Tag Archive for: Irish Terrier

Saying Goodbye to an Old Friend

/in /by
From the cat who literally swallowed the canary (and then threw it up on
your aunt’s antique Persian rug) to the dog who ran away, we at the Stiletto
Gang put our collective heads together and thought: what could be better than
walking down memory lane with thoughts of some of our favorite–and
not-so-favorite–pets? Join us for the next two weeks as we reminisce about the
animals we loved and those who loved us.

By Evelyn David

Let me tell you a little about Snickers, the Irish terrier who
made us dog owners. She was from a line of champions. That didn’t matter to us. We had, however, deliberately chosen the breed because they were
hypoallergenic. Put my husband around most dogs and his eyes swell
shut and he develops a throbbing headache. So it’s reasonable to ask, why did
we get a dog in the first place? Our second son, then six, was deathly afraid of all
animals, but especially dogs. We thought having a puppy would help him overcome
his fear. (It worked.)

Neither my husband nor I had ever owned a dog before so our
expectations were primarily based on watching years of Lassie episodes. I
thought Snickers would follow me from room to room, come when called, rescue me
if I fell down a well. Instead, we got a dog who clearly considered us her
intellectual inferiors. Don’t get me wrong. She was a sweet animal who, when I
had a baby a few years later, was as gentle as a lamb around this new interloper
who pulled ears and tail. She never so much as growled at us no matter what the
provocataion, but there was always a certain distance, a sense of independence.
She was the first to dash out any open door. We would chase after her and she
would race ahead, stopping occasionally to look back to see if we were
following. Once when we couldn’t find her, having scoured the neighborhood
calling her name, offering treats, we returned to find her sitting on our front
porch, with a look of disdain that we hadn’t been able to keep up with
her. We incorporated a similar scene in our mystery ZONED FOR MURDER.

I realize just how independent Snickers was, now that we
have Clio, another Irish terrier. Clio too is sweet, but to be honest not too
bright. At 40 pounds Clio believes she is a lap dog. She is happiest when
stretched across one of us, with her belly being scratched. Snickers just
wasn’t that kind of dog.

When Snickers was 13 years old, she had arthritis, was going deaf, and was slightly blind. Our vet, the kindly Dr. Thorndike told us, Snickers had outlived “most of her classmates.” Still I was unprepared when one
morning, Snickers had a stroke before my eyes. She lost control of her legs and
bladder. I rushed her to the animal hospital and Dr. Thorndike gently told me
that the time had come for us to be loving pet owners. He predicted that
Snickers would have more strokes over the next few days and be increasingly in
pain. We couldn’t let that happen. We made arrangements to have her put to
sleep the next day, after the kids said their goodbyes. It was a long and emotional
night, but Snickers seemed comfortable and had regained limited use of her
legs. She ate very little, slept nearly round the clock.

Despite her independence, Snickers was, from the day we met
her, fiercely protective of her family. So she was that last morning. My husband
took off time from work to go with me to the vets. I carried Snickers out to
the driveway and put her down to open the car. She stretched out on the
concrete for a moment until a sanitation man came to the back of the house to
get our trashcans. I watched as Snickers drew herself up, on shaky legs, and
then barked with a clear message, “This is my family. I’ll protect
them.”

I reassured Snickers that all was fine – but she watched, growling softly, until the sanitation man had left the area. We
lifted her into the car and she settled back down to sleep.

The selfless, devoted, protective, let me say noble
character of Snickers taught me a lot about parenting. She loved without
question, if on her own terms. She was the fierce defender of this family and
asked nothing more than kindness, food, and shelter in return. We got so much
more.

Dogs, like people, come in all shapes, sizes, and
temperaments. But what they give to their families is the unconditional love
that each of us needs. How lucky we were to have Snickers in our life.

Thanks
old friend.

Marian

Zoned for Murder – Kindle (Exclusive at Amazon this month)
Trade Paperback

Brianna Sullivan Mysteries – e-book series
I Try Not to Drive Past Cemeteries- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
The Dog Days of Summer in Lottawatah- Kindle (Exclusive at Amazon this month)
The Holiday Spirit(s) of Lottawatah- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
Undying Love in Lottawatah- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
A Haunting in Lottawatah – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
Lottawatah Twister – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
Missing in Lottawatah – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
Good Grief in Lottawatah – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords

The Ghosts of Lottawatah – trade paperback collection of the Brianna e-books
Book 1 – I Try Not to Drive Past Cemeteries (includes the first four Brianna e-books)
Book 2 – A Haunting in Lottawatah (includes the 5th, 6th, and 7th Brianna e-books)

Sullivan Investigations Mystery
Murder Off the Books Kindle – Nook – Smashwords – Trade Paperback
Murder Takes the Cake Kindle – Nook – Smashwords – Trade Paperback
Riley Come Home (short story)- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
Moonlighting at the Mall (short story) – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords

Romances
Love Lessons – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords

Two is Definitely More than One

/in /by

I’m the mother of four children, so I shouldn’t have been surprised. Moms know that when you have a second child, the amount of work grows exponentially. So I should have realized that two dogs is definitely more than twice the amount of wear and tear. And don’t get me started on how they’ll entertain each other…unless tearing around the house like it was the dragway at Daytona Beach is your definition of entertainment.

Our oldest and his wife are on vacation, and we, the grandparents to adorable Nook, are babysitting for two weeks. Nook is a Portugese Water Dog, all black curly hair except for her right front paw, which is white. She is four years old, so just past adolescence. She loves adult companionship, which translates to mean, let me sit on your feet so you can’t go anywhere without me.

Clio, the resident Irish terrier, is nine years old, so let’s call a spade a spade – she’s eligible for Social Security. She entered this household when there were four kids still living at home – and she learned quite early to pick her battles in terms of what she needed. She wanted her dinner promptly at 5 pm (and seriously you can set the clock by it). She wanted her sheepskin blankie from her days in the litter to sleep on. And she wanted Honey Nut Cheerios on top of her kibble in the morning. Otherwise, she was happy to watch television with whomever had gotten the remote, and had no preference whether it was a Mets game or Masterpiece Theater. The likelihood of some popcorn hitting the ground under either scenario was excellent, and she is always ready to serve as a canine vacuum cleaner.

Clio has taken seriously her role as big sister. She’s taught Nook that when you come in from the backyard, you have to walk down the steps to the basement and then right back up again (to get rid of any lingering dirt). She’s also clearly informed little sister that going outside to do your “business,” entitles you to a doggie treat. Clio was incredulous, and her face showed it, when Nook wandered off the other morning without the biscuit. Of course, Clio immediately rose to the occasion and was happy to oblige by polishing off a second treat in under five seconds. Making sure everyone knows that she is the alpha dog of the pack is accomplished by immediately doing her business wherever Nook has done hers. What this means is that any walk with the two of them takes double the amount of time because Clio has to mark the previously marked spots. Oy!

Still, as with the two-legged children I’ve known, these furry companions have their moments. Growling one minute, snuggling up the next. But do I have any interest in permanently growing the canine population in this house? Nope. Like grandparents everywhere, I love to indulge this little one – and then send her home!

Evelyn David

Murder Takes the Cake by Evelyn David
Murder Off the Books by Evelyn David
http://www.evelyndavid.com