Some Ramblings About Some Very Special Friends: Our Dogs!

I chose this photo of a Shih Tzu from a photo service - so it is not one of mine, but looks a lot like at least one of my Shih Tzu that I enjoyed over a 25 year span. (I do not have any of my photos on computer or you know I would have posted one for you!)

As some of you know, I owned, showed and bred Shih Tzu for 25 years. When the last, "Harry" (Cdn. CH Ayr of Importance) died, we sort of thought that was it. (No more dogs!)

Of course, five weeks later, we added Buddy the Lhasa Apso to our family. That was almost five years ago.

I was cropping some Shih Tzu photos the other night. I had a couple of show photos which didn't need anything very fancy. Dog Show photos pretty much tell their own story. Then there was a really special page where I showed Sadie and Harry, my last two homebred Shih Tzu, and Smokey and Sugar, Hubby's cats. My dogs had never seen cats before but the cats were used to dogs. It was wonderful how well all of them got along!

Sadie and Harry travelled in crates in Keith's 1995 Ford Taurus - when they and I immigrated to Texas from Ontario!

As I look back on the twenty-five years of Shih Tzu, I can absolutely tell you that although most were my own breeding, every one was different. Each had its own personality.

Harry and Sadie were the two who had the most interesting lives of all my Shih Tzu. Harry was shown by a professtional handler and lived with him for about six months. He also went to Obedience School at Humber College in Toronto. The instructor commented that she wondered if Harry took the commands from her or did actually wait for me to give them to him. He was a sharp little fellow who loved his life. When we moved to Port Hope from the big city, he and Sadie became fast friends and he always made sure she was okay.

The two of them were gated off in our kitchen and one morning, Keith went to get them to go outside. They went out and back and Keith came back to shave. When he went back to the kitchen area, Sadie was lying there, quiet, with Harry standing at her side. She was dead. So peaceful!

Our Pastor came over to dig her grave on that wet, dark day. His loafers were covered in mud but he wanted to do that kindness for us. It was over by the fence and Keith's sister Louise gave us hydrangea to plant on top.

When a dog dies, there is an expression that they will be waiting for us at "The Rainbow Bridge" and we will see them all when we die. It was sad the day Sadie died, but it was sad the day each of them died.

I can recall the traits of each one and each one absolutely had their own personality.

Both Harry and Sadie went to visit at Regency Manor as therapy dogs. The residents would pet them and hold them and they were very good about that. I felt it was a wonderful breed for working with people. Its a loving breed and they absolutely live to please people.

My first homebred was Fanny and I have a wonderful photo of me when I handled her to a win. Neither she or I was very good about dog shows but we loved being together.

Dogs give us so much and ask so little in return. I cannot stress how much I believe that we must dwell on this pleasure rather than their short lives.

I would especially like to make one special comment about "owning" dogs. Please make sure you know where your dog would go if something would happen to you. Find a friend who you know would take care of your dog and ask them if they would do this. Then make sure others know this arrangement.

Having dogs is a big responsibility. They rely upon us for everything! Give them a safe, fenced yard, keep them clean and well-fed. If the tables were turned, you know your dog would take very good care of you!