International and National Dog Day 2021

As many of you are aware, there seems to be a #nationalday for everything, from #TellaJokeDay to #SeniorCitizensDay; from #TalkLikeaPirateDay to #WorldMentalHealthDay…and everything in between!

Recently though, has been a really special day.  #InternationalDogDay!  Yay!  A day when #mansbestfriend is given all the love, cuddles, fuss and FOOD (especially food!) that a dog could possibly want…and if only they could talk, would tell you they deserve!  

As far as the two hounds in my household are concerned, EVERY DAY is #InternationalDogDay. 

Food?  ‘Yep, in plentiful supply please!’

Walks?  ‘I can take as many of those as you can give.’

Cuddles?  ‘Surely they’re an entitlement!  But only when I want them please!’

Ball?  ‘Yes, yes, yes!’  

Love?  ‘Unconditional…you give it, and I soak it up!’

Sadly there are some dogs in this world who don’t have the good fortune of loving owners who meet their every care needs and more, and while we celebrate our own perfect(!?) pooches with joy, spare a little thought for these unfortunate souls, and the great work that the many dog rescue charities do to fill the gaps.

I have owned dogs since 1998 when our very first black and white collie, Jester, joined my husband and I.  He was a handful, but little did I know at the time that he would steal my heart and I would never be without a dog again.  Jester was one of the cleverest dogs I have ever known; like a sponge he soaked up new words and commands, his most impressive performance being the ability to pick and fetch a single toy BY NAME out of a mixed pile…not just once, but several times over.

Blaze, a red and white collie, came next in 2009, and he quite literally changed my life.  I wasn’t in a good place at the time; my eldest son’s additional needs were becoming ever more apparent, he could be aggressive and violent, but in much need of all the love and support we could give him.  I was desperate to protect my youngest son, and indeed our family unit, from his meltdowns: professional help, as many of us are sadly aware, was very slow in coming.

Blaze, however, was my saviour.  When my mental health was suffering, this gentle, loving, loyal dog became my faithful friend and confidante.  He saw my tears and frustration, and was by my side through it all.  We took long companionable walks together in the #NewForest countryside and on the beach.

We joined a local #flyball group and I found a competitive streak that I never knew I had.  As part of our respite from family life, over the years we travelled all over the country together competing with our team, the Hurricanes, and making many new friends along the way.  

Losing Blaze early, at just a couple of days past his 11th birthday, was a sad, sad day I will never forget

Juno joined Blaze for a while before he passed.  My pretty little girl, a whippet crossed with a collie.  Skinny and long-legged with her trademark one blue eye (the other is brown), Juno slotted into our family without a fuss, and is adored by everyone.  Her speed astounds us, and her funny little quirky ways make everyone laugh.  Juno has become the ‘nana’ of the household, just like Wendy’s dog in ‘Peter Pan’, always there with a lick and a cuddle for the upset or injured among us.  .   

And of course, with Blaze now gone, Trio has joined us.  He is a handsome dog; a Welsh collie with beautiful facial markings, and a thick sable coat.  Trio, the loveable rogue, the thug of the group!  He is loving and affectionate; he is clumsy, approaching everything like the proverbial bull in a china shop!  He has challenged me in a way that none of the other dogs before him have done, not conforming and initially suspicious of everyone and everything. 

However, our family is full of people with additional needs, so he is in good company.  I adore him.  He has made me work for his loyalty, and once earned, he gives in abundance.  Trio is in training at the moment, but one day he too will be the great Flyball dog that Blaze was.  

I love my dogs to the moon and back!  They drive me mad at times, but every day, they also save me.

These are the stories of the great furry friends in my life, my BFFs.  

What are yours?

#nationalda

#BFF

#bestfriend

#InternationalDogDay

#flyball

#peterpan

#furryfriends

#mansbestfriend