Sisters

SISTERS

It was shortly after our last cat died that my youngest son brought home two very large female dogs who were sisters. They were part German Shepherd and part Siberian Husky. They were born at the lawn mower shop where he worked and were part of a litter from one of two dogs that were kept at the shop. When the mother was run over by a car, the owner of the shop found homes for the surviving puppies and kept two to be reared as yard dogs. They grew up amongst the noise of machinery and the smell of grease. They had the run of the place during the day. When the shop was closed for the night, the dogs were locked behind the fence to watch the place. However, they would get out frequently and set off the alarm. The dogs would eventually be caught and taken to the local pound. The owner was constantly picking them up at the pound and taking them back. They became a nuisance to him and he decided they were not worth keeping any longer. When he couldn’t find homes for them, he made a decision to have them put to sleep. At the time, they were seven years old. So my son took responsibility for them and they became part of our household. We all fell in love with Puppy and Snoopy immediately.


The dogs were kept outside year-round and would never enter the house. Puppy’s fur was practically all white and she was slightly smaller than her sister. Snoopy was a little heavier with white fur that had a hint of brown, although it was just enough to tell them apart. They each had their own doghouse, but when the temperature dipped into the single digits, you would find them both cuddled up into only one of them. They loved the snow. During the daytime, it could be a blizzard outside, yet you would find the two of them frolicking in the white stuff or just laying right in it. The dogs were so gentle and never showed their teeth in a menacing way to anyone. They loved children and were very tolerant of the playful antics of little tots.


At first, they were content to stay inside our fenced property, which is set upon a half acre of land. But old habits returned and Snoopy was the first one to start jumping over the hurricane fence to do some exploring, although she would always return after a little while. It was so funny to watch Puppy bark at her sister when she returned. Puppy would pick up her paw and give her wandering sister a gentle tap on her head as if to admonish her for leaving her alone. It wasn’t very long before both dogs were jumping over the fence together.


I remember the time when Snoopy had her paw stuck at the top of the tall fence and she was left hanging there. I heard her cries and ran outside. At the same time, my daughter-In-law came home from work, and we both rushed to help the dog. We tried desperately to release Snoopy from her predicament, but she was too heavy for both of us. Then a good Samaritan, a stranger who happened to be driving by, came to our rescue. He was tall and had the strength to hold Snoopy up while we released her paw. The man went on his way waving off our thanks and an offer to reward him for his help. We couldn’t praise him enough. Snoopy recovered from her ordeal, but was left with a slight limp.


As the dogs became older it wasn’t so easy for them to go over the fence anymore, but that didn’t deter them at all. They soon found another way by making holes in our neighbor’s fence. We patched up the holes, but it wasn’t long before both dogs would tear them open again.


They were happy dogs. The only things that frightened them were the sounds of firecrackers and thunder and the flashes of lightning. That's when they would become different animals. They would cower and whimper and try to hide, yet they still wouldn't come into the house. My son was successful, however, in getting them to go into the garage that was at the back of our property. At least that was a safe haven for them, except for the time the dogs knocked over a bucket of engine oil. What a mess they made of the garage floor! They apparently slept in the grease. They weren't the same dogs when they emerged from the garage. It took quite a long time to get the stuff out of their coats. If ever there was a time to appreciate the fact that the dogs would never enter the house, it was then.


Through all this, Puppy and Snoopy were a constant joy and comfort to us for many years, and they were wonderful watchdogs. Their large size and their fierce barking kept any and all intruders at bay. A stranger would never suspect that the two sisters were as gentle as lambs. Puppy and Snoopy died within six months from each other from natural causes. They were 18 years old at the time. My youngest son buried the two dogs alongside each other at the very back part of our property.


To this day, whenever we return home from an errand or a trip, we still imagine that the two of them are there to greet us. When I look out at the backyard from my kitchen window, I sometimes have a vision of them playing hide and seek with one another around the swimming pool. They will always be remembered.



Here's a photo of both dogs together at the age of 16. By then their coats had darkened somewhat.