When did you become a 'dog person'?

[Adina P]

Shoney's recent blog post about how smitten she is with her new pup Ruby and calling herself a 'dog lady' made me wonder... When did you first become or consider yourself a 'dog person'?   Was there a defining moment? 

I for one was NOT a dog person until I met my husband.  He had a border collie that was perfect in every way.  One day he left her with me for a day or weekend or something while he was out of town.  The whole idea of a dog INSIDE my house was still a little nerve wracking, but by then I had chilled out a wee bit.  One day while dog sitting Cass, I came home from work and realized it was so nice to have a living creature home to greet me.  I took her for a drive to a pet store just for fun.  I think that was the start.  Then I got Rosco...

Later our first Christmas card as a family...

Share your 'becoming a dog person' story!

[BG and Gavin]

Quincy: a kid in a dog suit

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

haha Love it!

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

:))

[Charlotte and Bo]

As with many of you, there have always been dogs in my world.  My mom and dad always had dogs and that didn't change when my brother and I were growing up. We also had guinea pigs and rabbits and sometime got to go horseback riding.  I learned to love and respect all animals. When I got my first apartment I couldn't have an animal but I still had access to my parent's dogs.  As soon as I had my own house the first thing I wanted was a dog.  I can't imagine my life without a dog.

[Doris]

I have a very clear memory of going to Puppy Palace to pick out a dog.  I was in kindergarten . . .It was the 60's and we didn't know about puppy mills.  They took a  German shorthaired pointer out of her cage and put her with the family in a small gated area.  That was it.  We all loved her.  She loved to untie my shoelaces.  My parents weren't thrilled with that so that very week I learned to tie my shoelaces.  Her name was Brandy and we all keep her in mind as the perfect pet.  She did no wrong in our memory. (She did eat a couch once, but we forgave her!) She had a stroke when I was 17 and we had to put her down.  I can still feel that in the pit of my stomach . . .

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Doris, I got my first and best and perfect dog when I was in Kindergarten also.  Best dog that ever lived and while I have had other heart dogs, my Cindy was perfect in every way.

[Carol and Banjo]

We had a dog when I was a kid and I've had dogs as an adult.     However, I was not a dog person.   I did love our dogs, but not in the same way I love Banjo.  They were dogs......Banjo ..... I don't know what Banjo is, but to me, he's almost human in dog's clothing.    There was no "defining" moment, but by about 4 month into my life with Banjo, I knew I was "one of those".     My total love and concern for his well being opened my eyes to all of the other wonderful dogs out there.   I have a compassion for all dogs that I never knew or felt before.    I think when I look at any dog, I see a little bit of Banjo.   They all tug at my heart strings.

[Amy and Annabelle]

I am actually surprised I ever became one. When I was 5 years old I was playing with a neighbor friend, and I saw her viciously attacked by a stray dog. For the longest time I was deathly afraid of dogs. I still am not comfortable around dogs I don't know. When the kids were younger, I bought a miniature schnauzer puppy from a neighbor. I didn't want them to fear dogs like I did and I wanted them to have a pet. I never had a pet growing up. Toby was a great dog for our family while the kids were little. Plus the neighbor was right down the street if I needed help with something regarding taking care of a dog. One day when he was 10 years old he escaped out of the yard. He was hit by a FedEx truck and killed. We were all heartbroken. Within 2 weeks of losing Toby we decided to get another dog. I had planned on another small dog. We all went to the shelter and fell in love with a Golden Retriever that was scheduled to be put down that night. We adopted him and the kids name him Charlie. Even though he was bigger than what I had in mind, he was the best dog, so kind and gentle. He would even let my daughters cat in his dog house. He was great with all the kids. Ten years later we lost him to cancer. It would be 15 years later, after all the kids left home that my husband and I decided to get Annabelle. However, the day I actually became a dog person, I was a busy mom with 3 small kids. I was taking care of the baby when my 3 year old ran out of the house. Up until then she couldn't even open the front door. Toby must have run out with her. I called and called for them thinking they couldn't have gone too far, we lived on a cul de sac with no traffic. Then here they both come around the corner with Toby pushing my daughter home from behind with his nose. He got some special treats for bringing her home safely.

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

Great story, Amy! Love it!

[Adina P]

So interesting how most of you were 'dog people' from childhood.  Even Camilla whose family wasn't into dogs --- pure nature there! 

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

I was born an animal lover from the beginning.  It was in my DNA. I walked the neighbors' dogs, drew pictures of horses nonstop, rescued stray cats and nursed injured bunnies, etc. I was a complete frustration to my parents. I wanted a dog so badly that every week I'd study a different breed and present the results to my dad with the Sunday classified ads. Seriously, I knew almost every breed of dog :) But apparently I was switched at birth because no one in my family cared a fig for animals, least of all my mom who had grown up on a farm and believed animals had their place and it wasn't going to be in her house.  When I was 10 they finally relented and I got a miniature dachshund pup who was part of the family for 14 years.I still remember that day when my brother and sister had to stay in the car with my dad while I went in to the breeder to pick out MY puppy and I held him all the way home.  SInce then I've had dogs off and on all my life, but I can honestly say, like Carol, that the change came a few years ago when a therapy dog (a golden retriever named Holly) came over and put her head in my lap and looked at me with what I can only describe as complete understanding when my mom was very ill in the hospital. Then something in FInn brought me to a whole different relationship with dogs. I have more compassion, and respect for them. And it's fun. Finn is "half human." He knows what I'm thinking and vice versa. I can fool a human easier than FInn. I'm not anthropomorphizing. It's communication that's as real as any human communication.  Does that mean I've arrived as a dog person or a crazy dog lady :) If so, life is good.     

[Wendy and Myla]

I'm a little bit different - when I was three years old I was bitten in my face by a german shepherd - I was in a strait jacket when I reached the hospital (according to my Mom) and had a lot of stitches - I still have scars and I am extremely claustrophobic (not sure if that is related) and am terrified of dogs that I don't know! My parents have always had a dog (probably to alleviate my fear) and I have always loved them but when I saw a dog that I don't know I would start to tremble and sort of hide behind whoever is with me at the time! I am trying really hard to get over this and am way better than I was but I am very unsure of unknown dogs! As an adult, I have always gotten a puppy (so that I knew what to expect) except once when we got a Siberian husky cross that was absolutely gorgeous but when we got her, she was tied to a chain and I figured I could "rescue" her!. She was great except when she was given food, which she would guard like crazy! We learned to only give her the food when no one was around and not bother her. Unfortunately, when we were camping, she lunged out from under the picnic table and bit my son in the face (she drew blood, but minor) - totally unprovoked - I witnessed the whole thing and we had her put down as soon as we got home! That devastated me and after that, I decided that I would only get a puppy that I could train and know the background of and not have to worry about trigger points or anything of that nature. I still will never get a rescue for this reason, although I totally love and admire those that do! I am so afraid! After that incident, we got a lab/shepherd cross puppy whom we named "Kara" and she was our family dog! She was awesome, although because we were raising a family, she never got the attention that my doodles, Zak and Myla got, but she was the best family dog you could have - we had an outdoor skating rink on our property and our sons would have friends over constantly playing and as soon as a puck went over the boards, Kara would grab it and bring it back! Road hockey was the same and she went camping and everywhere with us! She died at the age of 14 and is buried on our property - we bought a tree to plant above her and we put heart shaped rocks that we find under the tree - she is our kids "heart dog" - her picture is still an ornament on our Christmas tree! Since then, after I retired, we got our first doodle, Zak, and she was perfect for us! She died of EPI and because of her, we knew we needed another doodle. Myla, whose name stands for "My Little Angel" (thank you Jennifer, Chloe and Myla) is our heart dog and this is when I realized I was a dog person! She is involved in everything we do and we do not make plans without Myla as our first priority! We definitely go places without her, but not unless we are perfectly sure that she will be in the best place she can be (like our son's place)! I am still very afraid of dogs I don't know and I try very hard not to let Myla know this when we go for a walk but I am sure she knows! She is so intuitive of my feelings but we go through with my commands and Myla watching me like a hawk! I love this dog soooo much and we are so blessed to have her! She is the reason I consider myself a "dog person" and I love her like crazy!!!!!