|
 |
 |
| Name: |
Pickers
|
Age: |
Fifteen years old
|
| Gender: |
Female |
Breed: |
German Shepherd, Golden Lab mix |
| Home: |
Orlando, Florida, USA |
This
is my dog Pickers. She was a stray who had wondered into a nursing
home during shift change. A friend who was there called me and said they
had the cutest puppy there and I should come and take her home. I got up
there with a little puppy collar and some hard dog food. What I found
was an approximately six month old beauty. The collar did us no good and I
took her home. They said she had eaten two sandwiches, a bucket of water
and a bucket of milk before I got there. She then proceeded to eat the
hard dog food I brought. At the time I was living with my parents and
wondered how their dog would react to this new one. Pickers was great.
She was very tired and just nudged their dog away. She slept almost 24
hours. After a trip to the vet (who is the one that guestimated her age
at 6 months) and a clean bill of health, she had a new home. Of course
everyone needs a birthday so I counted back 6 months and since I found
her on the 17th, August 17th became her birthday. She has been with me
ever since. In her younger days, she loved to play Frisbee, catch with
the tennis ball and play soccer. She even used to bury her milk bones in
my plants. She has moved with me five times and loves riding in the car.
When she was younger I had a car with automatic seat belts. She would
sit in the front seat with me and as soon as the car started to move she
would turn around and put her nose between the seat and the seat belt so
the seat belt was around her. It was always fun to see people on the
road point at the dog wearing her seat belt.
She just turned 15 and for the last year or so has been showing her age.
She has lost her hearing and has arthritis. Other than that, no major
problems. She has a wonderful vet who loves her dearly and takes great
care of her. I bet you are wondering how she got her name. Well, when I
found her she was full of burrs that I call pickers. I was pulling them
off of her saying "pickers, pickers, pickers" and the name stuck. She is
as unique as her name. When she was 7 years old we got a new addition to
our family - a cat, Peanut. They are buddies and the cat knows now that
Pickers is older and can't play like they used to. But every once in a
while he seems to know when Pickers needs to get her blood pumping and
so he bats at her until she chases him. When Pickers is having a bad
day, Peanut stays with her and watches over her. She has always had the
best disposition. Nothing bothers her. Baths, visits to the vet, it
doesn't matter. She is also wonderful with kids. I don't have any and
she has not been around many so I was very surprised that she was so
good with them. From babies up to toddlers, it is like she knows that
she has to be gentle with them. The worst she has done is knocked them
with her tail. She has been and always will be my best friend. We have
been through a lot together. I now spend my time with her caring for her
aching bones and giving her extra TLC. It is the least that I can do to
repay my friend for her years and years of unconditional love for me.
|
|
|
|
|
