A Tribute to My Dogs

There’s an adage that states we don’t deserve dogs. I wholeheartedly agree with that statement. I’ve been around them my entire life. Some of my earliest memories are of playing with family dogs in the backyard, rolling in the grass, playing catch, seeing those goofy, panting grins on their faces. I don’t know why it is, but dogs have always been a big part of my life. An important part. They are family to me, my children, in a way. And yes, I don’t always feel like I’m worthy of their love and companionship. 

At the moment I have two mutts in the house, Siri and Peppa. Siri (whose official name is Sirius, named after the dog star) is a fifteen-year-old lab mix we adopted from the local shelter. She’s gray in the face now, and a bit slower than she used to be, but her mind is still sharp and she LOVES chasing lizards on the back patio or the laser pointer in the living room.

And I use the word “chase” loosely when it comes to her. It’s more like a hasty shuffle. 

When she was younger she would chase a deflated soccer ball I’d throw for her in the backyard. She was so obsessed with it that she’d place it in front of the mower when I was trying to cut the grass. I’d have to stop, kick the ball out of the way, then mow another ten yards before she’d do it again. As annoying as it could be, I miss those days.

Still, I’m happy she’s still with us after all these years. A decade and a half is impressive for a large dog. I’m hoping she’ll stick around a little bit longer.

Peppa is our recent addition. We adopted her from the shelter almost four months ago. She has a rough backstory. She was abandoned at the shelter one night in November 2022. The staff arrived in the morning to find her tied up outside, scared, covered in mud and fleas, and suffering from heartworms. She arrived without a name, so the shelter staff decided to call her Peppa. Not sure why, but it seems to fit her.

They got her cleaned up, spayed, dewormed, and into a foster home by January. We met her in March and immediately fell in love. She’s very skittish at the moment, which is understandable. We don’t know what her life was like before we brought her into our home, but we can guess. 

She’s somewhere between seven and nine years old, has had a couple litters of pups, and was apparently a bait dog. If you don’t know what that is, prepare yourself. Bait dogs are used to train fighting dogs. Poor Peppa is missing a piece of her nose and her face is covered in scars. The worst part is that the previous owners filed all her teeth down to the gums. That was so she couldn’t fight back or hurt the fighting dogs. 

Just writing about that makes me emotional. 

But she’s come a long way in the past few months. She’s warmed up to both me and my partner, loves her belly rubs, and Siri has accepted her as a new sister. They get along great, follow each other around the yard, and buddy up butt-to-butt when we take them for rides in the car. 

What I find interesting is that, despite being skittish and missing her teeth, Peppa is still protective and territorial. She’s chased a few cats out of the yard and even tried to go after a possum. Luckily, I had her on a leash at the time. I think that goes to show that she’s accepted this as her new home, her new pack, and she’s settling in.

And, you know, I couldn’t be happier. These two are great companions. They make me laugh, keep me company during the day while I’m writing and editing, and they make me feel loved. 

I’ve had a lot of dogs in my life over the years. I recently counted and came up with twelve, including the two current mutts. I’ve loved every one of them and miss the departed ones dearly. Even after all these years, I still smile when I think about them and the time I spent with them.

I’ll admit that my life wouldn’t be the same without my constant companions. 

It’s wonderful.

RB