April 16, 2011
It doesn’t matter how many times I go outside in a day-he always meets me with a gift. Wild Bill is getting old and I know I’m going to miss his crazy antics when he’s gone.
Favorite dog?
Tipper
Appalachia Through My Eyes – A series of photographs from my life in Southern Appalachia.
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Fleabane is one of the many daisy like wildflowers that grow in Appalachia. Folklore says the name, fleabane, came about…
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A lone grave on the battlefield of Antietam (Sharpsburg) (Library of Congress) —————– Greasy Cove Tennessee Washington County March the…
Each one moves into your heart, curls up, and stays there forever in its favorite place. Their love sustains us – no matter what comes. Wild Bill ‘ s tail wags with every beat of your heart ❤️
Somebody a lot smarter than me said once that the reason God made Dog’s lives so much shorter than ours is so that we can learn from several during our live time and so might have a chance to get it right before we die . I think he was right.
Don’t understand how some folks can believe that good dogs don’t go to heaven. If they don’t we don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of getting there.
I loved all these wonderful dog stories.
I have so many I think I’ll put them all in a book one day.
Dogs are so precious. They really are man’s best friend. We had a dachshund and it was so sad when she died. She didn’t like strangers, but she loved us.
Anna found a rat terrier male up north so when they came down they left Janie for a bit and took my Amber up with them as she had just come into heat – no luck with her neighbor dog. But with Swift gone and Anna having already taken her two with her it seems lonely with only the two we have left. So I’d really like to get another before any more tragedy strikes.
Bet on the other hand is angling for a new border collie for the sheep.
Its been a while since I’ve been here to comment. When I click on your site my computer freaks out and wiggles and jiggles and usually shuts off. Today I did it without anything else open, you’re still wiggly giggly but at least I could keep you on to make a comment – a long one to boot!
We lost Pearl last month, at about 15 years of age. She was never the same after Beater died 9/11/09. They grew up together as puppies, but were not related. He went to sleep and just didn’t wake up, but Pearl died slowly, breaking my heart. Beater was “my” dog; I told my husband I wished he loved me like that dog did. He said he wished I treated him like I did that dog! We still have Leon, age 11, and Roy, six months. We’ve had lots of beloved dogs who lived to be very old, so we’ve been blessed by them.
I love my dogs! And yes I will miss them. Just as I miss Nanook. She was just too old, but she was the best dog I’ve ever had.
Tipper,
We’ve had many dogs and cats through the years..and loved them all..The last few years we have aquired a Shih-tzu named “Rocky” and a cat with the traditional name, “Fluffy”. Indoor cat and dog and easier to take care of since we are older. They are great companions. Coyote and “booger” notifiers, not barking or meowing but going into “alert mode”…you can learn alot by watching their behavior..
Thnks Tipper,
Tipper,
I loved all these dog stories but the two that really played havoc with my emotions were the two by CHERYL and KEN. My Momma used to say “You need to be aware of a person that doesn’t love dogs!”
Bradley
Hi Tipper! I had a rhodesian ridgeback as a child, named Plains. He was so big I could nearly ride him as a horse and I’m afraid I did so a few times. He was my comfort, my friend, and I have sweet memories of laying right down in the dirt with him and taking a nap.
God bless Wild Bill. I hope he keeps bringing you treats always. It is so hard to lose a beloved pet and family member. I know that for all its worth. nana
Dad’s best friend Jim’s dog was going to have puppies and she was a black cocker spaniel and her litter was all black so I don’t know how Dad picked Jimmy.
He was just over a handful when Dad brought him home and he grew up with us kids. That was in Hawkins County.
Jimmy went everywhere we kids went. Out to pick blackberries or up along the railroad tracks or down by the river or through the woods.
Funny, in the summertime, every time we went out into the hills, or fields or berry picking, he always found a tarpin, and the tarpin would close up and Jimmy would gnaw and try and try to get to the tarpin but he never did.
He never followed us to school; and we walked to school every day.
All of us kids loved Jimmy, he was our buddy and our constant companion. We played with him all the time.
We had to leave him with my sister, who was married by then, till we could get settled in Indiana.
I guess he tried to find us.
Mine was a tiny toy poodle, 4# soaking wet, whose name was Poody. She was the best friend I ever had, and it broke my heart to put her down when she got sick. I miss her still, here some 15 years later.
God bless.
RB
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We’ve always had multiple dogs — down to only three now — so many favorites but my Old English Mastiffs Arabella and Amanda were really, really special.
The best dog I have ever known was my protector — Boots — who managed my childhood. She was mostly border collie, brown and white and a very good size, not too big, not too small, just right for a little girl to hug and whisper her complaints to. When she could get loose, she would follow me to school and wait patiently outside in the shrubbery until recess, when she would check in to be sure I was okay, and then wait again until time to walk me home. She was my best friend in the world and I still miss her all these years later. Her bad habit of chasing cars was what put an end to her life, so I am very protective of my current dogs where cars are concerned.
I’ve had, like your other readers, several ‘favorites’ over the years. Cassie, my Great Dane rescue, who wouldn’t let anyone other than me and my mother approach her because of the abuse she endured before I got her… Pokie, my first mini-schnauzer that I got when she was old and only had for a couple of years before she traveled across the Rainbow Bridge but who taught me about schnauzer love. Sophie… Soph was a black mini-schnauzer who was probably the nearest and dearest to my heart overall and now I have my Big Girl, Chloe, and my ‘blonde’ SueSue, both mini-schnauzers and both are special in their own way. What a good post to help remind us of our very special ‘kids’.
Helen
Tipper; being an old dog myself,i think my favorite dog’s have mostly been older dog’s,such as cha-cha our current favorite ,is 10 year’s old,and has traveled with us for mabe 20,000 miles without a whimper. my most famous dog was a redbone hound named “trouble”,he became the washington state field trial champion,a coon hunter with no peer. don’t ya just love their loyalty . regard’s k.o.h
Dad bought Mom a dog when Mom was pregnant with me. So, the day I came home, there was Duchess. She was a wolf shepherd mix and the best nanny a baby could have. I like to tell people I really was raised by a wolf. One day Mom was in the kitchen washing dishes and looked out to the driveway. I was about two and crawling towards the street. Before Mom could get out the door, Duchess came up, grabbed me by my collar and lead me to the porch. Every dog I’ve had since has also been a favorite. One of my current dogs is 13 and aging fast. I love her so much and it will be awful when she passes on.
No matter what happens they are always there like a parent, like a good friend, like a protector, they are always there.
They seem to know when your happy, when your sad, when your sick and when you mad but, they are always there.
I love you Sampson and God rest your sole Bear
Whitetail Woods™
Deer Hunting and Blackpowder Shooting at it’s best.
My favorite dog was a big Alaskan Malamute mix that I had trained at 12 to pull me on a dog sled harness attached to a light red plastic sled. He was a very strong large dog and probably weighed more than I did. He pulled the sled without effort and seemed to enjoy the exercise. It was my silent snowmobile! We dogsledded all across the countryside on many winter days.
John Pallister
http://www.pointlesspicks.com
Twitter @PointlessPicks
What a sweet face!
The following pretty much says it for me:
“If there are no dogs in heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went”….Will Rogers
Tipper,
I’ve had dogs all my life and each
one was my favorite at the time.
But the dog that touched my heart
the most looked just like your Ruby Sue. I called him Little Bit.
He was at my shop one morning when
I came to work, took us a year to
learn each other’s habits and ways. Then we developed that
special bond for 11 years. He was
my best friend! When he got older
and couldn’t get around very good
anymore, I would take him in my
arms and softly sing our little
song, and he would wait till I
was finished and lean forward and
lick my nose just once. I’ll never
forget those loving brown eyes…
Ken
I’ve had so many dogs over the years that it’s hard to pick a favorite. My dog now, Wally, seems to totally understand every word I say and is my constant companion. Tori, a Doberman, taught everyone she met that Doberman’s are not mean dogs, but very loving. CJ took the copperhead bite that was meant for me. Cinder was the official greeter when I had my strawberry business, and although she would go to the fields with my customers, she would also walk along and eat the ripe berries, LOL, so she was taught to lay in the yard and watch everyone from a far.
I have loved all the dogs in my life, but I believe they loved me more purely. God made dogs to show us how to love unconditionally. One of the “great” dogs had to be Sarge, my Florida cur or hog dog. He was protective but never bit a person. (Other dogs had to beware) A giant that let my baby climb on his back and use his ears for a teething tool! I have his daughter now and she is getting “up there” at 12 but is still a queen around here. Her daughter is Daisey and she is our big baby. It’s impossible to have one favorite-they all make their place in my heart.
My favorite was my little scottish terrier named “Rosie”. She killed every mouse, vole, mole and possum she could find. But when the hunt was over she was ready to rock in mama’s rocking chair and alot of loving. She loved to eat tomatoes : )
My favorite dog could have been Wild Bill’s twin! Her name was Penney. She would dig a hole to go after a snake and yank it out-what a sight that was – and a great ratter, too! Penney was a loyal, loving companion and quite popular in the neighborhood. She lived to 15 years ;}
Thanks for the ‘clone’ pic, the memories,and enjoy your boy…
i can’t pick a favorite dog, i have loved all of mine since i got the first one when i was 8 years old. each dog has its own personality and i must say they have all been different. hubby and i have had 4 dogs in our 27 years together, his favoirte was our first dog together Max, i raised him from 12 days old, we had him for 16 years. wild bill is adorable and i see he likes sticks as much as jake and baby
My favorite dog is always the dog I have…Pogo is a mix, some setter (spots on his legs), hound (wicked bark), terrier (hair on his face). Of course, this is only a guess. He is the sweetest dog, but getting old…when we are at the river house he is kind of lazy with the heat, but he is most alive at our mountain cabin, where he explores the mountain for hours, often coming down the drive with his head hangin’ and tongue dragin’, but his eyes are sparklin’ from his adventure. You can tell he wishes he could tell all about it:) Happily, he is at the cabin right now with his best friend, my husband (who is developing his workin’ hands now that we have our cabin:))
PS Our cat Fluffy loves Pogo too!
My favorite dog is Buck, my German Shepherd. He’s three now, but I don’t take for granted that he will always be with me.
I try to treasure every day I have with him. 🙂
Oh my goodness it would be hard to pick just one out of all we have had! I guess it would have to be Pup. She was mostly an Austrian Shepherd. Mama would always say that Pup was some kin of ours that had “come back”. I think she only thought that because Pup had those very light blue eyes, which always look so odd when she would look at someone. She was a rescued dog that when we first saw her, she came running in from the other room, then stopped, and backed up until she was sitting on my sons knee, who was kneeling on the floor. My son looked up and said, “Mom, we got to have this dog!” She always did this, sitting on peoples laps.. knees, foot. haha.. funny even now to think of it. She was the smartest dog I ever had and the most wonderful. Silly me.. I still start to choke up just thinking of that wonderful dog. The thing that makes a dog so different from other animals is that they give people unconditional love. You can be mean to them, and still, all they want is to please the one they love.
Tipper,
My Momma used to tell this story about a dog they had when she was a little girl. Actually this dog belonged to my favorite uncle; His name was Sonny Boy.
This may sound like the story of “Old Yeller” but, one day when my uncle was a little boy he had walked down to the old country store to get a piece of candy with Sonny Boy close behind suddenly a dog that was mad with rabies came out of nowhere. The lady that ran the old store began screaming for them to get inside. It was too late; the mad dog was between them and the door. Sonny Boy fought that mad dog until my uncle could get inside.
I’m sure you know the rest of the story. Momma, my uncle, and Granny and Papa, and all the old timers talked of Sonny Boy the rest of their lives. How that dog was loved!
Bradley
My favorite dog was Bonnie, my female bassett hound. She was about the dumbest and sweetest dog I ever knew. She was only 13 inches high at the shoulder, and she was not fat, just big. She weighed 75 pounds. She would bend down to drink water and all that loose hide would rush forward, gathering in folds over her eyes, blinding her. She could never see to eat or drink!
When I was a student in Switzerland, I had a german pointer – Pupuce. You can’t imagine how miserable I was when I eventually had to give up on my favourite dog. I couldn’t take her with me in Cyprus because in those days, imported dogs had to be kept in quarantine for 6 months. I thought it was too cruel to put her through this ordeal. So, I gave her away to a swiss friend whose parents were blind and Pupuce soon became an excellent guide dog.
Tipper–Dogs are the only creatures privileged to see their god in person, and everyone should have their “dog of a lifetime.”
Mine was a beagle named “Chip” (he actually belonged to Dad, but I considered him “mine”). We enjoyed countless days afield after cottontails, and when I learned of Chip’s death (like Dad, who lived to the age of 101, he was a centenarian in dog terms, being 15 years of age)I was devastated. I had already gone off to college, but Don was still at home. He may not have been old enough to absorb the full emotional impact, but Dad sure did.
Mom later told me that Daddy was devastated, and even Dad, who wasn’t much of one for showing emotion, changed visibly whenever he reminisced about some of Chip’s feats of canine wizardry.
Incidentally, for those of you who are avid readers, I think Corey Ford’s “Just a Dog” is the finest dog story ever written, although John Taintor Foote wrote a bunch of fine dog books, Fitzpatrick’s “Jock of the Bushveld” is a pure joy, and on the hunting dog side of things, Havilah Babcock was gifted indeed.
Jim Casada
http://www.jimcasadaoutdoors.com
Not only does Bill have gifts but he is always happy to see whoever comes out that door. He doesn’t just wag his tail he wags his whole body….and smiles.
He is a sweet dog!
I had a great little Cairn Terrier. He would hike with me in the mountains and keep an eye out for snakes. He was also a great soccer player. Road on the back of my bike in a basket. Always had a smile on his face. Great little dog