13 year old Pure-Mut-Ta-Mixes
Photo by Mary Ellen "Angel Scribe"©
Wayne, Cookie, Keri with their 13 year old Pure-Mut-Ta-Mixes; sister Kori on the left, and her 'big' brother Frank. The joys of life = measured in the love of dogs.
TALES
"I always enjoy reading Tips 'n' Tales. The January 28th story on George and Arletta's love for each other and their cats was so special. Their story made me cry in places and smile in others. I cut out and kept the article." quietly admits Cookie.
Tips n' Tales is a wonderful way to look into the lives of and learn more about our neighbors. Cookie moved to town to retire 22 years ago. Her plans changed, and now she has Cookie's Good Housekeeping, which has two employees.
One of Cookie's acts of kindness is hand writing cards and letters to the seniors whose homes she has kept clean over the years. "A hand written letter means a great deal to people whose friends have died, or their children have passed on. We all get bills, but a letter meant just for us is extra special, especially when it comes out of the blue. The cards make everyone so happy. I love animals as much as people," admits Cookie.
In 1996 she and her family went to see an "accident" litter of pure bred German Shepherds. The accident, was that a stray dog had unexpectedly broken into the famous breeder's long line of purebreds!
"We wanted to bring all the puppies home," recalls Cookie, "but fortunately we kept our sanity and fulfilled our mission by adopting only two of the babies, with the promise of giving them the best life possible. My daughter, Keri, and her husband, Wayne, chose a male, Frank, and I chose a timid female, Kori.
Having puppies is like having real children. They count on us, and no matter the cost or time involved, they definitely give us more than we can give them. Our dogs are both well behaved and faithful. They wouldn't hurt a flea...if they had one. They know several commands and we taught them silent commands with hand gestures.
Kori keeps me on schedule. Now that she is 13 years-old, she takes medications and lets me know when it is time. She also lets me know when it is time for potty breaks, and her dog biscuit treat. At treat time, she sits patiently beside her cookie jar. She knows when Saturdays come, as it is the only day her daddy fries bacon. She gets a few small bites, and then is happy until the next Saturday.
Keir and Wayne now live a two hour drive away, so it is often some time between dog visits. When Frank arrives with them, it was like there was no yesterday! He and Kori pick right up where they left off, they are the best of friends.
When I mail Christmas packages to my daughter, Frank sits and guards the package, until his 'mom' opens it. He is such a smart dog, and always knows which package is from his sister Kori's home. We wonder if he can read our return address on the package!
Both our families are thankful for the love of our dogs. Now that the dogs are aging, we must think of their future. When the time comes, we must let go, it will be one of the most unselfish things we do. In the meantime, we love them and will always be here for them."
Cookie suggests, "As our
dogs age, we adjust with their special needs. Their hearing, vision,
sense of smell, and arthritis takes a hard toll on them and their
ability to communicate in the world.
Now, when I mop the floor, I dry it immediately so Kori wont slip. Last winter, when it was freezing weather, I put rock salt down on our steps and walkway
to prevent her from sliding on the ice and hurting herself.
Now, when the front steps are too much for her to climb into the
house, we find another route. If I see her walking is difficult, we
only walk part way down the block and not all the way around it.
Also, on a precautionary note. Once we had a beloved dog who enjoyed
drinking out of a water bucket with a handle. One day, when no one was
around, she accidentally looped the bucket's handle over her head.
Unbelievably, this mishap caused her to drown. Please remove
handles of buckets to prevent a tragedy at your home. How fortunate we are
to have the love and trust of our pets."
NOTE: FDA Report: report all adverse reactions related to your pet's food. (425) 483-4949
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Pet Adoptions
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Tips 'n' Tales Newspaper Columnist, Mary Ellen with Miss Wings
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