Furkids And Our Family
February 23, 2015 § 4 Comments
The end of February is a favourite time of year. Winter is coming to a close and it’s a tradition in our family to watch the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
Even Mica, our seven-month-old puppy, joined us this year, frequently gawking up at the TV with curiosity at the furkids running into our living room.
This year’s viewing was bittersweet. It’s a year ago later this week that we suddenly lost our beloved Jasper.
If there was ever an example of how much a pooch becomes part of the family, it was Jasper. I’ve written a few times about how Jasper thought he was a human.
My eyes welled up often as I watch the Dog Show as they described the role canines play in watching out for their families while providing amusements for adults and children.
It’s a cliché, but dogs really are humans’ best friends. They are loyal and don’t hold grudges. They’re always ready to make our day. They make you smile, even when you don’t feel like it. They provide comfort and are the best listeners, whether we have tales of woe or happy stories to share.
Shortly after we brought Mica into our home in September, a work colleague, Karry, shared the verse below by author Erica Jong. It perfectly describes what dogs mean to us:
Dogs come into our lives to teach us about love,
they depart to teach us about loss.
A new dog never replaces an old dog;
It merely expands the heart. If you have loved
many dogs your heart is very big.
Joyce and I have been married nearly 29 years and we’ve had a dog almost 27 of those.
First, there was Sammi. She was always nervous and traumatized from shoddy treatment prior to joining our family. She was smart-as-a-whip, the most patient big sister when Peter was a toddler, gnawing on her legs, and the most loyal dog ever.
Then there was Jasper, a golden lab/shepherd/mutt cross. He was once described diplomatically as rambunctious by a neighbour but he wanted to be everyone’s friend. His belief that he was a person was defined by taking up his full third share of our bed.
Mica, a Bouvier-Golden Retriever cross, is still forming her personality, which, much like her fur, is still trying to figure itself out – she was born completely black but now tufts of white are showing through.
Anyone who thinks dogs are just animals has never come home from a stressful day to a happy-faced puppy, wagging its tail, bounding up to greet you.
Here’s to the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show for reminding us of all the various breeds of these fine companions. And here’s to all the joy they bring my family and all the other furparents out there.
The Muse and Views 
Yes! The quote by Erica Jong courtesy of your work colleague, Karry, sums up having fur family members. We (the hubby#1 and me, we) have had four dogs over our almost 28 years marriage and our love for each new fur baby has never diminished the love we had for the predecessors. We will often remark how this bundle of fur does this or that differently or the same as one of his ‘brothers from other mothers’. Not to compare but as an observation. Unabashed love and adoration can only be a good thing and fortunately in our home it flows both-ways.
Someone said “They don’t live long enough, really their only fault” I remember all of the dogs in my life, still love and miss them dearly. I
Your dog is so cute!
This was a comforting read for me, who has lost several pets throughout the years, (including a ‘Sammie’ as well, although she was a cat!) and I am sure your readers enjoy your reflections on being blessed by having a family dog. I loved these two paragraphs:
“My eyes welled up often as I watch the Dog Show as they described the role canines play in watching out for their families while providing amusements for adults and children.”
And,
“It’s a cliché, but dogs really are humans’ best friends. They are loyal and don’t hold grudges. They’re always ready to make our day. They make you smile, even when you don’t feel like it. They provide comfort and are the best listeners, whether we have tales of woe or happy stories to share.”
Basically, your writing makes me want to come home, curl right up to our dog and seek out that total. complete comfort that only a pet can instill!
The following excerpt is also an excellent shout-out to a world-renowned dog show that provides much comfort and camaraderie among dog loves all over the world from this annual event:
“Here’s to the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show for reminding us of all the various breeds of these fine companions. And here’s to all the joy they bring my family and all the other furparents out there.”
My parents loved their dogs too and the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show was a largely anticipated event in our household. They would really, quite literally and fully, ‘love’ every single dog they saw there. What animal other than a dog can evoke such universal love? (Perhaps a cat! In my family the cats have just as much ‘status’ as the dogs.)
May your precious furbaby Jasper be forever in your hearts and memories and may his name bring great smiles to your faces.