My Three Dogs

 These are the three dogs that I have shared my life with- a culmination of over 40 years of life! My late husband brought all three home. He would watch the postings on our local SPCA and ultimately show up with a dog. The first one he brought home in the late 1970’s shortly after we bought our first home. It is the large black dog in the middle- Major. Such a wonderful dog! Sweet gentle Major put up with the birth of our three children and all that living with toddlers brings to a dog’s life. Major was with us thirteen years. One day, when Major started really showing signs of age, my husband came home with Bogart. Although Bogart was a pure bred West Highland terrier he was also a SPCA rescue. Shortly after he joined our family it became clear to us why he had ended up at the dog pound- apparently he had little love for anyone outside of our immediately family. He would make a stealthy beeline for the ankles of any outsider. Although Bogart was unfriendly to visitors, he was also highly intelligent. We quickly learned that whenever the doorbell rang we only needed to look at him and tell him to go to his room and he would rush upstairs on his own and stay there until the visitor left. Bogart lived with us for thirteen years as well. The day Bogart passed my husband and I had a conversation and agreed no more dogs. That “ last day” heartbreak was just to much to bear. So you can imagine my surprise when I got a call at work a few months later from my husband- he was at SPCA and had found the perfect dog. The SPCA won’t save a dog for people so he was walking Maggie around the building and would continue to do so until I got there so no one else could have access to her. I still remember him telling me to hurry up and get there ASAP. Maggie, the little mixed breed on the right, passed away last month..she would have been 15 in May. I’m pretty sure Maggie is the last dog I will share my life with but of course nothings ever certain in life so who knows. But as she may well be my last, I decided to needle felt her. As soon as I did I was filled with guilt because I certainly didn’t love her more than my other dogs so in the end I made all three- one sitting, one standing and one laying down. Every time I look at the three of them I smile.