Once again, I looked up today’s date to find out what is special about March 23rd. Look at the list I found: National Puppy Day · Atheist Day · Chips and Dip Day · Cuddly Kitten Day · Day of the Liberation of Southern Africa · Erev Purim · Esther Fast · Melba Toast Day. I have little to comment on most of those, but I cannot miss National Puppy Day.
I must admit that Erev Purim is a very important Jewish holiday. My ex and her children are Jewish, and I attended Shul for years while we were married. The liberation of Southern Africa is also a great day. I still recall Nelson Mandela. He was such a great hero for his homeland. I do not believe more recent events are adding to his triumph, but that is my opinion.
But let us talk about puppies!! Who does not love puppies? I sure do. When I was growing up, my mother only wanted a cat, so that is what we had. Since my marriage so long ago, we always had dogs. We got them all as puppies. We loved them all, but sadly, only Zelda and Akiva remain. A lot of tears were shed for each loss. I will include a few pictures, if I can find them in the mess I call my computer.
The first was Mimi. She was a black miniature poodle, and was the best behaved dog ever. When I would walk the dogs, she never needed to have a leash. If she started to move away, I would snap my fingers or simply tell her, “Come back here.”
The second was Louis Pierre. He was another miniature black poodle, and the only male dog we had. Louis, or Big Doggie as my son called him, thought he ruled over the females, but they controlled him. He had the longest life of any of our dogs, at 19 years.
Next was Coco Chanel, a Bichon Frise, and also the largest dog we had, although I think Akiva is bigger than her. Coco loved to play catch. I would toss the ball and she would do somersaults when she was going to catch them. Very athletic and a real show-off.
At the same time that we had those three, we got Gigi. She was a mix, but mostly poodle. She was my wife’s best friend. She would take Gigi to the stores with her. When she was ready to check out, she would call Gigi who would run up to leg so she could be held by her mommy.
Next was my Chachis. She was a white miniature poodle, and my constant companion. I remember one day when I returned from work, I found Vini (my son’s pit-bull mix) chasing Chachis around the backyard. I was about to lose my mind when the two suddenly reversed course and then Chachis was chasing Vini.
We had all of them at the same time, so yes, about half the bed was covered with dogs, but we did not mind.
Over the years, we lost all but Chachis, who moved in with me. Our daughter found Zelda in the pound. She is a black Shih Tzu. At first my wife did not want another dog, but Zelda would have nothing to do with that. Instantly, she was her favorite, and still is.
I lost my Chachis three and a half years ago. I also never wanted to have another dog. The situation had really damaged me. Aida’s family includes several nieces who try to help lost or forgotten dogs in Tijuana. I kept receiving images of dogs they had acquired or seen online. I kept saying no, until one day I relented (two and a half years ago). We went to Tijuana to pick up Akiva.
Akiva had a tough time there. She had belonged to a young woman who loved her very much. However, she was going to a college where she could not take her. I still remember the conversation we had with that girl’s parents. They said that if I did not take her, they would find someone else because they do not like dogs. They also had a car load of stuff for Akiva. They asked if we wanted that too. The father said that we did not, he would just throw it all away. I could not believe my ears, but there it was.
Fast-forward to today. Akiva and I could not be happier. Being an introvert, I do not need a lot of friends. She is more than enough for me, and she is very happy here. What else is there to say, except Happy National Puppy Day!
Here is Chachis playing with Vini.
Here are Coco, Chachis, and Gigi showing off.
Chachis and Zelda being cool.
While I have your attention, please follow the link below to discover the amazing things the other Rave Reviews Book Club authors are posting. You will love them. I wish you all the best!
Hello Karl, I too love dogs. I don’t have one at this time as 3 cats take presidence.
I had my lovely whiskey, I recently wrote about. And identify with the closeness one can feel towards a dog.
My dog keeps me sane and happy. She is always full of love. My “cat days” are over now, but I still call out to any cat when Akiva and I are walking around. Loving pets is something I will always cherish.
Hi, Karl,
The dogs are or were really cute. However, I like Purim. I love Queen Esther. She had guts.
Have a lovely day.
Shalom shalom
Pat, thanks for the kind worlds on the dogs. In my family, there was little attention on religion. My dad was too busy being a pilot, and my mom did not do well alone. I do love to read my Bible however. Have a wonderful day.
Hi Karl. I’m in church but wanted to say hello to you. I’ll stop by later.
Karl–I love your dog stories! I have always had dachshunds, since I was 16. All of them have been rescued. I was involved with dachshund rescue for a while, and I transported dogs in the northeast (not always dachshunds), but when the Commonwealth of Massachusetts made it difficult, if not impossible, to transport dogs “across state lines,” I stopped. I usually did Sundays, and that was the only day I wasn’t working, so that factored into the decision as well.
My dachshunds were Fritzie, Schlagel, Kirby, Digger, Jasper, Steffi, Willie, and Oscar. Most of them made it to 17. We adopted Oscar when he was 10, just before Covid lockdown. No one wanted him because of his age. We were looking for an older dog, so we did. He has been a joy ever since, except, just like most dachshunds, he barks. A lot! But we’re in a living situation where he doesn’t bother anyone.
Puppies and dogs are my favorite!
That’s awesome, Wanda. When we got our first dog, I instantly became a dog lover. Cats are just too aloof and solitary. They come for attention once in a while, but most often like to be alone, like a tiger guarding its territory. The more dogs, the merrier.
We had dogs for most of our married lives and when Chico the Chihuahua passed we decided that was it. We purchased new furniture and carpeting throughout the house which meant that we wouldn’t be getting any new pets in the immediate future. That was three years ago and I still long for a puppy when I see one available. My SIL carries dog treats in her pocket when going for walks – her last dog died three years ago, too. It’s funny that she knows the name of every dog within a three-block radius of her home and has to buy a big box of treats every week to keep up with her visits.
Dogs are such great companions. They ask for little other than a dish of food and water, a warm place to sleep, and plenty of walkies. When people do you wrong, you can always count on your dog to lighten the mood and make your day.
Hi, Karl,
I love your dog stories, and the pictures are wonderful. What beautiful dogs! We had dogs until our last Shitzu died. At the time, we did a lot of traveling and decided it wouldn’t be fair to a new pet, so we haven’t had one since. I love all the dogs in our neighborhood, though, and enjoy saying hello when they pass by. Dogs enrich all our lives.
Blessings,
Patty
Patty, I totally agree that dogs are very special. I have loved every one of them so much. I do not travel much anymore, so Akiva is a very important part of my life.
Karl, I’m back and wondering how do you keep up with so many dogs? I guess you have to be a dog lover to give them so much attention.
I was filled up having one dog, a German Shepherd, whom I loved dearly and my heart was broken when she passed away. I got her as a puppy and my son grew up with her. His heart was broken too. I decided that was enough heartbreak and vowed to never get another dog and I didn’t. But if I should ever live alone, I will get a toy dog as a companion. I think they are so adorable.
Shirley, all of our dogs were small. At one point, we had four at once! They were such a joy. Each had their own unique personality, and chose their favorite owner. After so many years, it just seemed unnatural not to have another one. In my mind, I can see you with a toy poodle in your handbag as you walked through the local stores. All the best.