Reflections: "The Dogs in My Life"

I have three dogs in my life: Rosie, Zeus and Kona.

Pictured here is our Rosie. She is a 13 year old Boston Terrier. As you can see, she is in pretty good shape. Her brother Rocky passed two years ago. We used to call him Old Man Rock, because as he was starting to age - he began to act like a little old man. We sure miss him. It was sad the way Rosie appeared to be a little lost without him. She would look around his bed area and we know she was wondering what had happened to him. Rosie weighs 17 pounds and has the personality of a pit bull. She likes to be around humans, but has disdain for other dogs that are outside of her home-dog family. If she is unleashed and is within running distance of another dog - they're basically prey for her. We have had to pay a vet bill of wounds she inflicted upon a dog that was five times her size. For Rosie, the bigger the dog, the more satisfaction she gets from the attack (I guess...) I hardly take her to the beach anymore, because my purpose for a walk at the beach is to claim some serenity and peace. Taking Rosie to the beach is very stressful. When she sees other dogs, she makes these strange crying type sounds and I am constantly restraining her with the leash. For now, we go on peaceful little walks around my neighborhood, down the street to the nearby junior college. There are some nice trails there. This is her in my front yard. I just know she is scanning for the presence of other dogs.

This is my handsome grandpup, Zeus. He is now 8 years old and lives with my son Daniel, in Marina, Ca. The big guy has multiple non-serious health issues; recurring ear infections, dermatitis, off and on gastric issues and he requires eye ointment now and then for eye irritations. His vet doctor is near us, so I shuttle him to and from his appointments while Daniel works. Zeus is a Rottweiler Bullmastiff breed and the sweetest, most affectionate dog you have ever met (well,. that I've ever met). He is a joy to take to the beach. He's so friendly! The problem is, when we're walking the esplanade with him, other dog walkers take one look at Zeus and either pick up their little pooches or cross to the other side. Little do they know, Zeus just wants to walk up to their dog and say, "Hi, I'm Zeus. What's your name?" (with his little stub wagging) He's such a goober.

My next grandpup is named Kona. She is a husky and black lab mix. She belongs to my son Joey and they reside in Seaside, Ca. My son is a surfer, so Kona is a beach dog. She always goes with Joey to catch some waves. I went to watch Joey surf one day and I was amazed the way Kona watched Joey as he walked into the ocean with his surfboard. She didn't take her eyes off him the whole time. When he was done surfing and approaching the shore on his board, she knew. Keep in mind that all surfers look alike with a black wetsuit on, but she knew it was him and would meet him where the surf meets the sand. Kona has a great personality and always ready for another adventure.

When I think of dogs, I think of unconditional love. I think they enjoy giving love as much, or if not more than they do receiving it 🤎