Before Fudge and Vern....Part Two!

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Recently, I did a blog on our rescue dog, Honey, but I feel like I have to give equal time to our wonderful dog, Hershey. My oldest daughter came out of the womb chanting the word dog.  We lived in an apartment many years before we could afford our own home and I always told my oldest that as soon as we got our house, she could have a dog. Rule #1: Kids never forget. As soon as we got our house, she started hounding (no pun intended) us for that dog. Of course, she promised she would do everything for the dog and we, as the parents, would just need to go get the dog and then sit back and relax while she handled all the care. We had had fish and hermit crabs and I vaguely remembered that it was me wetting the sponge, cleaning the fish tank, and feeding the fish most nights, but she convinced me this pet would be different. We had a couple of greyhounds in the neighborhood and I tried to talk her into adopting one, but the only dog she wanted was a Chocolate Lab.

 

Nowadays, I know all about health testing and checking out the parents, etc., but in those days we were stupid and ruled by the overriding desire to stop the incessant little voice that kept saying, "You promised I could have a dog." As luck would have it, a friend had a friend and her Lab dog had just had puppies. The father, they assumed, was a roving Lab in the neighborhood.Our daughter had now joined forces with her younger sister and every conversation with the two of them began with a question about how soon they were getting their dog.

 

Most smart dog people would have been asking questions like, "Have the parents been health tested?...Is there a guarantee in writing?...Could we see the parents?" After weeks of listening to begging and badgering, all my DH and I cared about, at this point, was our mental health, so instead of asking those good questions, we just turned to each other and said, "Let's just get the dog, so she shuts up."  Luckily, for us the decision about which puppy to pick in the litter was easy, because out of the six puppies, the mother had two chocolate, three black, and one yellow. One of the chocolates had died in birth, so that left just one chocolate and her personality seemed very mellow and sweet.

 

We just had to wait for the pup to mature before we could bring her home and those weeks waiting can only be described as hell. I would wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat just knowing this was the worst decision we had ever made. I tried to talk to my DD about how much responsibility a dog was going to be and wouldn't she like the money that we were paying for the dog instead. Not good parenting, but I was desperate. I swear that kid always liked yanking my chain a little, because she would act like she was thinking about the offer and then look up at me and say, "Nice try, mom, but you promised I could have a dog." I made a mental note to myself not to use the words, "I promise," EVER to that little relentless darling of a daughter. Years later, as an adult, when she decided to get her French Bulldog, her fiance (now husband) said he didn't want to get a dog. We told him he might as well start picking out dog names, because it was only a matter of time before she got her dog.  I know he thought we were being dramatic, but within a few short weeks, he got right on board with her getting that dog. We think she applied her, "Keep asking until I drive the person nuts" technique to him too. Oh, and now they have two dogs.

 

By the time we picked up our pup, we had all agreed on the name Hershey. Usually, when we get a pet, we all put our names on a piece of paper and into a hat, and then try pulling one out and seeing if any one else likes the name too. My DH is always putting dumb names in the hat, because I guess when you live with three women you have to amuse yourself any way you can. Almost always it is a name like Stupe or Dumbo, or for our rabbit, Stew. Once the girls figured out it was not short for Stewart, but rather Rabbit Stew, the name got tossed. The youngest tended to pick names like Brownie or Furry, so she has named very few pets in her day. The oldest just wanted to make sure she got full credit for picking the name.  I don't remember who picked the name, but because I don't want to hear about it, let's just say the oldest threw in the name Hershey and we all agreed. We thought we had come up with the most clever name ever for a Chocolate Lab until we realized almost all the chocolate labs in our county were also named Hershey.

 

By today standards, we pretty much did everything wrong. Hershey never went to a doggie daycare, dog sitter, or one obedience class. We crated her in the basement from night one and I listened to her pitiful cries upstairs in our room crying right along with her. I could still kick myself for being such an idiot. Yet, with all of our mistakes, she blossomed into a fabulous dog. She loved everyone and almost every dog, except the mean Jack Russell that lived next door. She was kind to cats, birds, bunnies, and never pulled on a leash like Fudge and Vern. In fact, we would sit outside with her all the time and never even leashed her and in the morning, I let her out to do her business and she would come back in when finished. She knew which neighbors had dog treats in their car and would run to their car when they got home from work and often escort them to their house, just in case they forgot some other goody they had for her inside. The kids in our neighborhood loved her and she loved all of them.

 

Of course, she hadn't been home two weeks when the oldest daughter, who had begged night and day for her, got tired of walking her and taking her out. Our youngest daughter, however, who had a fear of dogs, took to Hershey right away and I would have to say Hershey loved her and me best.  Our youngest had many, many medical problems, some scars from surgeries along the way, and walked with a slight limp.  I am sure you can imagine the teasing she got from some of the other kids at school and middle school was exceptionally tough for her, but when she got off that bus each day, Hershey was waiting for her and loved her just the way she was! I would catch them in the bath tub together, having a snack on her bed, and always together. Our youngest would have probably never asked for a dog on her own, so I guess I have to give some credit to her persistent (and annoying) older sister...LOL!

 

When I think about our life, Hershey was there for so many important things. She was there as our kids grew up, started dating, going to dances, and going off to college. My DH lost both of his parents while we had Hershey. She was my worried nurse during two surgeries and my DH would get me settled in bed and put her up there right next to me. She slept in our bed with us almost every night, which was no small feat considering we only had a full size bed and she weighed 70 pounds and we won't go into what the other occupants weighed at the time. She was a true member of our family.

 

We had to make the hard decision in Hershey's later years to put her to sleep. She could hardly stand, leaked all over everywhere daily, couldn't hear, developed diabetes, eye problems, and was in a lot of pain. I asked the vet why she just couldn't go to sleep one day and not wake up, but he said it didn't always happen like that and it was time. I kept telling her to go towards the light if she saw it, because I did not want to think about the alternative. To me that is the worst thing about having a dog, because I still ask my DH if we should have waited a little longer and I have tremendous guilt over my impatience as she got older. Everything took so long and I have never been good at waiting.  Hershey had been with us so long at that point, and had made it clear she loved us no matter what, that my mind tells me she understood my shortcomings.  The last day, my DH, my youngest daughter, and I all met at the vet and stayed with her until she was gone. My oldest lived in another state, but she was heartbroken too. Almost their whole childhood was spent with Hershey and she would be the only dog they had as children. Fudge and Vern have benefited from every mistake I ever made with Hershey. I learned how to have a dog from that special dog. What a great dog to teach us all about what it could be like to welcome a dog into our family. Hershey taught us that lesson from day one.

[Linda, Webber and Seda]

Thank you for writing such a touching story Laurie.  I agree the worst thing about having a dog is loosing them. I hope it is a very long time before any of us have to face a loss.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Hershey, while having a 'common' name, was an uncommon and unique dog. How lucky you were to have shared her life.  All dogs are very special, but some are just more special.  My childhood dog was my forever and ever special dog and I'll bet your daughters will always feel that way about her.  Thank you for sharing and for triggering my special memories of my Cindy,

[F, Calla & Luca]

Another wonderful story. Thanks.

[Donna K & Quincy]

Laurie, Your story reminds me so much of our own first dog, we learn so much from our past experiences and I'd like to think it's what makes us wiser in the end. It took me 20 years from the time we had our last dog put to sleep because of cancer to being ready for another dog. Our first dog was a mutt that my husband paid $40 for at a pet store and surprised me with. We were living in an apartment and we not allowed to have pets. We lived in the basement  and our window was pretty much level with the ground and I would lift that little puppy out the window to potty. When Muffin came home she was just a little round ball and the name seemed to fit her at the time, well Muffin grew to be about 50lbs and the name seemed kind of stupid so she became Muff. We never did any formal training or any training of any kind for that matter but somehow we ended up with a super dog. I only ever heard her growl once in my life and that was at a door to door saleman, so smart dog. We always took her walking in the woods and on the day before she died she had been her usual energetic self but that night she cried all night long. In the moring we took her to the vet who told us that she had a giant tumor in her leg and it would have to be amputated. Muffin was 14 years old at this time and we had no way to stay home and take care of her so we made the very difficult decision to put her to sleep. Every time I even thought about getting another dog I just reminded myself how much trouble they were but that wasn't the problem, I guess I was just afraid of the loss that is sure to come. I am not sorry for getting Quincy but it often crosses my mind how I would feel if he were gone but I am so totally enjoying him right now that knowing how much it will hurt, it will still be worth it. Thank you for sharing your story.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Thanks, Joan. I have Honey and Hershey's ashes in our living room. They never liked being outside without us, so I just didn't have the heart to bury them outside. Sounds a little goofy, maybe, but I don't care...LOL. My mom and sisters are not dog people at all, but I was like my oldest daughter and always longed for one. Your mom sounds like she was a real dog person.

[Joan, Louie and Mila]

Laurie, you've done it again...I laughed and cried when I read Part 2. I remember our family dog, Gi Gi a mini chocolate poodle that we got when I was in first grade. She lived to be 17 and was buried in a pet cemetery in North Jersey!  My Mom loved Gi Gi and all the dogs my siblings and I have had through the years...She never met Louie but I always tell him how much Grandma would' ve loved him...now I'm crying again...

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Thanks, Teri & BG. Camilla, I wish you would start telling the truth....LOL! I knew what you meant :)

Jane, There was a yellow lab in Hershey's litter, but he was a crazy little guy. I love those Labs, but hated all the shedding. Boomer and Dusty both sound like they were wonderful dogs.

Sue, I thought you were a seasoned dog owner and I am really surprised to know that Murphy is your first dog. It is so nice that your kids were able to show you how wonderful it is to have a dog.Yes, I certainly needed a DK when we got our first dog.

Caitlin, You are exactly right. Each dog we had has taught us something and I have loved them all. Just like kids, they are all different.

Jennifer, I was so sure Hershey would be our only dog and look what happened.

Thanks, Karen. Pat, Thank you for the nice comment, but never say never :)

 

 

[Teri & Clover]

Ok, where's the tissues when I need them? I enjoyed reading your posts about Honey and Hershey.

[Camilla and Darwin]

I guess after reading Caitlin's comment I must correct my past comment. I have had a dog in the past before Darwin. I got her when I was eight years old and she was my family's dog. I don't count her because I wasn't the primary caregiver. :-) Just wanted to clarify... LOL

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Laurie, thanks for sharing Hershey's story.  Our "Hershey" was a yellow Lab named Boomer.  He helped us to raise our daughters....and then a few years later came Dusty, our Golden.  They were wonderful members of our family, and we still talk about them as if they were just here yesterday.  My son still remembers Dusty "saving his life" when he wandered off as a young child and Dusty never left his side for a single minute until he was found.  He was found by my son's side carrying his little sneaker (which had fallen off) in his mouth.  It probably sounds a little "over the top", but I sometimes think that special dogs were sent to us for a reason.  It sure sounds like Hershey was one of those "special dogs".