The "Garage Sale Dog". Talk about an impulsive purchase!

I L-O-V-E Thursdays because I get to Link Up with Mama Kat and all her fabulous bloggy writing buddies at her Pretty Much World Famous Writer's Workshop!

Assignment- List the names of five dogs from your lifetime.  Write about why one sparks a stronger memory to you than the others. (inspired by Writing Fix)

When I saw this as one of the writing prompts this week I instantly became giddy with excitement.  It's been a long known fact that since I was born (ok, maybe not since I was born but since I could talk) I have ALWAYS wanted a dog.  My parents were not and ARE NOT animal lovers.  They don't hate them but they REALLY don't like them.  At All. But they DO love me and that is why I have had the pleasure of "lovin'" 3 of my very own furry creatures in my life.  All three, for a VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.  Before I can explain,  I must list 5 dogs from my lifetime.  Come and take a stroll with me through my canine past...

The 2 doggies that I loved like they were my very own even though they weren't:

BROWNIE-  He's the reason why I love "wiener" dogs with all my heart.  I always said that if I ever got my own dog, it would be a Dachshund.  His owner was my mom's friend.  Every year I was "responsible" for dog sitting him when the family would go on a Vay-K.  It was the time of year I looked forward to most.  My parents would "allow" him to come stay at our house and he was even permitted to sleep with me in my bed.  They moved away but we would still get to go visit once or twice a year and I was so sad to learn that he had an untimely death.  He "fell" of the back deck with his chain on and well....the truth as to whether it was an accident or not has not been determined as the neighbours didn't like that little feller. (I can't imagine why not other than the fact that he did have that continuous "yappy bark" that little dogs are infamous for.)

SPENCER- Was the most lovable, red-golden retriever E-V-E-R.  He was massive.  He was adorable.  He was mischievous.  He was my best friend, LeeAnn's, dog.  I spent the good part of my early 20's hanging out at her house and now that I think of it, she should have probably charged me rent...LOL!  Anywho, apparently Spencer was not an easy dog to "train".  I met him after LeeAnn had spent years working on his "behaviours" but every so often something would happen and I would get a "glimpse" into what she must have had to deal with in his puppy years.  Like the time I was dog sitting and I came back from work to find the entire kitchen scattered with garbage.  Let me clarify.  It looked like a tornado had ripped right through the kitchen.  He must have spent hours tearing apart every single item in that garbage can because it took me over an hour to clean it all up as he sat in the corner giving me those, "You still LOVE me RIGHT?!?!" eyes.  He passed away a few years back.  I never got to say good-bye and that makes me sad.

The 3 dogs that came into my life and then left:


ALFIE- This one is a real sore spot in our family.  At least for my sister.  Alfie was a big 'ole sheep dog we got from a friend of the family.  She was such a furry mess.  In a good way.  She would sit on the couch like a human.  With her back end perched with her hind legs on the couch and her front legs on the floor.  Can you say A-M-A-Z-I-N-G?!?!  She bit me.  She was given to some family on a farm.  I could just leave it at that but that wound be wrong. 

You see, it was thought for MANY years that she just turned from one of the most gentle, friendly dogs on earth to a vicious, biting mad dog.  My family thought that because I let them.  The truth is that I was waving a cheese sandwich in her face and then pulling it away.  Every time she GENTLY went to take a "taste".  The 100th time I was teasing her,  I pulled it a little too close to my eye and she ACCIDENTALLY nipped me.  I never told the truth until I was older.  I was like, 7 or 8 years old when it happened.  I know...shameful.  I feel bad every time I think or talk about it.  I am sure she was happier on that farm anyways.  (It makes me feel better to think that)

MIDNIGHT- This gorgeous black lab showed up one day in our yard and had no collar or tags.  It wouldn't leave.  Likely because I was secretly feeding him when no one was around but my parents agreed to let me "foster" him until his owners could be found.  We put flyer's around and took out an ad in the local newspaper but after 2 weeks, no one called or came to claim him.  My parents said that I could "keep" him.  I was soooooo excited.  He was MINE!  The next day,he jumped our fence and was never to be seen again.  I searched high and low for that dog.  I guess he missed his "real" family and went HOME.

PRINCESS the "Garage Sale Dog"- It goes without saying that THIS dog is THE DOG that "sparks a stronger memory than all the others".  Not because she was the most cherished.  Nor because she was the cutest.  And certainly not because she was the best behaved. No. Not. At. All.   It's because she was purchased at a GARAGE SALE.  Yup.  A Garage Sale.  My mom and I still laugh our asses off when we talk about how "Princess" the poodle came to be a member of our family. 

My mom was so excited the day she came home and hollered up to me to come downstairs because she had a BIG SURPRISE for me.  When I rounded the stairs, there she was, Princess the poodle.  I was, ummmm, less than excited.  I don't like poodles.  BUT  beggars can't be choosers and I quickly became filled with love for this little white, curly bundle of energy.  My mom set down some VERY clear expectations for me as the new, apprehensive proud owner of Princess.  I had to walk her everyday, pick up her "droppings", feed her, wash her, etc. etc.  I accepted that wholeheartedly because it had been YEARS since Alfie & Midnight and I had been asking to get a dog ever since and promised to be fully responsible.

Princess displayed some, ummmm, behavioural "concerns" from day one.  We wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt that she was just adjusting to life with her new family.  In the meantime, Princess was treated like a Princess.  My mom spared no expense.  She was given a full check-up at the veterinarians, complete with a quick neutering.  She got "beautified" at the Doggie Salon complete with a pink, crystal collar.  She had nothing but the best bowls to eat that "top shelf" dog food from, not the kind made mostly with corn.  She was walked everyday.  Yup.  She was living the life.  And I was starting to really warm up to her.

A couple months after the Impulsive Garage Sale Purchase, Princesses "behavioural concerns" became unbearable.  She continued to pee EVERYWHERE in the house.  She continued to "poo" EVERYWHERE in the house.  She would bark almost constantly.  She licked herself until she bled.  But when she started to bite, we had no choice (and no I was not teasing her with a cheese sandwich!).  My mom actually found someone with more skills and patience to adopted her, love her and "help" her work through her issues.

It makes you think doesn't it?  Why were they selling that dog in the garage sale?  Perhaps the more puzzling question is: Who the hell BUYS a dog that is for sale at a garage sale?  LMAO!

I never asked to own another dog.  I have never chosen to own my own dog.  But I have never stopped dreaming of being a dog owner someday.  Ave & Bryce love doggies but Dave is deathly allergic.  I would say then that we will likely not be a dog owning family but then again..isn't there a pill he can take now-a-days for THAT?!?!  LOL!

If I've Said It Once...I've Said It a Million Times...

 

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