posted on Oct, 24 2010 @ 09:10 PM
I guess some Aliens are a good bunch after all! Any Being that can create creatures capable of giving us miserable humans the amount of love our dogs
and cats give us, can join me for coffee around the fire anytime!
My wife and I are dog lovers who raised English Springer Spaniels. Some were purchased as pups by folk who simply wanted a loving companion, others I
trained to the gun for those who wanted an excellent bird dog as well as a loving companion. We actually did this for only a few years, since my wife
was heartbroken every time a pup sold, whilst I have to admit to the occasional lump in my own throat. (well maybe a little more than occasional)
Our first Springer was a male with what I thought was the grand name of "Mountsberg's Joe", soon to evolve into the even grander name, Ol' Joey!
My training methods involved repetition, ton's of love and now and again a few words of admonishment. What a dog he was, and never have I known a
better trainer! He had my wife and I trained in no time. I could fill a good sized book with "tails" of adventure and just as many misadventures of
Joey and our years together, from the beginning when he had my wife and I purchase a new bed big enough for three, to the end when I had to finally
call the vet in. Joe was 18 years and 6 weeks old that day. For the past year and a half I had been carrying him outside to do his business. He was
never in any pain, just getting old. It's now a little over 2 years since Joe's been gone, and we still grieve. He left us with 18 years of
wonderful memories, and we take comfort in knowing he is flushing partridge and pheasant with his little girlfriend Misty, and some day we will join
them, and our other dogs who have moved on. She was a beautiful little Springer I purchased from a dog-kicking lout, right before I ran him off the
property. We didn't need another dog as we also had Blaze, (a beautiful older female Springer), but Misty desperately needed another home... one that
was filled with love. And boy did she find it! By the time the vet and her assistant arrived at our home to take care of Joey God knows how many
times we had changed our minds, but it was time. He was fast becoming skin and bone, and for the previous two days had stopped eating altogether. The
old fellah was laying on his love seat, but managed a few wags of his tail upon hearing the familiar voice of his vet. Cataracts had formed, though he
could see things up close. We hugged and caressed him, with tears unashamedly running down our cheeks, then hugging each other and openly sobbing,
once the needle had done its work. If I was a drinking man, I'd raise a glass to Ol' Joey and most certainly a toast to the Aliens...Thank You!