How did I get here?

 

Writing this morning, destiny. 

I did not grow up in a dog family; a little known and shocking fact about me.  We had one dog when I was growing up and he, Strawberry (yes I know, great name for a boy) was a toy poodle.  Not the best choice for a family with five children but he managed somehow.  I don't know when I fell in love with dogs but it was long before Strawberry arrived on the scene.  I clearly remember begging and begging for a dog; along with my brothers and sisters until my parents finally caved. 

I think it may have started because of Disney; remember the old days when Disney was on television every Sunday night?  Listening to my Mom prepare dinner ready while we watched Disney; it is a wonderful childhood memory.  But it was there that I first saw the human/canine connection and I was hooked.  I dreamed of a day that I would be just like the kids on the television, surrounded by dogs.  I was not going to be satisfied with just one family dog; no I wanted a bunch of them and my life would revolve around them. 

As a young child, I could never get enough.  I bought dog books as soon as I had a few pennies of my own.  I'd go into the book store and run my hand over all the different "Know your 'breed'" books trying to decide which one to purchase.  By the time I was a pre-teen I had quite the collection.  Know your Saluki, Doberman, Irish Setter etc. etc.  I had them all.  Anytime a show with dogs came on; I was there, front and center.  I recall the feeling I got when I watched humans with their dogs, I wanted that.  Of course on Disney it was always magical; enough so that I was convinced that dogs were about the greatest thing in the world. 

Flash forward to today and yes, my life does revolve around dogs.  It still amazes me that I did not grow up in a dog family yet I have a deep need to have dogs around me.  I have dabbled in a great number of dog related activities; from obedience, conformation, grooming, dog walking and finally landing on positive reinforcement, writing and photography.  Here I stay, juggling the three things that mesh together like milk and cookies. 

My own children grew up with dogs and even though they considered their Mother to be dog crazy when they were in their teens; they are all huge dog lovers.  It has continued into the next generation and I cannot see any of them without a dog in their life. 

Who knows where this dog loving thing comes from? Whether we are introduced to the unique relationship of a dog and their human early, late or just experience all on our own.  Perhaps there are dog loving genes that are passed down through the generations landing where they may fall by chance or luck would have it? 

I often wonder, how the heck did I get here?  I don't think I had a choice in the matter; it was dogs since I can remember, destiny.