Can’t you?
I think you can… seriously… I have loved and love ALLLLL my dogs to death… to the best of my ability when I had them. Mind you… when I was young and “un-educated” with doggies and their needs, that didn’t mean I loved them any less…
My first guy Brownie… he was a liver and white English Spring Spaniel.. lived to be over 12 years old. I got him when I was 13 years old.. back in 1976. He didn’t eat the best at that time.. he ate dog food mind you.. but he loved “people food” as well. I mean really, which dog doesn’t love people food!! He used to share my pizza with me… he used to get the ocassional scrape of the dinner plate with his food.. he loved spaghetti! But back then, we did the best we could.. I mean.. it was over 30 years ago!!
My second Springer, Brandy, came to us through the SPCA and was pregnant at the time. I didn’t know it. She had 7 beautiful purebred springer spaniel pups. We tried to track her down as to who her breeder was and to see if she was CKC registered by doing the noseprint as she didn’t have a tattoo. But, we came up with nothing… except a sweet dog. She was a beautiful dog.. very family oriented.. but could not be let off leash though.. her recall sucked.. no matter how hard we tried.. lol Oh she would come back… in her own good time after she sniffed everything possible that she could sniff.. lol She was a great dog to have while the kids were growing up. She was one of the laziest springers I have had.. she was quite content with curling up with you on the couch than hiking through the woods. She was a sweetheart.. and I did love her dearly. This was one of her pups that she had.. Toby.
Maggie.. well.. Maggie is still with us.. and we are enjoying every single moment, snuggle, and “Maggie Moments” You do have to watch your fingers now when you give her a treat.. lol She can’t catch them anymore and her eyes just are not what they used to be. She has a hard time judging what is a milkbone and a finger.. lol I personally think that she will be here in the summertime!!! I hope so… there are alot of “soaking up the sun deck moments” to be had!!
My Franklin… well… nuff said.
But.. Wilson…. my goodness… he is a character!! He is so full of energy, I wish I could bottle it! Must play ball.. must play ball NOWWWWW!!!!! He has two ball playing sessions.. in the morning and after supper since we work full time through the day. And you can tell if he has not had his sessions.. he gets very active in the house.. running back and forth with a squeaky.. it is quite funny. Even funnier when you are trying to talk and he runs by you squeaking….
He loves Maggie… I have noticed there are times where he is looking out for her… and if she is in the floor, he will get down of the couch and go lie beside her. When they are outside, he is the perfect gentleman.. he lets her come through the door first… and the same for when we all go for a walk, she goes out first. He is going to miss her terribly when she is gone.
But Wilson… he is the dog that pays attention to ME! Focuses on me!! And only listens to me. I think he is MY dog. I can be standing in the doorway with him in front of me, looking at me, and I at him, and my sweetie could be calling him and he won’t even turn around…. If I am latched into eye contact with him, it takes alot of calling and clapping to get him to turn around. Is this a good thing? Part of me says yes.. and the other part of me thinks he just might be a little “too much” bonded. But, I am his Alpha….. his leader.
Yet… we had a bit of an issue with him starting to become “possessive” of me with other dogs.. When we are walking on the trails.. if another dog comes up, he does a rough growl, bullying, chasing off type of behaviour. When we are playing ball with his orange ball and chuck it.. if another dog comes up he chases them off.. MY BALLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! he growls.. It is getting better.. we are working on it… and it is getting better now that I have told him, showed him that behaviour is unacceptable!
Now.. I don’t know what would happen if we brought another male dog into our home like we tried to do with Charlie.. only time and training will tell with that one…
Meanwhile.. life goes on with te pack here in Canada eh? I can’t believe he will be two years old on April 23rd…. TWO!!! He is not spoiled…. nope.. neither is Maggie.. (lmaooooooooo)
bark atcha later
Yes, I believe you can have more than one heart dog. I loved each and everyone one of my dogs and grieved all of them. Sassy was different, it was the journey that we went on that made it even more special and a deeper bond.
I can’t believe Wilson will be 2 already. He is really really attached to you.
hugs
Michelle & Angel Sassy
Always look forward to your blogs!! This is sooooo delightful to read today!!
I LOVE reading your posts Christine and your blogs are always so enthralling. Yeah, sometimes bittersweet, but YOU are always tucked safely behind every single word sleaking straight from your heart!
I LOVED reading about each one of your heart dogs and getting to know them through your eyes!! You gave each of them a beautiful life affirming tribute.
Brownie, Brandy, Toby, thank you sharing your earth journey with Christine…it was a win/win for everybody!
Is that a BABY MOON BOY with Toby!? CUTE!!
I also believe every dog is our heart dog for their own individual reasons. I always love the little diddy about eventually our hearts will be all dog. Best heart ever!
Ad then we have Franklin…always smilin’ and happy Franklin! What a true treasure for all of us!
I’m soooo glad he sent you and Maggie Mr. Wilson! The way you describe how Wilson looks after Maggie and the pictures of them together…melting my heart over here Missy!!
And Wilson, don’t you let those bullies get your ball!! That’s Wilson’s ball you bullies!!
Thanks again for such wonderful insight into all your heart dogs. And to know Maggie is doing well is icing on the cake!
Love to you and all!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle too!
lol.. Sally.. yes.. that is Moon Boy with Brandy…. Moon Boy is about 2 years old there….
:O)
PS….ALL the pictures are adorable!
The one of Maggie and her stick…Wilson and his swueaky “bone”…..PRICELESS!
Of course you can! thanks so much for sharing your pack history! I was in the “only one” camp for years after my Rosa died. It took the whole Oaktown Pack all at once to fill the void she left in my heart. Somehow along the way Codie Rae has elevated herself to heartdog status. She is so funny, so special and such a bright spirit I just cant imagine life without her. I love each of my boys madly as well, but not in the same way as Rosa and Codie Rae. Something about those girldogs for me I guess 🙂
I would love to think that is true!!! It gives me hope that my bond with little Jasper Lily will continue to grow and heal my heart even more… I had never heard of the expression “Heart Dog” before I lost Shelby. I just thought of Shelby as the “love of my life” and my “soul mate”… and that is / will probably always be true. But by golly, if that little Jasper isn’t working really hard to worm her way into my heart and soul. It’s almost as if I can feel Shelby giving that big Jasper booty a big SHOVE toward me all the time.
Dogs want nothing more than to love and be loved and to share that love … I read somewhere once that dogs are the only animals that love YOU more than they love themselves .. that was SO true with Miss Shelby.
I grew up with Shelby (I had dogs as a child and of course loved them too) but Shelby… I became an adult. I learned a lot about love and loss and growth. Those lessons have prepared me for what is to come with Jasper … I know Jasper won’t live forever so I really try and treasure each moment I have with her. Shelby, we almost took each other for granted and our love, while instant, deepened over the years. Being OLDER and wise now (in my 40s), I definitely look at the future in a different light.
I cannot wait to be reunited with Shelby again but even more, I know that when I pass, both Shelby and Jasper (fast friends over the bridge) will rush and jump and lick me to pieces!
Hugs!
I think it’s true. Whether you realize it or not, you are the one who jerked me back into the land of all dogs when my Jake passed away and I told everyone I’d never have another dog. I remember you saying that you want to be greeted with tons of slobbery wet kisses when you cross the bridge and I remember thinking I WANT THAT TOO! Then you posted a picture of the dogs last will and testament and I was done. That’s when I found Tanner. I will always remember you saying that, and I think about it often. I think we bond with one dog maybe a little more than others, but they are all our heart dogs. I can feel your love for all of your pups when you talk about each of them! I could never be without a dog in my life ever again.
Elizabeth.. thank you. You made me smile big with a compliment like that!! We are destined to be trampled at the bridge, covered with muddy paw prints and soaked with slobbery kisses when we arrive. I wouldn’t have it any other way. :O)
Christine I LOVED the backstory on all your springers! Too cute.
And yes I totally believe you can have more than one heart dog. Each has a special place in our hearts. Keep them big and generous and there’s room for many, many heart dogs.