I find this idea somewhat ludicrous. Each dog has its own wonderful spirit. You can always select a breed with certain characteristics you enjoy. (Facebook hounds me with articles like this all the time). Now you can even adopt a "homeless" dog that has been fostered. That way you will know all of its nuances and habits ahead of your decision. If I get another dog someday, that is what I plan to do.
In my life, three totally different dogs have blessed me. Have they all really been the same spirit? Sometimes I believe so. Perhaps it's just me seeing what I want to in their little bodies. Let's compare:
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| Jud the dog |
Jud Bullock. Yes, I named my son after a dog. In all fairness, the from my childhood was named after my dad, David Judson Bullock. So our son is really named after him. But he could have done worse to be named after the loyal and determined 25-pound doggy bro of my youth.
Jud was a full-sized dachshund, reddish-tan. He was born March 25, 1958, so his 60th birthday will soon be here. One might wonder why I remember a long-dead dog's birthday - but cant' recall your name. Ah, they say short-term memory is the first thing to go. Jud lived to be 15, passing during my freshman year in high school.
Jud was loyal and true. He made like McGruff the Crime Dog, following the Bullock kids all around the neighborhood, ensuring our safety. There were no leash laws back then. Our Jud had the run of the area, luring the neighbors into feeding him. Jud's short little legs couldn't keep up with our bikes - yet he eventually showed up wherever we went. If any neighbor kids encroached on our playhouse - Jud went into attack mode, barking like Kujo. Jud was a good boy.
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| Amy, Jud and Moki all make funny faces |
Moki Goldsmith. I can't believe I waited until I was nearly 30 to get a dog as an adult. I am a very pragmatic person. I don't believe in getting a pet when you can't properly care for it. I had to "try out" parenting with kids to know I could do it. haha. I would not recommend having a puppy and a one-year-old at the same time though.
If Jud were cloned - chubby tan wiener dog, lays around all day. Loyal? To food.
Moki came to us thanks to a puppy advertisement in the Creston News Advertiser. Paul and I had learned to love West Highland White Terriers thanks to my sister Susi's sweet dog Mac. Paul named our new white fur ball. Moki means great white bear. Bears are very creative when it comes to getting food - so the name was a good fit.
Another fitting middle name would have been Houdini, a whiz at getting out of the kennel. Even after Paul fastened a clamp on the top. Moki would do anything to get people food. I'd holler at him and he'd put himself in kennel "timeout" for a couple hours. He thought of himself as Jud and Amy's sibling. Smart dog, good boy.
Moki clone - comes complete with a Houdini outfit, he lives on the street. No kennel can keep him. Moki sneaks into people's homes to dine like a king.
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| Odie with mustard |
Odie Pearl Goldsmith. Moki passed away in 2004. He'd lived a good life - considering he'd had diabetes for 7 of his 13 years. We were dog-free for six months. It was lonely. Amy was away at college. Jud wanted a bigger dog. Paul wanted another Westie. I wanted something different. My sis Betso had a couple miniature weiner dogs. Dad's girlfriend Kay, a dog trainer suggested that breed for us. So we got Odie - named after a cartoon character and the dog in the Spenser (Robert B. Parker) novels.
Puppies are so cute. I never want another one. Training them is ridiculous. Chewing and potty. Doxies are stubborn exceptionally stubborn. That said, once Odie was potty trained, Odie became a model doggy. She is a lover of people, especially women. Odie is a model traveler and houseguest (except for those pesky black hairs). She knows where her meals come from, so she never runs away. Odie does love people food, so she is a beggar. My bad for teaching her that our food is yummy.
Clone of Odie - already a good jumper, new Odie can leap even higher, allowing her to snatch food right off the counter.
If only our pets could live as long as we do. No doubt that's what Barbra is looking for by cloning her pet. For me, there's no replacing my best friends with new dogs their genes. The heartbreak when you lose your pet is rough - but worth it.
I enjoyed a day with my bestie this weekend. Deb drove up from Creston. Odie made a big deal about it - moaning and howling, expecting belly rubs. We tried an Ecuadorian place for lunch. One I couldn't get Paul to go to....it was great! Then we shopped at a couple consignment shops - Deb loves those. I found a cool jacket. Last stop - Taco Hangover for a beer. All the while we talked - fam, jobs, and politics! Love that girl. It was a great day. Just ask Odie.
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