I bumped into a dog park patron I hadn't seen for a while. She inquired about Skally. She is amazed! Not only about Skalatia (one of her nicknames, along with Marie - from Everybody Loves Raymond...there are just too many similarities!) but about Rusty, Simon and Samson...She hasn't been around since before Samson came into our lives. It's amazing how things change in 3 years! Even 5!
I was content with only one dog, Syd, but then I realized he needed a partner in crime, so to speak. It's just not right, in my humble opinion, that dogs should be alone during the day when I'm not home. So, eventually we met Skally (Syd was nearly 3). This was not a match made in Heaven - Syd had been King of the Castle, and now Skally, who outweighed him by at least 2x, came in and added the woman's touch. She also kept winning in the chase for the ball - so Syd stopped playing in a very short time.
After Skally came Cubby - who we'd known since he was 3 months. Cubby and Skally were best buddies. And the three of them, actually, played and wrestled, tug-o-war, ran, barked, etc. together. But Syd was still his own personality, and once he'd had enough he'd part ways from us and go his own.
After Cubby's death, there was a heavy pall on the house. Skally and Syd both missed him terribly, as did I. And then Syd was stricken with cancer. When he died, though, Skally sniffed my arm where his head fell when he passed, smiled at me, then ran around the yard barking as if in jubilation. I couldn't figure it out.
For a year I had only Skally. She loved all the attention she was getting - but something was really missing. Eventually I realized there was the necessity to find a partner for her. So, I looked for an older dog; a bigger dog. My intentions were to have both dogs for a few years, then have some time to myself. HA!
I found Rusty (see the first posts), and the two of them had to find their rhythm. They did, in ways I never imagined. Today they love setting off the barking at me together, as if singing - smiling and watching one another.
Then came Sammy - and there was another spark of life in the house. And now Simon.
Things have changed for the better. There are days when I wonder about my sanity, but these guys are such wonders! Yes, they can be demanding, but they also take care of one another (Simon is a food thief - so he needs watching!). I know that if one were to vanish the others would be at a loss. I include myself in that lot.
We have become a pack. If I take a poo bag to the trash in the park - they are all watching and following. If I go running through the park, they all follow. The only one not to lick my face is Skally (she's not licked my face in at least 9 years, and even then I'd only received 8 licks, total).
There is a closeness and a bonding. Even Simon and his quirks are accepted by the others. He and Skally enjoy each others' company, and Samson loved launching into him.
Simon has his balls. Skally has her fence fighting. Samson has his stuffed animals. Rusty has me (I swear without me none of these guys would do much of anything around the house).
They're all so quirky! Skally has no problem going outside no matter the weather. Sunday was sunny and then rainy - Skally wen t out. I went to take care of my mother, so left the back door open for the others, just in case. Only Skally had gone outside. The others were dying to go out when I came home to use the facilities. No kidding.
I feed them, walk them, speak to them, read to them...and we're a family. It's the little things that help create the whole, here.
I was content with only one dog, Syd, but then I realized he needed a partner in crime, so to speak. It's just not right, in my humble opinion, that dogs should be alone during the day when I'm not home. So, eventually we met Skally (Syd was nearly 3). This was not a match made in Heaven - Syd had been King of the Castle, and now Skally, who outweighed him by at least 2x, came in and added the woman's touch. She also kept winning in the chase for the ball - so Syd stopped playing in a very short time.
After Skally came Cubby - who we'd known since he was 3 months. Cubby and Skally were best buddies. And the three of them, actually, played and wrestled, tug-o-war, ran, barked, etc. together. But Syd was still his own personality, and once he'd had enough he'd part ways from us and go his own.
After Cubby's death, there was a heavy pall on the house. Skally and Syd both missed him terribly, as did I. And then Syd was stricken with cancer. When he died, though, Skally sniffed my arm where his head fell when he passed, smiled at me, then ran around the yard barking as if in jubilation. I couldn't figure it out.
For a year I had only Skally. She loved all the attention she was getting - but something was really missing. Eventually I realized there was the necessity to find a partner for her. So, I looked for an older dog; a bigger dog. My intentions were to have both dogs for a few years, then have some time to myself. HA!
I found Rusty (see the first posts), and the two of them had to find their rhythm. They did, in ways I never imagined. Today they love setting off the barking at me together, as if singing - smiling and watching one another.
Then came Sammy - and there was another spark of life in the house. And now Simon.
Things have changed for the better. There are days when I wonder about my sanity, but these guys are such wonders! Yes, they can be demanding, but they also take care of one another (Simon is a food thief - so he needs watching!). I know that if one were to vanish the others would be at a loss. I include myself in that lot.
We have become a pack. If I take a poo bag to the trash in the park - they are all watching and following. If I go running through the park, they all follow. The only one not to lick my face is Skally (she's not licked my face in at least 9 years, and even then I'd only received 8 licks, total).
There is a closeness and a bonding. Even Simon and his quirks are accepted by the others. He and Skally enjoy each others' company, and Samson loved launching into him.
Simon has his balls. Skally has her fence fighting. Samson has his stuffed animals. Rusty has me (I swear without me none of these guys would do much of anything around the house).
They're all so quirky! Skally has no problem going outside no matter the weather. Sunday was sunny and then rainy - Skally wen t out. I went to take care of my mother, so left the back door open for the others, just in case. Only Skally had gone outside. The others were dying to go out when I came home to use the facilities. No kidding.
I feed them, walk them, speak to them, read to them...and we're a family. It's the little things that help create the whole, here.
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