Saturday, December 09, 2006

What's a real dog?

Lelo and Old English Sheepdog
My dream dog comes from 1974. My family was volunteering at a retirement home, The Ivy House on Mission Drive in Camarillo, and for some reason, this Old English Sheepdog was there. I was entranced. Here was a dog almost as big as I was, and we bonded within moments.
From that point on, if I was ever to have a dog, it was to be an Old English Sheepdog. Big and shaggy. (I was also a cat person, don’t misread this as being pro-dog, by all means: most of my life has been cat, until recently the dog part).
So thus comes Wink. The shaggy little dog, and I look at her and she looks just like a miniature version of the dog I originally fell in love with. Funny how things come full circle, isn’t it?
Here’s Wink and her new friend, Armstrong. Armstrong is the sweetest, most HUGE dog we’ve ever met. Wink was quite intimidated by Armstrong (a Mastiff), and running to “safe places” too small for Armstrong to get to. But after a little while, they were able to relax and just be together.....and here’s what that looked like:
big dog little dog
How adorable is that? It's funny, isn't it? Wink looks like a miniature verson of "my dog" in 19 74.
Bonus photo: tongue. All tongue. Props to the ever-graceful Armstrong and his ability to put up with a teasing, high-pitched little dog, with complete grace. You go, Armstrong.
big tongue little tongue

10 comments:

Maggie said...

We had a siberian husky when I was really little and I ended up getting another when I went to college. She was with me for 13 years before I lost her to cancer.

A month or so ago, I found another husky in a shelter.

Sometimes, good things just come back around.

P.S.
Love Armstrong! What a cutie!

Anonymous said...

WELL....it's ALWAYS been a BIG DOG for me...I never came full circle as you did, but I THINK....IF WINK were here for more than a day, I'd be a convert. WE DO love our 90 pound MAC though. Hope all's well...

Anonymous said...

By the way...........WHERE DID Armstrong come from? Is he a New dog in your household? Wow. Great looking dog.

Anonymous said...

that first picture is way cute!!!
full circle indeed :)

purpletwinkie said...

Is that a can of cleanser in your hand? Were they making you scrub toilets at that age? Slave drivers.

Anonymous said...

Great photos and writing. What is a real dog? The one that speaks to you.

Which, speaking, Armstrong just licked the screen. "Hi Wink!" I'm going to get a large towel...and I hope that I can get copies of those photos.

SassyFemme said...

Is Armstrong a new addition to your family?

Monogram Queen said...

You were a doll and I love that english sheepdog. My great aunt & uncle had a st bernard when I was a wee tot and he loved to put my head in his mouth. My Mom was not amused. Wink is adorable (as always)

LeLo said...

Just to clarify...Armstrong is not a new addition to the family here, but a new friend of Wink's and mine. He's awesome!

Anonymous said...

Love Old English Sheepdogs. So cute. That old school picture is so adorable.