I was tagged by Greg from Book Haven for the Dog Days of Summer Dog Tag – hosted by Jo’s Book Blog & La La in the Library.
Feel free to tag yourself if you want to join in!
What was the name of your first dog?
Inky – a rottie/shepard mix. She was more my dad’s dog. She was way too rambunctious and rough and I was too small to be around her at the time. She was taller than me and literally grabbed my hair and tugged when trying to play. So obviously I wasn't around her much. She loved my dad more than me anyway. lolThen we had Sheba – a shepard mix. She was a cool dog that went around the neighborhood every morning collecting treats from everyone - in the days when you could do that sort of thing.
MY first dog was Nikki – a Pomeranian. Kevin was in the Navy when we were first married and we got him to keep me company while he was away. It was the first time I had a pet that was all mine and we traveled cross county with him several times. He was an awesome little guy even if he was kind of yippy. hehe
Do you have a dog now?
My two shelties – Indy (bi-black, 14) & Fonzi (sable, 10)
Fonzi is defintely the camera hog and cuddler of the two. He’s my shadow. Indy is too old to care but he is the smartest dog I’ve ever owned. He loves to work or have a task. He’ll bring me remotes, notebooks, pens, laundry…whether I ask for them or not so there’s a slight flaw in all that lol but it’s still cute.
What is your favorite breed of dog?
I’m supposed to say shelties right? Honestly, I love all breeds/mixes of dogs. I’ve volunteered or worked at and managed shelters or worked for vets for many years and I just love them all. For some reason I have ended up with a lot of pure breeds (Papillon, Whippet, shelties) but almost all were rescued from bad situations. My first sheltie, Casey, actually came with the house we bought! lol It was either take him or they were putting him to sleep because there was a divorce. Fonzi came from a friend that passed away and she had asked us to take him. He was a show dog but I got him neutered and he’s a retired couch potato now.
When I worked at a shelter, the absolute cutest puppies I ever saw were Corgie/Rottie mix.
I also LOVE the giant breeds like Mastiff's and Great Danes.
PSA: If you're insistent on having a purebred be sure to check your local shelter/rescue groups!
What is your favorite canine themed book?
Despite my love for animals, I rarely read or watch shows with them. I either get mad at the inaccuracies or the way they’re treated and I’m constantly on edge worrying that something will happen to them
Who is your favorite fictional dog?
Snoopy!
*update: I forgot Zero from Nightmare Before Christmas! I have Zero stuffies and knick knacks all over my house so I'm not sure how I forgot him lol
What is your top movie choice with a featured canine?
My favorite dog movie – which is actually more about their humans – is Best in Show directed by Christopher Guest. It's hilarious!
I also love Frankenweenie by Tim Burton
Bonus question:
Tell us about a personal dog related memory
The woman I got my sheltie's from ran the sheltie rescue for her area and she loved those dogs. She stayed in touch with every rescue after adoption and we all took our dogs there for play dates on a regular basis.
This is a photograph from my favorite visit with her – all those shelties playing together on her property. So happy herding that giant red ball!
My friend passed away last year and I miss her and being able to do this with my guys so much & it's a loss for the dogs who loved her so much.
I loved your dog tales, and of course...Snoopy! Who else? ;D
ReplyDeleteIf I could afford a dog, I would definitely rescue one. Though of course my ex hairdresser (or better, my ex hairdresser's boss) wouldn't approve LOL. She breeds chihuahuas, and I think she populated half my town with them O_O. They're funny little guys and I used to pet them when I got the chance, but I would never buy a dog. Once she dared try to match me with one of them, and when I told her "No thanks, I can't afford to keep a dog, and yes, they're so cute and everything, but if I could I'd rather rescue one" and she looked me like I was clueless or something. Of course, there's a bunch of reasons why she is my sort-of hairdresser LOL.
You can get any kind of dog you want through rescues and even just people looking to re-home their pets for various reasons. My Whippet came from a friend who had to foreclose on her house. The Papillon got hit by a truck and the people didn't want to treat her, my first sheltie was a being put to sleep because of divorce.
DeleteAnd I worked with a group that trained seeing eye dogs. Some failed the training but still made awesome pets that were already trained.
Not to mention that mixed breeds make awesome pets and are usually healthier than purebreds.
*coughs dogs drool, cats rule*
ReplyDeletelol I love them ALLLLLLL!
Deleteah I loved learning how you got your dogs :) Your dogs are so cute. I have kids , so I already have pets lol I agree Best in show is good show.
ReplyDeleteThey're all a lot of work aren't they?? lol
DeleteAw, I love the giant group of shelties playing!! Your dogs are too cute. And that's awful they were going to put Casey down - I would have adopted them too!
ReplyDeleteI have one dog - she's a cutie pie. :)
-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
He used to run loose ,t hen they tied him to a tree and he started snipping at their kids. So when we bought the house we took him too. Poor guy had severe separation anxiety and needed meds but he was a great dog.
DeleteAwww, it's good to learn how you got your cuties Karen. Best in Show sounds really good. I need to scout a copy hehe
ReplyDeleteIt's SO damn funny! look for it!
DeleteOhhh they're ALL so CUTE and adorable. Oh what a smart dog Indy is. I've had lots of dogs especially when I was growing up. My first dog's name was Jou. He was VERY smart. I'm actually feeling like crying now. I had many memories with him. He was a very special dog. Ohh I miss him. :(
ReplyDeleteOh I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry!
DeleteI've had so many pets over the years (cats and dogs) and each and every one hurts when you lose them.
oh I just love SHELTIES....they are the most beautiful dogs. Although I really love huskies too, but I would only have one of those if I lived in Canada or Montana or Colorado. hehe Away from the heat. But ironically, I was attacked when I was a kid, and 90% of the time I get bad panic attacks around dogs. I would love to like dogs. My parents did have a daghshund though. He recently passed away last year from cancer. But he was the only dog I could be around. I even got to choose him from a litter of puppies. I miss him like crazy. But relieved he isn't suffering or in pain anymore.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this.
My dad was bit by a dog and was afraid too. He never wanted pets so I went crazy when I was finally an adult on my own. I rescued ALL the animals! We had 8 at one point (4 dogs & 4 cats).
DeleteI love seeing pics of your dogs on instagram :D
ReplyDeleteThanks. They're silly boys (& Figgy!)
DeleteOh my goodness. I want to say that I can't believe that about Casey but my pup was rescued from a neighbor of mine when we lived in the Mojave desert. I caught him running the desert at sunset (active time for coyotes in our area) and when I tracked down the owner, she said she didn't want him and didn't care if he became coyote food. Needless to say that I went home with a dog that day and made sure to give them and their house the stink eye every time I passed them. I'm glad you were able to take Casey in and give them a good life.
ReplyDeleteI totally believe it. I managed a shelter in farm country and worked as a tech at one in a bigger city - the stories and some of the things I saw were horrific. I hated people for the longest time.
DeleteOMG the play date picture is just out of this world adorable! Indy and Fonzi are two beauties!!! God bless them :)
ReplyDeleteThanks. I love my babies :-)) (& my cat Figment! I feel bad leaving him out but it is the DOG days lol)
DeleteOh my goodness those pictures are so cute!
ReplyDeleteThanks :-)
DeleteYou KNOW I love this post!
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear about your friend. I also have a friend who does breeding and is a responsible breeder. She often also works and encourages people to get rescues and used to help train dogs as well.
Yep, I have/had mutts and purebreds and it doesn't matter to me as long as they are mine. :) You know I love the big guys too and shelties rule (I feel a ghostly paw making sure I wrote that <3). Most of mine were given to me and I cannot fathom someone who would just either give the dog away or have it put down. People sometime just suck so hard. :(
BUT to change the direction of my comment... I LOVE THOSE PICS! Now go and give your pups a treat from me. :)
:-))))
DeleteYeah, people can be frustrating when it come sto animals. We once had a pure bred shih tzu dropped off at the shelter because it didn't match their new couch. GRRRRRR
One reason I never worked in a shelter. I was afraid I would leap over a counter and strangle someone.
DeleteI'm also always baffled when people are surprised that you can get purebreds as rescues. Um... the amount of rescue groups aren't a good enough hint? :p
Now did you give your puppers a treat from me??? Just checking for a furry friend... LOL
Awesome! Cute dogs- that's funny about Indy bringing you things! That could be really useful- sometimes lol. And a dog that comes with the house- you don't hear that every day. :)
ReplyDeleteThat's a great picture with all the shelties playing.
One day, I was in my office, and he brought me the TV remote - left - came back with the tv guide - left - then came back with the glasses I wear for watching tv. Are you trying to tell me something Indy? lol
DeleteHe is quite useful when I drop laundry though!
That's hilarious. He just wanted to watch some TV! Still, that's pretty intelligent to know all those things are related. And dogs are definitely better when it comes to laundry- cats just lay in the basket lol.
DeleteOh yeah...cats = get it yourself lol
DeleteThey really do. I still miss all of mine that I've lost over the years.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a great post Karen, I've always wanted a dog, but just never got around to getting one. My cousin's have a Japanese Akita which I adore, he's pretty big now though, so super tough when taking out on walks!
ReplyDeleteI love Akita's. My friend has one and she's the cutest!
DeleteI've been super emotional this week so it took a few tries before I could come over here and comment. This is a lovely post, I've had dogs all my.life and really can't imagine my life without them. I have had mutts, boxers, silky terrier, and pitbulls. All of them unwanted by others. I always want to take in dogs that no one else wants because I have the time and patience for them that I don't have for people.
ReplyDeleteOh I know you've had a rough few weeks - {{{{hugs}}}}
DeleteYeah me and people...not so much lol Especially after working at shelters and seeing what they do to animals.
Aw your dogs are gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteThank you :-)
DeleteAww this was so cute! My husband and I REALLY want to get a dog, but we are trying to hold off until after we get a bigger house and the kiddo is just a little older. I never had a dog in the house growing up. We always had cats, which is fine with me because I love cats too. lol! I'm a big sucker for all animals. I also used to have a few pet rats. They were so sweet but they don't live nearly long enough and broke my heart every time they passed away. I would love to get a ferret one day too....basically I want a zoo. haha! Great post!
ReplyDeleteMy father was very afraid of dogs so it was a struggle to get one and once I was on my own I went crazy adopting everything lol
DeleteNeat dog tag post. I grew up in a family that had dogs and still do, but since I've been on my own, I've just had cats.
ReplyDeleteYay for Snoopy!!! I'm a big Scooby Doo fan.
Great job with the tag, Karen!
Oh Scooby! I forgot about him. I love him too.
DeleteOMG your shelties are sooo adorable! And Inky! You have/have had such fluffy pups. LOL!
ReplyDeleteThanks. They're so funny. Between them and Figment the cat - they keep me on my toes :-)
DeleteI love animals! I had my own dog growing up, but I have cats now. It's hard to have a dog when you're gone away at work so much. My husband and I end up taking on cats when there's a stray found or when one shows up at our house.
ReplyDeleteYour dogs are so cute, and I admire that you've worked at shelters and taken dogs in that would've otherwise been put to sleep. That's awful about the divorcing couple who would put their dog to sleep if you weren't going to take him! People suck sometimes! Great post, Karen! :)
Thank you :-)
DeleteI have a cat too. I had 4 of each at one point. Too many! lol
Oh, my goodness....
ReplyDeleteI loved reading this so much <3
I have a soft spot in my heart, too, for dogs (rescues especially)--they always have a story and I'm touched when anyone opens their home and heart to a dog that came from a less-than-ideal situation. That said, Best in Show is one of my favorite movies too and who doesn't love Snoopy?! My first dog was named Linus... we considered Snoopy because he was a beagle but he was attached to his blankey so the name suited him better :)
XOOX
Your dogs are so cute! And aww, I have a lot of Nightmare stuff as well, but nothing specifically Zero-themed. He is a cutie though!
ReplyDeleteLOL at your slightly broken working dog. That's too funny. And aw the Fonzi. A camera hog like BabyG :D
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