Today I will veer off the walking path just a bit to do a post about pets I’ve owned through the years. As you have noticed, since October 2023, I have been participating in Terri Webster Schrandt’s weekly Photo and Color Challenges.
While that has been fun, Terri’s Challenge this week: “National Kids and Pets Day” was a toughie. I’ve never had kids and it’s been awhile since I had a pet, so my solution is to show you some of the pets I’ve had through the years.
You all know I have an affinity for squirrels and, since I refuse to get another pet due to the grief factor, my little furry pals are perfect for sharing peanuts, seeds and lovin’ on them. I’ve learned through the years that the way to a squirrel’s heart is through its stomach, (although calling them endearing names never hurts when cute poses are desired).
So yes, I remain “petless” as to a traditional pet and have opted to adopt my furry and also my feathered friends at the Park instead. After reading about my litany of lost pets, you’ll understand my mindset.
Many of the photos are old and the images sometimes are blurry, but I think the love for these pets shines through.
The family dog.
Almost everyone I know has or had a family dog, often one which grew up alongside the kids and lasted well into old age. Although I had three dogs, not one of them ever reached the status of longtime family member nor attained old age.
There was Fritzy, the German Shepherd, my first pet, when my father’s co-worker showed him a litter of puppies and asked if he would like to buy one. I am sure the three-year-old me squealed in delight when I laid eyes on Fritzy, who grew in leaps and bounds and soon became my protector as he was so large.
But despite the photos above of an exuberant Fritzy loping around the front yard with me, he developed hip dysplasia and my parents had him euthanized. I was too young to understand that it was to make Fritzy pain-free.
My parents told me we would get another dog for my next birthday, so off we went to Wag-a-Way Kennels where I picked out a beautiful Cocker Spaniel that we named Co-Co. My parents gave me a lecture about me being older and more responsible now, so I would walk Co-Co, take him outside and help clean up after him. And I agreed “oh yes, of course I will!!” Hmm. My parents would have begged to differ with that, as strict as they were, I know I fell short in my pet responsibilities.
I was so excited about Co-Co, I had to tell the world, as you see below in a paper I wrote in Grade One:
I loved snuggling with Co-Co and my best friend Linda Crosby loved him too.
Co-Co could not be housebroken and took to piddling on the carpet in the hall whenever he felt like it. Co-Co even went to obedience school, but obviously didn’t pay attention as the piddle puddles continued and his long silky ears would drag into his water and food bowls, making a mess wherever he walked after drinking or eating. Mom was not amused about the mess and soon Co-Co was gone.
On a visit to my great-uncle Bill’s farm, he asked me if a pet rabbit would take my mind off of Co-Co, so he gave me this white rabbit which I named Scratch.
Mom felt badly that Scratch was cooped up in a bushel basket all day while I was at school, but she didn’t want him hopping around the house and suggested nicely that perhaps Scratch might be happier back at Uncle Bill’s farm. I’m not sure I agreed, but on a Sunday afternoon, I was handing over Scratch and suddenly without my furry companion – this petless conundrum was becoming the norm at the Schaub household.
To solve the petless problem our family got a blue parakeet which we named Skippy. He was smart, having an extensive vocabulary, thanks to Mom talking to him constantly. He said “I’m Skippy Schaub” all day long and Mom later admitted hearing the same phrase all day did drive her a bit crazy.
Here I was with the finger-trained Skippy.
I don’t remember what happened to Skippy, but suddenly we were petless again and, even though my parents were sour on the idea of another dog, because “every kid should grow up with a dog” they consented to buying a poodle which we named Peppy. Peppy was prone to ear problems necessitating a weekly trip to the vet for a special treatment, which was costly, as were the ear drops and I clearly overheard Mom saying he was too high maintenance and costly and became a source of many arguments between my parents.
This was my last photo with Peppy taken at Christmas 1965.
Peppy often acted wild-like and once dug a hole under the chain-link fence and escaped where he ate some hamburger laced with poison that a homeowner had put out for a roaming pack of dogs as not all neighbors had fenced-in yards. Peppy ate that hamburger, returned home foaming at the mouth and my father had to come home from work to take him to the vet before I returned home from school. He was euthanized that same day in May 1966.
The third dog was “not the charm” as the expression goes, so my parents sat me down and said “sorry Linda, no more pets” but promised when I got my own place, they would get me a dog as a housewarming present.
It would be years before I had another meaningful pet.
We moved to the U.S. in July 1966.
Didn’t everyone have a pet turtle back in the day? Well I had Myrtle the Turtle. He/she lived in a round plastic dish with an elevated ramp and a plastic palm tree. Myrtle bit the dust and was buried in the backyard. The pair of Kissing Gourami fish had their fate sealed when one chased the other out of the bowl and they flip-flopped around on the floor until they died. Mom was a bit horrified to find them.
The bird is the word.
We got Joey, our parakeet, in 1975 and he soon filled our hearts with joy as he talked a blue streak, thanks, once again, to Mom who patiently repeated words and phrases to help him build up his vocabulary.
He couldn’t quite master the letter “J” and substituted “Y” for “J” so when he said “Hi Joey” it was more like “Hi Yoey” – we lost Joey in 1983 due to a tumor in his esophagus. Our little blue boy who lit up the kitchen and our lives with his animated personality was gone. Mom and I were heartbroken and decided there would be no more pets in our house.
Our friend and neighbor Marge bought a canary for a companion pet in October 2006, then her mother suffered a health crisis, so Marge flew to Arizona to stay with her and was gone three weeks. I was used to feeding Marge’s cat Missy when she was away on vacation and she asked if I would mind taking care of the bird, which she named Sammy. Well that was no problem at all as I would go over nightly after work and on weekends. But it was cold at Marge’s house as she turned the heat down, so the first night I brought Sammy over to stay at our house. I am allergic to cats, so Missy always had to stay put.
We lavished love and a lot of attention on Sammy and he sang his heart out. Since he was in the corner of the kitchen, he had a constant companion in my mom. In fact we felt guilty for loving this little guy like we had our beloved Joey, who was gone 23 years at this time.
When Marge returned home in November, she came and collected Sammy. I followed her home carrying his cover and bag of seeds and treats and feeling very sad. In those days Marge was still healthy, working and always out with family or friends, so poor Sammy was alone and in the dark almost every evening. Because he was listless and quit singing, Marge called Mom and said “you and Linda can have Sammy if you want – he is not happy here with me.” I went and got him that evening after work in case she changed her mind! We named him Sugar since he was almost totally white, with one small smidge of yellow on a wing feather – we just adored that little guy.
He was a wonderful companion to me after Mom passed away, but in October that same year, he got a respiratory illness, so I left him at the vet for an antibiotic regimen for ten straight days. He was declared healthy, but then I lost him suddenly, just a few weeks before Christmas 2010.
Marge took me to the vet to have him cremated and I declared I’d never have another pet in this house, but she said that was wrong and I had a lot of love to give a pet and convinced me to get another canary, which I named Buddy. He was a Gloster canary a/k/a a mop-top canary and looked like he was one of the Beatles.
I had Buddy until December 2, 2016 when he had a stroke and could not hop or sit on a perch, so Marge took me to the vet as I was so upset I didn’t want to drive myself and I had Buddy euthanized. Then we went to Marge’s favorite “peaceful place” at nearby Bishop Park to make me feel better. I cried and cried and railed at her for insisting on me getting another pet and blamed her for my loss. She heard me out, then took me home to wallow in my misery and yes, I apologized later, but vowed to never get another pet.
Thus I have adopted the squirrels and birds at the Park.
While I am 99.9% certain a pet is not in my future, I leave that teensy percentage open so no one comes back years from now with “but, didn’t you say …?”
I’ll leave you with this quote: “Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” – Anatole France
Linda Schaub
WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY 
I grew up with a black cooker spaniel named Princess. She lived to a ripe old
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You were lucky Linda – longevity didn’t happen for any of my pets. Co-Co sure was cute, if only we could have housebroken him, he might have gotten to stay.
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She was a rarity. Most of the pets I grew up with didn’t grow old.
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That’s true – my friend used to raise and track German Shepherds and Golden Retrievers for years and she just lost one that was about 15 years old.
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age in spite of a close call with a car. I was furious with my parents for having her euthanized while I was in college and not giving me a chance to say goodbye.
As an adult, I’m well acquainted with the grief of losing a pet. With an aging clowder, I know more grief lies in my future. I’ll probably have to say goodbye to Dez, my old man cat, in the next month. (Sorry. I accidentally hit “send” before I finished my comment.)
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I have done that before … no worries. I would be furious as well as you had Princess for such a long time.
I’m sorry you will be losing Dez. Euthanasia is difficult for beloved pet. I couldn’t watch Buddy and so I peeked at him in a little space in his covers and had to go as I was crying so hard. I was angry at my friend, despite six years of pet “blissdom” with Buddy.
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That was a heart felt story Linda! You’ve had far more pets than I and I haven’t even had one while being on my own. I guess I too place my love into the animals around me.
My Crow and Raven friends. I’ve always wanted to have a Raven “friend”. I’ve envisioned that It would live outdoors and when I called, would come.
An African Grey parrot lives on average 60 to 80 years! Imagine you getting one of those when you were a teenager and still having it around! They are also one of the smartest birds out there. I’m partial to Ravens. We are mostly comparing a domesticated bird with a wild bird and those are too different camps.
Birds in the wild live far less, maybe 1/2 the age of a domesticated indoor bird.
Having shelter and a steady diet is the main reason I bet?
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Thank you Wayne – I was feeling badly as I put this post together … it simply could not be that I had this many pets, but none of them lasted as long as some people’s pets did.
I know African Greys do live a long time. My friend Ann Marie has an African Grey now. She had another one, but she had a kitchen fire and it died of smoke inhalation. They are very smart birds – did you ever see any YouTube videos of Einstein, the African Grey Parrot?
Unfortunately, wild birds don’t live as long – if it isn’t a predator, it’s the weather. But your Ravens being corvids are especially intelligent, just like Crows and Jays.
Years ago I had a female Cardinal in the yard. Every night when I came home from work, she would be waiting for me and I’d run in the house and get a Dixie cup of safflower seeds and pour them out on the patio cement. She would fly over to the porch railing then go down to get her treat. On weekends, my schedule was not as “set”, but I went with my cup of seeds every afternoon/early evening and I would stand there until I ensured she saw me. I’ve never understood why people call birds “birdbrains” as it is far from the truth.
I imagine it is tough on birds with the elements and nowhere to shelter – we have had day after day of gusty winds. I am sure the birds won’t venture out in those high winds, even to look for food.
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What happened to that Cardinal? My Raven friends do the same but they will follow me home.
Do you have a hummingbird feeder?
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That Cardinal was a long time ago Wayne – back in the early 90s I would say. I thought it was amazing at the time, then many years later, just before the pandemic, I had a male Cardinal at the Park, who would hop along behind me when I walked along the trail, hoping to get my attention. I was always concerned I’d stop suddenly and it would be injured so I was constantly turning around to look at it. This happened frequently, then when the Park shut down for one month, when it opened again, that Cardinal never resumed doing this. I do have a hummingbird feeder – I have four of the dish style, to rotate them and clean the other two thorough. I bought a small upright feeder to put out for April 15th as our hummingbirds would arrive in Michigan by then, then we had a big cold spell and frost warnings, so I didn’t put it out. Now we have a heat wave – 80 for the last four days – almost too hot. The weather gets more seasonal in a few days. I was talking to my neighbor today (Marge’s son) and he told me he has seen hummers already this year – he does not have a feeder, but Marge had them all around the house, so we assume some hummingbirds are Marge’s … we get Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and their life span is 9 years and Marge passed away in 2017.
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You’ve had some bad luck with pets. One of my aunts bred and raised cocker spaniels. She said you couldn’t housetrain them. I’m sure that some of them can be and maybe someone is breeding for that ability now. Dunno.
My parents have had luck with long lived cats. Mine have mostly only made it to 13. Our Shepherd was 16 but my chow was only 11.
It’s hard to let go. Each of them are special. If I were healthier I’d get another cat. But it was a much easier hospital stay this time, knowing I didn’t have to worry about Zoe.
Perhaps one day the right pet will come to you. You still have all your wild friends and in many ways that’s better than locking one up in the house all day.
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That is interesting to learn about the cocker spaniels. My parents called Co-Co obstinate as he’d come back from his walk and squat. My mother had the last say for that dog.
My aunt had two dogs, both mixed breeds, that she got from friends as pups. She never used obedience school, just trained them to go to the back door to ask to go outside – no accidents. No problems with either dog; the first one died of Parvo virus, not something I’d even heard of at that time and the vet said a dog in the neighborhood likely had it and my aunt’s dog while on its walk, either sniffed or walked where that dog walked. She was devastated and a friend bought her another puppy a few weeks later. We were kind of surprised because she said she would never love an animal so deeply as Apache, so didn’t want another pet. But she did keep him.
A high school friend who lives in NY has some medical issues and after the last of her three cats was gone, she said no more, but she feeds and gives shelter to several feral cats and worries about them when they go missing and don’t show up for a few days. She has shelters with heated mats, straw and heated food and water dishes for them which she places on her deck all Winter – they have very snowy Winters near Rochester where she lives.
I don’t discount getting another pet entirely … you never know the situation down the road.
I enjoy my wild friends who are substitutes for furry and feathered pets.
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That was a heart felt story Linda! You’ve had far more pets. I haven’t even had one while being on my own. I guess place my love into the animals around me.
Very nice & teachable quote: “Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” – Anatole France
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I’m glad you liked the post Raj. Yes, it is a teachable quote. It is hard not to like or love an animal when they look into your eyes, putting all their trust in you. You become their world.
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Beautiful & inspiring your reply. Iam so…so glad. Thanks,Linda!
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You’re welcome Raj – it is a very true statement.
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My pleasure.
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Pingback: Sunday Stills: #Pets and #Kids Make Life Exciting! – Second Wind Leisure Perspectives
Aww, I felt bad for you as you grew attached to these pets and they left too soon, Linda. Seems your mom wasn’t very patient with animals in the house. My mom raised and showed collies so we our first dog when I was 5. He lived until age 15 and died when I had moved away in 1980. Sparky was the forerunner to the collies and we had countless collies in our various yards over the years. They all lived outside in an enclosure/shed my dad built, but Sparky slept in the garage.
When I was a teen we got a parakeet and then a cat. Once I moved out and got married, we didn’t have any pets for years. In 1990 when we got our house we got a cat. My animals lived very long lives which made it more sad to say goodbye when their times inevitably came. I think now, for you, having squirrels as your “pets” as well as the birds who flock to your treat bag is a happy way to be a pet parent!
I loved seeing your childhood photos, especially that essay! Wow!
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Terri, I was feeling sorry for myself yesterday when I was writing this post and picking the pictures for it. I do know the birds in my life compensated for the short-lived stay of each of the dogs. Those birds were always bright and cheerful additions to the family.
You had a wonderful relationship with your pets through the years. I have a friend who has raised, shown and tracked German Shepherds and Golden Retrievers throughout her life and when we worked together, now 25 years ago, she had a dozen dogs at that time, some living outside, others inside the house. She is down to two dogs, having just lost one recently.
I enjoy my status as “pet parent” at the Park so it is a different way to interact with animals.
My mom saved that essay about Co-Co. We had a clothesline in the backyard at that time as it was a new subdivision and we had no fencing up yet, so he had a tether on the clothesline. Kids drawings are always a hoot aren’t they? Glad you liked it!
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It’s sad that several of your pets didn’t fit the household.
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Yes, it is Anne – I would have loved to have a pet that grew up with me and I think that was probably the intention of my parents since I had no siblings, but I guess it wasn’t meant to be.
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We grew up a lot alike Linda. Dogs and birds were always in our family too. When I bought my own house I even bought a parrot that repeated what I said to the dog, “Do you want to go outside?” Poor dog was so confused! 🤣 Anyhow, you had some beautiful pets growing up. It is very hard losing them which is why I also don’t have any pets now, the last one broke my heart when I had to put her asleep. My pets are in my backyard now.
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Diane, I have never understood why people use the expression “birdbrain” as it is so far from the truth. That is funny about your parrot mimicking what you said to the dog. Your poor dog! A fellow blogger has parrots and he has told me that he has educational shows on the TV and the parrots watch them intently, even commenting. My friend Ann Marie has an African Grey and she was laughing because Digger was imitating a TV show theme song for a show she and her husband watched regularly. I really don’t think I’ll have pets again, though I follow a blogger who has a Sheltie and she takes Penny out to big parks and poses her and gives her a voice so her posts are by Penny. She’s a beautiful dog. But yes, it breaks your heart to lose any pet. You have your birds at the seed feeder and your hummingbirds to delight you.
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Birds are so smart! How funny they watch tv shows!!! Yes I can’t physically take care of a dog right now.
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Yes, this blogger (Tom) used to remark on different things that his parrots did – they were very intelligent. He put TV in their room, just for them to watch. It would be taxing on you training and raising a dog, especially in the puppy phase. I can certainly see your reasoning Diane.
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The animals at the park that you have adopted are very lucky to have you. I know that they enjoy all the treats that you leave for them and look forward to seeing you each time you visit. I, too, have loved and lost a number of pets. It’s never easy and hurts each time you lose one. I just try to remind myself of the good parts and hope that I brought as much love and joy to their lives as they did to mine. Living on a country road, we haven’t had to purchase a dog or cat in many years. They seem to find their way to us and we’ve never regretted any that we have taken in. I think the dogs that are deserted are the most appreciative of everything you do for them. I really enjoyed reading your post and seeing all your pet photos from the past.
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Rebecca, yes, my Park animals fill the void for being “petless” so it works well for all of us. It is difficult to lose a pet, no matter the size or length of time you had it. That is a wonderful thing that you have adopted all the dogs and cats that show up at your door and yes, those poor dogs and cats that once had a happy home and are now homeless must be overjoyed to find new families again. I have a charity I donate to on “Giving Day” and it is in your state in Mount Joliet called the Old Friends Dog Sanctuary. Often the older dogs end up here because their owners have passed away or can no longer take care of them. Some stay here the rest of their lives and some go to families and the look on those dog’s faces when they go home with their new family – it is priceless. I enjoy watching the staff interact with those dogs as well; I follow them on Facebook and get a newsletter.
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That sounds like a wonderful cause, Linda. I know that you are a blessing and receive a blessing from being a part of it.
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Thank you Rebecca – that is nice of you to say. They are a great organization and I am impressed with how they take in all senior dogs and I am learning about how they help them to maintain a life that is as pain-free as possible with various treatments, plus they keep dogs that were bonded pets together.
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I happy you loved your Budgerigars, they can talk like crazy if trained to chat. I am a no pet again and just have who ever hops, walks slithers into my yard.
You have your parklife which is great 😊
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It’s funny Brian … we always called them budgies in Canada and they call them parakeets here. I always thought that the word budgies was a cuter word. We were lucky with the budgies – my mom was always in the kitchen where we kept them, so she talked to them constantly. I do miss having a bird around but like your many critters around you (and I laughed at your description of “hops, walks, slithers”), I am content to call these critters my pets.
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We have reached a stage in our retired lives when we can no longer afford to keep a pet. I derive great joy from the wild birds visiting our garden and enjoy my daughter’s cat and dog when we visit her.
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Sometimes that is best too Anne. For you, since you often travel, you would have to find accommodations for your pet unless you take it with you, which may not work out with your daughter’s cat and dog. There is much enjoyment to be had from backyard birds in your garden.
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I so enjoyed reading your pet tales, Linda. You had more pets than I did growing up. You learned a lot about them with each little time spent together. It was fun to see your photos of you with them and your mom too. I love the clever names, so creative. Co-Co (candy colored…I’m curious what candy did you think matched the color?)
You had such interesting birds in your life. No wonder you’re so good at capturing moments of them in your walks. I’ve never had a bird, except the ones outside in our yard. Your love of the lost pets in your life hasn’t gone to waste, the critters at the park are carrying on enjoying the love and are no doubt benefiting from your kind heart and generosity.
Well done on the prompt, Linda! 🥰🤗😊
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Thank you Shelley – I’m glad you liked the pet tales and this time I wrote solely on the prompt. When listing pet after pet in this post, it sure did sound bad that all these pets either became ill and died, or just didn’t work out. I think my parents were compensating for me having no siblings that we had so many pets. Re-reading the story I did in Grade One made me scratch my head over “candy-colored” too. And Co-Co you would think would be dark brown … his color was actually blonde. When you asked in your post about naming pets, I had to wonder if I named Co-Co or not. I had his papers for a long time – they are likely in the scrapbook and I didn’t scan them in, but it gave his parents’ names and there was a nose print as well.
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You’re welcome. I enjoyed the stories you shared. It was nice of your parents to try pets for you. Your mom seemed to enjoy the birds the best.
That’s neat you have record of the story to revisit about Co-Co with a nose print. 🥰
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Peppy and Co-Co were problematic due to behavioral problems where the birds were more easily trainable and brought joy as a constant and non-demanding pet, plus she was in the same room with it almost continuously. I am glad you liked the stories behind each pet Shelley. I thought that was cool as well to have a nose print. 🙂
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Dogs can show off their personalities that way. It’s interesting to hear the birds are so easy to train.
Yes, I enjoyed the stories – it’s fun to get glimpses of you as a child.
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Yes, they can. My aunt had two dogs that were trained in no time and she never had issues with them at all. It’s too bad we were not a lucky. I am gad you enjoyed the stories … my childhood was golden except for a few blips like these.
[I am having issues with my internet tonight. I am wondering if it is the high winds or some type of new growth is interfering with it but I’ve had one bar on my wireless and everything is freezing up here as well.]
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Way to see the golden moments.
I hope your internet issues get resolved. So frustrating!
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I really enjoyed reading about your pets, Linda. They do take us such a special place in our hearts, don’t they? I used to have a blue parakeet too when I was a little girl.
Like you, I am 99.9% sure a pet is not in our future either, but when I see people walking dogs, I do get wistful, especially if the dog is black with a white chest like our dog Benji! I miss that little guy.
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I’m glad you enjoyed the post about my pets in my life Lauri and yes, our pets do have a special place in our hearts. Having pet birds gave me a greater appreciation of our fine-feathered friends. The birds were always special as we were blessed with talking or singing birds who were attentive and loving.
I remember your posts about Benji and how you had to pack in secret when you were about to leave town as he would get separation anxiety for you and Bill. I am following a blogger who has a Sheltie that she takes a lot of photos with in parks here in Michigan – the companionship while walking looks wonderful, but I move on, lest I succumb.
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A wonderful post today Linda, I have had pets my entire life as well and can remember each one. I am not sure I will get another one when these are gone either. But, I won’t say never like you, just in case. 🙂
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Thank you Sandra. As I was writing the post and adding photos I felt a little sad and maybe cheated out of having pets through the years as many people do. I certainly had a variety of pets growing up. I don’t plan to get another pet, but you never know – something may happen down the road to change my mind, so I will leave that door open.
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I can’t imagine life without a pet of some sort. I have decided that as I lose the ones I have, I will downsize. My youngest may outlive me which would be traumatic for them. However, I’ll always have to have one. The pain of loss is great but the joy is greater. Love this story as I didn’t realize you had so many pets.
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I wish I’d had more success with my pets Kate, but you are not the first person here to say that the joy of a pet outweighs the sadness at their passing. I think since I was an only child, my parents compensated by getting me so many pets through the years.
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Siblings last longer! 🙂
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This is true! They must have thrown away the mold after me since they decided one was enough. 🙂
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🙂
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You’ve had an amazing assortment of characters, a wide variety of pets, and you have photos to prove it. This is a delightful post, a peek into what made you who you are today.
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Thank you Ally – that is nice of you to say that because as I was putting this post together, I was feeling sorry for myself a little with this list of pets that are all gone now and wondering what we/I could we have done to make things better. I did feel a little cheated to be honest. I’m glad I gave you more insight into my childhood.
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Yes, you’ve certainly had sad times and short-lived pets. I wasn’t aware parakeets could mimic words. How cute! We had a lovely shepherd that mom mother euthanized while we were at school and my dad out of town, just out of anger. I could hardly forgive her for that. I’ve had fish, mice, gerbils, hamsters, a rat, many cats, but dogs win my heart more than any other animal. It does break my heart when they’re gone, but I can’t seem to live without them.
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Yes Eilene, I have had a sad list of pets come and go in my life and perhaps if I had not had that track record I would have had a different mindset about accepting another pet into my life. I do see people with dogs and envy that companionship, but quickly revert back to my mindset. That was not very kind of your mother to euthanize a beloved pet while the rest of the family was out of town and unaware of her intentions; I feel for you in that regard. Most people have commented on how difficult it is to lose a pet, but have decided the good outweighs the bad as to pet ownership.
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When I was at University my third year, I told my mom that I was so lonely living in my efficiency apartment alone. She told me to go buy a few fish for my apartment to keep me company. We had a freshwater fish tank in my young childhood years, along with a dog. Mom knew a dog was not something that I could do at that young age, but fish… maybe. So I went to the pet store and bought a typical fish bowl and two goldfish that I named Basket and Nellie. They gave me something other than myself to care for and I enjoyed them so much! Then one day that same semester, I came home from class to find that they both jumped out of their water bowl. I didn’t understand why. (So much like your mother, Linda!). There, they were in their predicament. There was no saving them. Yet, to this day I still remember those two individuals, their names and how they taught me to keep a lid on my fish tanks in my future versions of my lifetime with fish as pets!
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TD, I wonder if that is common for fish to do that if not having a lid on a fish tank? I just had the regular type of high fish bowl but my mom was horrified to walk into the room where they were and find them both on the floor dead. My friend/neighbor Marge got fish after her cat Missy died and she still wanted a pet, so then she went and got a small tank and fish. She said they went to the front of the tank to see her when she returned to the house, so it felt like they were pets.. 🙂
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Oh Linda, you certainly had a litany of pets in your lifetime and drama associated with them. I didn’t know you had three dogs. It would’ve been nice if one of them had worked out and you had spent longer time with them. The picture of you sitting on the steps and the German Shepherd on the ground is too cute. He’s beaming with smiles in that photo! Can tell that you loved your pets. I never had a bird as a pet and you’ve helped me see that they can make wonderful companions. Just never thought of that. Well, I guess, it’s hard to imagine a gecko being a companion, but Dart begs to differ. He loves his hoomans.
The heartbreak is too much…yes, your adopted park critters are your pets, just no in house. No mess for you to clean up!
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Fritzy was a beautiful dog and very gentle with me as far as I recall and what my parents told me. It is too bad he did not have a chance to grow along with me. I like that photo of Fritzy and me too – we both look so happy. Birds are wonderful pets, especially if they are happy and chatter or sing. My mom used to say all the time “how can a few ounces of feathers and bones bring so much joy?”
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It’s a lovely photo of you two, and Fritzy looks absolutely delightful for a big dog!!
Your mother’s saying was right about the birds. I’m having a paradigm shift with what makes a good pet…I always thought it had to be a dog or a cat. but I’m learning that other kinds of animals can become a pet. That was a big awakening for me since we are limited to what kind of pets we can have. I used to think geckos were ugly but now I dote on Dart.
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We were very devoted to our birds. I can remember that if Sugar was quiet, maybe eating, then my mom left the room, even for a minute, once he noticed she was gone, he would burst into song. It was as if in his mind he thought she left as he quit singing. He would sing, jump on his swing, going through it 10-12 times, feet not even touching the swing … he was just on the move all the time. People don’t think a small pet can bring happiness and joy, but you and I know differently.
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I wholeheartedly agree that a small pet can bring much joy and happiness! God gave wonderful personalities to little animals and we get to enjoy them if we pay attention.
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I’m not sure but the cocker spaniels might have weak bladders. The one we had would piddle when he got excited. I know all too well the pain of losing a pet, but for me the joy that they bring and the love that they give is worth it. I’m glad you left the .1 % open. 🙂
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I think you have nailed it Ruth – not only did this cocker spaniel wait until he got home to piddle, but yes, he would wag his tail and jump around and piddle if someone came near him or I came home from school because he was excited to see them. That’s interesting. I guess my parents went by the “cuteness factor” – no Google back in those days to find dogs that are easy to housebreak. You have showcased Trooper and Scout and now Ranger and Ruby, plus don’t forget Peanut your poor kitty that just passed away, so I see just how much joy pets bring to your home. I seem to recall your husband with chickens in his lap too. 🙂 It is a good idea to leave that .1% open – you never know how big dark eyes and a sweet furry face could change your mind in a heartbeat.
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You have had such bad luck with pets so it’s very understandable why you wouldn’t want to go through having to lose another one. It’s heartbreaking for children, but I suppose we all have to cope with grief in our lives sooner or later. We only had one dog, a puppy who lived to a ripe old age. On the other hand, our beloved cats all met the same awful fate, getting hit by cars. One of them survived getting hit by a car but the surgery cost my parents $64, a lot of money back in the 60s. They kept calling him the $64 cat thereafter. A few years later he was hit again and died in my arms. Another cat I loved was hit by a car while I was away at Girl Scout camp for two weeks. When my parents picked me up and told me I cried the whole way home. My mother reached her hand over the back of her seat and held my hand, comforting me as best she could. When I was older and had children of my own I realized how much her arm must have ached when we finally got home!
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My track record for pets is pretty abysmal Barbara, but you had many unfortunate circumstances with your cats as well. That’s sad about the cars injuring or killing your cats especially. That was kind of your mom and I can see why you would appreciate her loving touch all those years later when you became a mom and now a grandmother.
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I love your stories and photos, takes me back in time ! I also had a pet turtle in a small round plastic dish with a palm tree, so funny. We would feed him raw hamburger and turtle food. I loved that turtle. We weren’t allowed pets as my older sister had allergies. But then years later my Grandpa was breeding/raising poodles and he gave us one. We don’t have pets now either and I don’t want any, too much responsibility and commitment and we travel too much but I do love them so much
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Thank you Susan – we are around the same age I think and grew up in the same area too! I made a point of getting the turtle and the fish thinking I could convince them another dog would be wonderful, but they wouldn’t budge. For you, that is a valid reason not to have pets. A fellow blogger is traveling in an RV, wintering in a warm state, then home to Michigan and has two dogs and a cat, but they do not travel internationally as you two do.
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What an enjoyable tour through your family history of pets (and photos), Linda. I especially like the second photo with Fritzy; both of you look so happy. We also had family dogs, but my own pets amounted to a couple of parakeets. Your stories brought one of them back to mind – “Schroeder” – who only learned to talk because our Hispanic housekeeper would put his cage on the counter every day and talk to him. Hence, he began saying “parakeeta linda” before I had the patience to teach him anything myself. I also remember how traumatic it was to find him lying on the bottom of his cage one morning, barely moving. We took him to the vet and, needless to say, didn’t take him home. The “grief factor” is real indeed.
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Thank you Dave – I’m glad you liked this post, as long and picture-laden and sad, as it was. I like that picture of Fritzy and me too. We both were so happy here. I’m guessing Schroeder was named after the “Peanuts” character that played the piano. Clever, as I know you play(ed) piano. Schroeder thought he was a pretty parakeet thanks to your Hispanic housekeeper. That is nice and reading this makes me think of Joey as well since my mom taught him to say “he’s a pretty bird” and “he’s a good bird” – he died in her hands giving him the medicine and she was so shaken over t. With Sugar, he was doing well. I left him and Buddy in the TV room covered in the dark until I was home. I uncovered Sugar and he flew down to the floor, spread his wings and died before me. I know I was dumbstruck as well as heartbroken. Marge was at work, so I left her a message and she came over when she got home. I can’t go through that again, though I know the joy of a companion pet.
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I didn’t think about it at the time, but parakeets were probably a popular pet for kids because they didn’t need much attention. No taking them for a walk or playing “fetch” required. Just keep the feeder and water full, and change the newspaper every now and then.
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Yes, lots of enjoyment if you interacted with your parakeet and minimal work … a perfect pet! My grandparents had a parakeet for years and my grandmother grew up on a farm, so her mindset was to always have a ham in the fridge to make ham sandwiches, especially if friends/family visited. My grandfather would feed Petey ham and he smoked a pipe and cigars and he had one of those stand-up ashtrays right next to where Petey’s cage was. The poor bird would be sitting in a cloud of smoke and my grandmother would go move the cage somewhere else. That bird lived to a ripe old age and our family’s birds were always fawned over or treated with kid gloves, yet really never lived to enjoy old age – you just never know.
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I’m glad you shared these photos. I love older photos…even if I don’t know the people in them. They always fascinate me. So I enjoyed this post.
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Thank you Kirstin – I’m glad you enjoyed the post. I like old photos too and since I have no siblings, I have all the family albums, even those from my mom when she was a little girl. My mom would have turned 98 this year and I have pictures of my grandparents holding her as a newborn and that picture is very clear, no rips or fading, just as when it was first taken. It does not look vintage like some of the photos I have. I am glad I scanned in all my photos a long time ago – some are still in a raw image format as the albums could not be taken apart, so I have to enlarge them on the screen …. some of those photos are only 2″ by 3″ big. So I just do that as I use them. I love taking a trip down Memory Lane as well!
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