Babysitting Smokie and Sunny

Since our beloved Rocky died a year ago, I have not owned a dog. I borrow dogs to fill that compulsive need to hold a loving adorable canine in my arms. This week I am dog-sitting my two most favorite dogs, Sunny and Smokie. Sunny is a Maltese mix, a four-year-old beseeching and beguiling little thing who quickly became Alpha dog when she was rescued from a shelter to be shy Smokie's sister.

She has a thick coat of blond hair, a curly tail, and learned along the way to stand on her hind legs and beg by pumping her front legs, up and down, over and over, until she gets her treat. Her owner grooms her dogs and creates the cutest little faces. See Sunny below.

Loving Sunny

Smokie, the tiny miniature Schnauzer, has silky coat , mostly silver. She is not groomed in the typical squared Schnauzer cut, but more like a poodle puppy cut.

She wakes me each morning by climbing on my chest, her little nose just inches from my face. Having her here reminds me of how much I loved my four-legged companions.

Adorable Smokie

But, having them both here reminds me of how much attention is required when one owns a dog or any pet. 
Barry and I had five dogs. All of them lived long lives except one that became ill and died quickly from an unknown cause.

Brandy, a miniature poodle, had a stubborn streak and was mischievous as they come. Topaz, a German Shepherd, was more dog than I could handle, and we found a better home for her. Nicky, our first Samoyed, stole my heart when he arrived as a puppy and left us too soon. Kodi, my shadow, a Sammy who lived thirteen years, lingers in my memory still. Rocky, a mixed breed rescue, died at fourteen, and he was the most gentle and adaptable of all our dogs.

Resident cat, Tiger, takes the dogs in stride.
She learned a long time ago, although Smokie will bark and try to play, if she simply ignores all the commotion, the dogs will leave her alone.

Sweet Tiger

I am looking for someone who loves cats to give Tiger a good home or someone who will keep her when I go to Florida in 2014. I will pay for all of her food and litter, if she can "board" with someone who will give her some time and attention. Tiger loves, loves people and I hate to leave her alone with only a brief visit from a pet sitter once a day. She deserves so much more.

Do you have a special pet? Have you had one that was especially dear? 

Cats and Dogs Don't Have to Fight

Tiger, the resident cat and my boss, has become quite comfortable with her cousins, Smokie and Sunny.

Smokie, the youngest of this clan, tried to get Tiger to play with her for the longest time, but now she just sniffs Tiger when they meet and then ignores her. Who said dogs and cats can't get along?

Sunny, a rescued three year old, could have been a real thorn in Tiger's side, but she chose to work on getting all the attention offered by the humans in the group. And who could resist that face?

Rocky loved Tiger and gave her big sloppy kisses. She adored him and mourned for him when he died.

One wonders why some dogs and cats don't get along. They are like those humans who become violent with total strangers, shoot into cars of people they don't know, pick a fight because of the color of another's skin, or hair or because he looked a certain way. I think it all has to do with how they are raised. 

I have never had a pet that was vicious or would bite, and I've had big dogs, little dogs and several cats. My dogs and cats loved each other. Why was that? What caused them to change their innate nature?

Maybe it was because we expected more from them, we loved them and did not show violence toward them. We never hit our dogs or cats, and treated them better than some little children I've seen in the grocery store who were slapped or yelled at or yanked up by one arm and swatted on the bottom while the parent screamed dirty words at them. How can a child be expected to learn non-violence when all he sees at home is anger and rage?