The Dog People

No new trails have been explored or local eateries sampled....So what have we been up to?

Well, with over a decade of being dogless in our family...the right canine finally drew us to her. We have been seeking to rescue a dog from one of our local shelters for a couple of months now. Although we were attracted to many...age, size or temperament required us to step away and think about our decision and the commitment needed. How much training and exercise would our pet need? How much romper room could we offer? Could we make the financial commitment for health care, food and comforts (cushy beds, toys and treats)? Would our living environment be a safe haven...not only for our new pack member, but all children and adults who visit us? We questioned all the above and even more. That is until we saw Doegee (D-O-G), the pre-adoption name we gave her. After that first visit we were dedicated to getting her adopted and committed to ensuring our home was hers.

We first saw her one hour after her photo was posted on the San Luis Obispo Animal Services Division web site. The breed and size sparked our curiosity. The look of despair on her face kindled our empathy. The next day we saw and met her for the first time... and thanks to those amazing volunteers knew she would be a perfect fit for our lifestyle, personality and home. These volunteers are truly amazing, as they give countless hours of time to the facility and offer to become foster parents to many dogs until the right owners choose to adopt. Doegee had been abandoned, so we had to wait the standard five days to allow her previous owners to retrieve her. There was little chance of that though...she had no license, no micro chip, was not spayed and had no "dance" left in her stride...frightened and alarmed by quick movement, so submissive her stomach almost touched the ground when she approached you and then yelped with fear just from a tender petting. Behaviors most likely created by long term abuse from that "higher intelligent species".

Sydney Talia, the name we gave her, is a 2 1/2 year old Australian Cattle Dog. She possesses the trademark markings from her ancestors, the white blaze seen on her forehead, the black tail root-spot and the distinguishable tan points...all which can be attributed directly to her original fore bearers of the late 1800's.

We have devoted most of our time getting Sydney acclimated to our home, our town and our lifestyle. We also taken short roads trip up to Sonoma County to visit Camp Nicolai...We left mom and dad knowing that Sydney loved the cool tile floors, the never ending supply of treats, the single level viewing platform to keep track of her pack and most of all the ongoing petting and affection.

Multiple walks are scheduled each day, whether on the nearby Fiscalini Ranch Preserve, our dog friendly beaches, or the many coastline creeks. Sydney's presence on all these trails is a regular occurrence now.

Our dear friends, John & Diane recently lost their beloved golden retriever...Cassie. A beautiful puppy, Hannah, is now slowly filling the loss. Diane was asked recently by a friend, "do you guys ever take a break from dogs?" She was quick to reply..."there is nothing to take a break from, they are such a joy."

So we are now returning members to that devoted club (dog people) of millions...individuals who have pets as their soul mates, best friends or surrogate children. Only time will tell if we reach the level of "Pet Ambassador", but we are headed in that direction for Sydney is now a key member of our family. She is already providing us a peaceful comfort when she is just lounging or sleeping, has offered us many hours of camaraderie whether on the trail or on a road trip and from the beginning of her stay with us has demonstrated her unconditional love. She is an unending source of kisses, cuddles and surprises.

Dogs are so wonderful...they have an innate ability to truly live in the moment. Time is non-existent...our seconds, minutes or hours are meaningless in a dog's world. And how great is it to have a companion, friend and protector who is non-judgemental, irrespective of your status, whether you are a common man or celebrity, homeless or a land baron, penniless or wealthy...our Sydney will loves us for loving her. And she has unknowingly chosen an immense, but wonderful life path...creating a lifetime culmination of offering unconditional love, loyalty and joy.