Mine is sitting on my feet as I write this, he is a Cairn Terrier and an absolute delight. He is the first thing that speaks to me in the morning and my constant shadow throughout the day. He looks to me for security if there is something he is not sure of and I am a constant source of amusement (he thinks!) as he encourages me to play with various toys or go on a walk or play in the garden, particularly if there are frogs or mice around. You get a lot of dog with a terrier.

He sounds like a brilliant dog When,I have always had short haired German Shepherds but have been wanting a long haired one for a while now,strong possibility my next one will be long haired,I think they are gorgeous.

When our two babies were born, we had an elderly spaniel and a (short haired) german shepherd. The dogs always sat by the pram/carry cot downstairs and as soon as the baby cried, the spaniel would run to me, bark, run back to the pram, run to me, bark, repeating this sequence until I went to the pram.

I read Peter Bradshaw's In Defence of Dogs recently. One of the things that stayed with me was the reference to the fact that until relatively recently, dogs had a job. The 'job' could be either working dog, or family pet. He said his grandfather's pet dogs job, was to have breakfast, then start his walk around the town. He visited various shops and places he knew people, presumably crossed roads as there would have been little traffic. The point being that so many dogs live stressful lives now and finding places to exercise them safely off lead isn't easy.

It's good to see so many positive comments about what dogs add to our lives. I'm sitting with a cup of tea, one dog asleep on the sofa next to me, the bigger dog lying on the floor close to me, snoring happily. Life doesn't get much better

I'll never have one now but I have always wanted a long haired German Shepherd. I love my own dogs but can take or leave other peoples most of the time. However some dogs I've know have crept into my heart and will always stay there, and one of them was a German Shepherd called Ella. I've always had daft dogs and have often wondered what it's like to have a dog with such intelligence.

We have had mainly collies.
They work. But not as much as they used to do.

My mother just spent the morning with me, she watched the Centenary and she is also 100 years old. Our dog, Rig, a nine year old Collie Cross sat with her the entire time, head in her lap. Mum watched TV, tears in her eyes, as her memories came flooding back and stroked the dog throughout. How comforting he was, dogs are the perfect companions.

Like whitewave I also have a Cairn terrier, they are lovely little dogs. Full of fun, great with children. I could not be without a dog now, I have had a dog around all of my life.

We have a beautiful Weimaraner, our second one, the first we had from a pup and we sadly lost her, age 12 years. After 3 months without a dog we decided to give a rescue Weimaraner a home, Daisy was 2 years old when we rescued her, she's now 4. I take her to Agility which she loves and its good fun.
Our four grandchildren were all quite young when she arrived but our previous dog had been excellent with children, Daisy loves them to bits, has been on holiday with us all twice and gets so excited when they arrive, she knows they will give her lots of attention. Its amazing how she will sit, give paw, lie down, when asked by the grandchildren, the 9yr old can even get her to do a leg weave and do jumps. Its nice for them to experience being around a dog as both of sets of parents have very busy lives and can't commit to a dog at the moment.
When our boys were at home we had a German Shepherd/Border Collie cross until she was 19 and a Border Collie who was with us until she was 17 years old, both sadly missed.
Can't imagine our lives without a dog.

We have a choccy Labrador, Henry. Sadly his days are numbered as he has testicular cancer. Naturally we are devastated but pragmatic. He would have been 13 in February, he has had a good life and while he is happy and pain free we will keep him, dreading the final farewell.

I know this is an old thread, but I have really enjoyed reading it.

At the age of 69, I am about to fulfil (I hope) my lifetime desire to have my own dog. Until now my DH was not keen but now has changed his mind. There has been no persuading on my side, he just made the decision a month ago. We are hoping to apply for an 8 year old Terrier x Pattie

We cannot contact the Rescue Centre until after Christmas and of course we may. It be matched to her. Here’s hoping...

that should read “may not be matched”

Whatever dog you get matched to I hope you get on. It’s Sao sad to think of al those dogs looking for their forever home.

The pleasures of being a dog owner,oh! yes so very many,in fact life surely only begins when you have a pooch running your household?!
Having been brought up on a small holding my life has always been intermixed with animals, yet it was just the dogs that really touched that spot within me,and I feel the same today as I did all those very many moons ago enjoying,playing,teasing and running along with our corgi dogs on the farm.
When I left home to undergo my Nurse training it was a bitter blow leaving my Gem behind.He had seen me through so much, including a young husband whom seemingly had gambled away our home and every possession........and then scampered,never again to be seen.
It was Gem whom lay alongside my tear stained pillow night after night, bringing me such body warmth and comfort following what had been such a blow and big loss.
I travelled to and from my Nursing Home in the town out to the farm on my time off by scooter, and what a treat it was seeing the writhing body of a very happy Gem waiting at the gate to greet me.
Sadness followed because dear Gem lost his life eventually and for a while I had no dog to adore or love me in return.
Eventually I remarried and almost our first addition was yet another dog!He was far more important than any stick of furniture and it was sheer joy introducing the new corgi.... named Scampi.... to our home and life.Luckily my new husband was equally as besotted with this new little life,a real bundle of pleasure and one that truly made our first place a real home.
With my other half working away long hours, Scampi and I became utterly devoted and in the summertime you would find us both trekking up hill,down dale and along each and every coast line in our county,exploring and simply drinking in the beauty all around, as well as enjoying the blue skies and fresh air.We lived for the out doors.There were hardly any nooks or crannies in our county left unexplored!
He proved to be the king of all he surveyed and was certainly boss in our home.Only a short stubby little fellow in reality, yet a stalwart and loyal companion, with a heart of pure gold.
We enjoyed 16 years together all three of us, but like all good things in life..... everything ends at some point.This was a time of utter devastation.
Many years and incidents later before it was time to offer a new home to another pup.With health problems seriously disrupting our lives, we knew it would need to be a “lap dog” ,one that I again could manage.So it came about we found this darling miniature wire haired dachshund whom was 10 months of age,a past Crufts winner but because of the breeder`s own health issues, she had to part with her dogs.Her loss or sure and our supreme gain.
He came with a pedigree name twice as long as his sausage body,but this was soon dropped and we simply but lovingly named him Barnaby..............although throughout his life he was mainly affectionately known as Barney.
What an out and out little charmer.He may have been short in stature but my word his personality was larger than life itself!!He soon became master of all he surveyed, and believe me that ended up not only our home, but he had his very own paddock!!
Again another one that roamed the surrounding areas high and low,all be it mainly with my husband..... with me being forced to take something of a back seat due to health issues.So he split his love between us both and constantly showered us with such devotion.
Another 16 years of almost pure bliss, but then those final sad weeks when he became deaf,blind and started losing the ability to go walkies we knew there was only one kind way out.
He was put to sleep lying in his own basket in front of the Rayburn he had long adopted as his own, with his own gentle female Vet doing the necessary.It was just prior to Christmas and that year our Christmas was completely deleted as we sat grieving, having eventually buried the little fellow in his own paddock and in an area forever known as Barney`s Patch.........complete with blue geraniums covering his forever resting place.
Our lives came to a standstill that day he passed on, and years later it has never fully resumed.
We are of an age that it would be far too unkind to start caring for another young pup, finding we could not take him out, truly care for him as any young and healthy dog requires.So we decided enough was enough, and we are now surrounded by lovely memories and pictures reminding us of those happier times.
Undoubtedly,the happiest times of our lives.

What a beautiful post panache, moved me to tears.

We worked out we have had dogs for 40+ years, lost Henry, 13, in February. Cannot express how much we miss him, the wet dog smell, muddy paws, but most of all his unconditional love both to and from us. Will we have another one? A house without a Labrador isn't a home.

Thank you humptydumpty for your kind words, because believe me, that post was written with pure love...... and it brought back such memories yet again.

I'm reading with tears in my eyes.
My darling boy was put to rest yesterday aged 14. We had him from a puppy.
It hurts.

So sorry cavewoman

I truly feel for you Cavewoman,it really is so heartbreaking and the one big minus to owning a pet.
Let the happy memories sustain you and help you through this grieving period.
In my thoughts (flowers)

Oh Cavewoman I’m so sorry to read that. It leaves such a huge hole on your life. I hope it was peaceful at the end as that helps,

You’ve obviously given your boy a lovely life and have lots of memories to draw on.

I lost my old dog in February, he was 16. I also foster dogs of two breeds for a charity and consider myself a failed foster mum as I’ve decided to keep one who’s had a pretty bad puppyhood up until now as he deserves better.

He’s helping to fill a big hole in my heart ??

Fortunately it was a peaceful end.
Luckily I still have a dog in my life as we rescued a Lurcher last year. She is moping around looking for him.

I have also considered fostering OldMeg but it would have to be short term, before becoming too attached.

Cavewoman so glad it was peaceful.

I have another rescue foster dog we are collecting tomorrow. I hope I don’t get attached to this one. It seems the worse the life they’ve had the more I bond. Those that are ‘easy’ dogs soon move on to their forever home.