Week Three

     Pets! Pets! Pets! Aren't pets great?! My life would be dull if it weren't for my pets. They comfort me when I'm not feeling well. They make me laugh and teach me patience. Pets are a great blessing.

     This is my Tali, she's the first dog I have ever owned. She was just a puppy here. Actually, I think this was her first day at our house. Joyce picked her up for me in Ashton, ID. She spent the night at Joyce's with Blew, then had to endure a six hour car ride with that hyper-active husky before she arrived at her new home. There she was greeted by an eight-week old black lab who had only just arrived a few hours before her. Suri, being the youngest, was the smallest of the three dogs, and she felt the need to let the other two know who was boss. When introduced to the crate that would be her bed, Tali quickly decided that this was her safe place.

       Tali is now four years old, no longer a puppy. She is a very tolerant dog, and very much a lover. When I let her, she really enjoys laying on my bed for a nice nap while getting loves from her favorite person (me, of course!). She is Blew's favorite playmate when she visits, probably due to their long ride over together her first days with us. She can be very playful with other dogs, and even the cat sometimes, but hasn't seemed to grasp the concept of playing with humans very well. She seems to think people are there to pet and feed her, and she LOVES to be fed!

     This is Suri, Carma's black lab. She's the boss of the animals at our house. When another dog is doing something they're not supposed to, she lets them know it. She also likes to tattle when Tali has taken off. She is definitely a water dog, as you can see from the picture. This was their first summer with us and she was about three or four months old here. We were throwing a stick for her into the creek behind the house. I love how in this picture, if you look at her belly, you can see the water dripping off of her. Unlike Tali, Suri loves to play with people. Just last night she had fun while I chased her in circles around the house.

     Ringo, AKA Brat. As the only cat, he has to fight for our attention sometimes. He is technically my nephew's cat, but as a cat he thinks it's HIS house. That means that all the rooms are his and all the people are his slaves. He's been upset with me for shutting him out of my room ever since he bit my power cord for my cell phone in half. Every day he tries to sneak in so he can hide under my bed. He thought he had accomplished a lot when I didn't throw him out this last Monday. I was sick with the flu and he had the privilege of sleeping on my bed with me. He can be a huge pain when he wants something, scratching on doors and windows, meowing loudly, etc. His nickname is well earned. I do have to give him some credit, though, as he is quite adept at catching pack rats.

     Blew doesn't actually live at our house, but I have taken care of her on numerous occasions and she is definitely part of the pack. Being a husky she doesn't obey commands very well. She acts like a cat in some ways, thinking she is free to do what she wants. It's because of that attitude that she cannot be outside without being on a chain or a leash. She got away from Joyce once while visiting our house and got hit by a snow plow. When she does manage to get away from you, shes not fun to catch. She is rather fun to play with and, being a husky, does talk to you and say "I love you!"
     My nephew just got a dog at the beginning of  December. Her name is Saya and she is a black lab mix. She is such a tiny little thing compared to our dogs. Her favorite thing is fetching. She'll carry up to three toys in her mouth at once, two or three pine cones, and she loves carrying rocks around. She hasn't quite accepted Blew as part of the group yet. She growls and barks at her a bit when she first arrives. She has accepted Suri as the leader and seems to be intimidated by her sometimes. She follows me around the house, almost as if I'm her owner. She does love her boy, though, and what dog doesn't like boys?
     There have been other animals in my past, others owned by family members that I love like my own pets, and I'm sure there will be many animals in my future. What a blessing they are to us indeed.