I guess I have always been what they call a "dog person". As long as I can remember, we had one dog or another. It always amazes me the laundry list of breeds of dogs that have shared their lives with my family. There have been Springer Spaniels, Irish Setters, Beagles, Poodles, Cocker Spaniels, Dobermans, Chows and Mutts. My Aunt had Lhasa Apsos. My nieces and nephews have grown up around Golden Retrievers, Keeshounds and what turned out to be a Great Pyrenese! I have even heard stories about a Boxer that I think was around before I was.
The majorit
y of them were fairly large dogs and I always thought I would have a large dog as an adult......Until I was given a Chihuahua! This little girl ended up being my entire world. She was given a rather poor start in life that really didn't get a whole lot better but the amazing thing in all of her problems was the bond that was created between us. You think that you are supposed to be the teacher but, in thinking back, I am amazed at what these creatures have taught me about myself. One of them gave me a big lesson about appearances, some of them, tolerance and the little girl that started it all gave me the biggest lesson of all about not giving up and that even when you think you've got nothing left to give, for the love of a dog you can do anything!
I spent hours, as a 
child, trying to teach our Irish Setter to speak Spanish. (No one bothered to tell me it would be impossible!) The Poodle crowed like a rooster and climbed telephone poles without ever remembering that he couldn't get back down. The mutt was actually part Cocker, part Poodle, part Schnauzer and the one that formed my opinion of dogs thereafter. I remember when she had puppies (11 of them) and I would rock them to sleep on my swing set in the back yard. There are endless stories but in each of them, my part in that relationship was always dwarfed by what I got back from them. They were my best friends when I thought I didn't have any, my playmates, my shoulder to cry on and the one who always understood and loved me anyway.
child, trying to teach our Irish Setter to speak Spanish. (No one bothered to tell me it would be impossible!) The Poodle crowed like a rooster and climbed telephone poles without ever remembering that he couldn't get back down. The mutt was actually part Cocker, part Poodle, part Schnauzer and the one that formed my opinion of dogs thereafter. I remember when she had puppies (11 of them) and I would rock them to sleep on my swing set in the back yard. There are endless stories but in each of them, my part in that relationship was always dwarfed by what I got back from them. They were my best friends when I thought I didn't have any, my playmates, my shoulder to cry on and the one who always understood and loved me anyway. The majorit
y of them were fairly large dogs and I always thought I would have a large dog as an adult......Until I was given a Chihuahua! This little girl ended up being my entire world. She was given a rather poor start in life that really didn't get a whole lot better but the amazing thing in all of her problems was the bond that was created between us. You think that you are supposed to be the teacher but, in thinking back, I am amazed at what these creatures have taught me about myself. One of them gave me a big lesson about appearances, some of them, tolerance and the little girl that started it all gave me the biggest lesson of all about not giving up and that even when you think you've got nothing left to give, for the love of a dog you can do anything!In my opinion, anyone who counts a dog as part of their family or friends, is one of the luckiest people in the world.
Since that first little Chihuahua, my family of furbabies has grown a bit, all of them little (with the exception of one) but every one of them full of love and laughter, mischief and mayhem and I wouldn't change it for the world. Careers have changed, people around me have changed but they are a constant and familiar part of my life and something I am always happy to come home to.
My gang of unusual suspects, as they are called around here, are all very interesting and have quite large personalities and I'm sure have alot of stories to tell. So stick around and listen to some of these stories, I'm sure they will make you smile as they do me.
