding under the couch. While I was dragging her out and clutching her to my heart my mom was saying "I think we need to go sit in the car and talk about this..." Nope! I had my pup and I wasn't about to turn loose of her. I named her Arrow. She was shy, hated water and the best dog I ever had. I was fourteen, and for the next fourteen years - admittedly pretty important years in a person's life - Arrow was my constant (and I mean constant) companion. Arrow followed me everywhere, off leash, and because she was shy and wouldn't let anyone touch her, it was easy to take her to school, work - anywhere - because she would simply lie by my feet, or right outside the door. Smartest little dog ever. Quite the cat killer and she would dig voles by the hour. I could go on an on. She was with me from the time I was 14 until I had moved to Olympia and was employed as an animal control officer. Went thru everything, and was the reason I never drank or did drugs (though my best friend did both) because I refused to do anything that might make me end up in jail - and put Arrow in jeopardy.
That was the beginning. From there stretched ahead a lifetime with so many amazing dogs.
The neighbor, who didn't have a fenced yard, sold the husky and we were once again dogless. At this point my parents decided to let me get a dog, and took me to see the last of a litter of yellow labradors, absolutely backyard bred. The last pup, a little female, was so shy she was hiding under the couch. While I was dragging her out and clutching her to my heart my mom was saying "I think we need to go sit in the car and talk about this..." Nope! I had my pup and I wasn't about to turn loose of her. I named her Arrow. She was shy, hated water and the best dog I ever had. I was fourteen, and for the next fourteen years - admittedly pretty important years in a person's life - Arrow was my constant (and I mean constant) companion. Arrow followed me everywhere, off leash, and because she was shy and wouldn't let anyone touch her, it was easy to take her to school, work - anywhere - because she would simply lie by my feet, or right outside the door. Smartest little dog ever. Quite the cat killer and she would dig voles by the hour. I could go on an on. She was with me from the time I was 14 until I had moved to Olympia and was employed as an animal control officer. Went thru everything, and was the reason I never drank or did drugs (though my best friend did both) because I refused to do anything that might make me end up in jail - and put Arrow in jeopardy.
That was the beginning. From there stretched ahead a lifetime with so many amazing dogs.
The Dogs That Have Made My Life Wonderful
Smiling Arrow, CD. The dog who taught me that inside a dog is a reasoning, loving, funny little person capable of being truly your best friend. Here she is quite old. I have never seen a dog that shed as badly as she did. Honestly I was picking her stiff little hairs out of my socks two years after she died. She made it to 14. Absolutely the best dog.
Soldat's Bold Challenger, CD, SchH A. My first Doberman and the dog who went through the full 8 weeks of Master Trainer/Instructor Course for police K9s in Bakersfield, CA in 1979. Otto taugh me so damn much. He was a little guy, just 26" tall, but he and I learned together and he offered me serious protection for many years. Died at 7 from dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).