A dog is the only thing on earth,

 that loves you more than you love yourself.

I have been so fortunate to own a lot of dogs.  Well, not own, exactly, live with.  The only problem with dogs is they don't live forever.  The first dog was Tanny, and then our family didn't have one for a long time.  We had to give her away after she bit a child in the neighbourhood that had thrown a firecracker at her.  We found out about a year later that Tanny saved a little boy's life.  He went out swimming without his Mom knowing and got into trouble.  Tanny stood on the shore and barked and barked until help arrived.  She was and still is my hero.

Finally, we got Shep.  Unfortunately, he was a bit adventurous and was hit by a car and died within a few hours

Then along came our Shady.  A beautiful girl that lived a full life.  A collie mixed breed that adored everyone.  She loved my Mom when she was making stew and would pace the kitchen until she got her share.

Then came Mandy.  Karl and I adopted her for the children when we bought our house.  A black Labrador Retriever that worshipped our two kids.  The most intelligent dog ever created.  She would lay on the front lawn and when I would ask "Where is Karl?"  She would turn her head in the direction he had gone.  She lived a good long life with us and passed away quietly at the age of 13 one cold January morning.

Then Sara!!  Oh what can we say about Sara.  A Labrador/Doberman cross that was awesome.  She didn't like water though!!  No Myrtle Beach for that girl.  No canoeing, but she would go camping and she loved the grands.  Sara was our last dog and as most of you know we decided to just have cats after she passed away. 

These books are what brings those girls all back to mind.  All written by W. Bruce Cameron.  

I have read all three, spaced out over time.  I loved them all and they all brought back wonderful memories of the dogs in our lives.  Did Tanny (a golden retriever) come back as Shep, the border collie mix, who may have come back as Shady, the collie/german shepherd mix?  Who knows but isn't it nice to think that maybe they did.

Mandy came into our lives to protect the family when Karl was away on trips.  That she did.  Then we begged for one more dog.  Who knew that Sara would be the most awesome of pets and love us all to bits.  Who loved the grands just like Shady did.  

You really don't know do you.  Buy the books for yourself and for your bookshelf. You won't be disappointed.

If I find a book about cats that is just as well written as these three, I will recommend them.  We've had a few little furry friends too that graced our homes.  From Frisky to Frisky #2, to Misty to Buddy and Tommy.  Hmmmmm, maybe I should write that book.

Dogs do speak,
but only to those that know how to listen