The Dog Blog

I fell down the social media rabbit hole this week, checking on a few formerly known associates, or as some people call it “Facebook stalking.”  No harm, no foul.  Just checking on some people that I used to know, and fell out of touch with for one reason or another.

My internet travels brought me to a picture of a young (ish) man and his dog.  I knew him as a fun loving guy that  – at one time – was like family to me.  I studied the picture for a few moments and thought to myself, “Damn, I miss that dog!”

What can I say?  I’m a dog person.  Always have been, always will be.  “You care more about dogs than you do about people,” my mom would say scornfully, like there should be shame in that or something. 

My family moved to a new town the month I turned three years old. I have two memories from the ‘old house.’ One is a disjointed memory of something exciting happening in the kitchen and causing a hub-bub. I see myself hiding under the kitchen table. The second one involves me sitting on the floor at the house of my brother’s friend and stroking the soft, silky tummy of a red dachshund named Rudy.

I reconnected with my brother’s friend some 40 years later – thanks to Facebook – and he recently sent me a picture of Rudy – my first love.  I cannot express how thrilled I am to have a picture of that guy to go with my treasured memory.

My mom grew up afraid of dogs and was always cautious of wandering neighborhood dogs.  Not me. Unlike today when any dog unattended for five minutes or more finds his picture posted on social media with the headline ‘dog loose on Main St. near the Marathon station,’ there were often dogs roaming around our small town.  My favorite escort up and down Elizabeth Street was Rex.    I’m not sure if he was a mutt or specific breed.  In my childhood memory, he is medium sized, with course red hair.  He lived on Elizabeth Street with five human brothers and had free run about town.  I loved bumping into him and giving him a quick rub down.  He thanked me by accompanying me to my destination – usually school.

When I look back on memories of being a kid hanging out with friends, walking to school, or visiting people with my parents, my memories always include The Dog. In fact, as far as people that were my parents or siblings’ friends are concerned, I’m more apt to remember the dogs than the people.

I knew too many dogs that lived on a chain – Candy the Springer Spaniel, Susie the Beagle – dogs that weren’t a part of the family, but rather hunting dogs that were chained to a doghouse at the back of the family’s property. My heart hurts for them when I look back and realize how lonely their lives were. No wonder they were so glad to see me – see anybody – who would sit down with them, rub their ears, and stroke their tummies. Whenever I went to visit a friend who ended up not being at home, I would head out to the backyard to check on my other ‘friend,’ the resident dog, and while away some time giving out love.

Here’s a big shout out to all of my lifelong dogs. I see you Junior, Brandy, Candy, Tina, Peaches, Susie, Manda, Sheena, Addie, Fifi, Sissy, Herbie, Curlie, Muffy, Ginger, Pookie, Bean, Shooter, Benson, Moose, Taffy, Eli, Sukoshi, Molly, Cricket, Cody, Clyde, Jake, Hogan, Popsi, Trudy, Rudy I and Rudy II, Katie, Lady, Pup, Scamp, Lily, Frank. Dugan, Rex, Tony, Chewy, Sparky, Midnight… I love you!