Why I Love My Dogs

In honor of National Dog Appreciation Day, I wanted to share what I love most about my dogs. I didn’t have dogs or cats when I was growing up as my dad is allergic to them. I had guppies, goldfish and chameleons, and while I enjoyed them (and loved my chameleon, Cocoa), it’s not quite the same thing as having dogs and cats. I got my first dog, a German Shepherd, Lupo, in my early 20s and have been hooked on dogs ever since.

Our fur child family right now consists of two dogs and three cats. We got our first dog Caesar, a Czechoslovakian Wolfdog in 2001. I was volunteering at the animal shelter and wanting to add a dog to the two cats we already had. With one look at his beautiful, expressive face, I was smitten. He’d been returned to the shelter three times for “offenses” such as digging, jumping and being mouthy, all habits I figured he’d acquired because he was bored and didn’t get enough attention and exercise. His note also said that he got along with cats, which is an imperative in our house, so we brought him home. He bonded to us immediately, following us everywhere in the house and coming with us wherever we could take him. He’s everything I feel the perfect dog should be: smart, loyal, protective, friendly, athletic and affectionate. When he was younger, he was my running partner, trotting along next to me, effortlessly keeping pace. And he is pure joy when it snows, wrestling my husband, Mario, until Mario is too cold to continue. He’s older now, 15, and his health is failing. It’s hard to see how much older and slower he’s gotten; the car ride home with him from the shelter doesn’t seem like that long ago. I wish I could turn back the clock and keep him at six-years-old until I am in my 90s. But I’m very grateful we’ve had 14 great years and hope we get a lot more time with him.

About six years after we brought Caesar home, I walked into PetSmart on a weekend, when they hold adoption events. A six-month-old Hound mix was lying quietly in his pen, while all the commotion went on around him, other dogs being walked, people milling about, and the general busyness of a weekend at PetSmart. When I read his description, it said that he liked other dogs, cats and kids, and since we have all of those, he passed our initial screening. And Homer has been the perfect addition to our family. Caesar is the alpha dog, and while not submissive, Homer is happy to let him run the show. He’s sweet, mellow, patient, respectful of the cats and assumes everyone he meets wants to love him and be his friend. He wags his tail until you pet him, loves cookies more than steak and is happy spending his day outside in the shade of one of our Japanese maple trees, watching, and often catching groundhogs. He is one of the most easy-going dogs I have ever met; I can’t understand why someone gave him up for adoption.

Our dogs get a lot of love every day, so they think every day is National Dog Appreciation Day. As it should be.

Ellen Zangla Photography—Specializing in pets and the people who love them.

Professional Photographers of America: 2015 Silver Medal Photographer of the Year