Dogs!
Ever
since I struck out on my own, I have always had a German shepherd (or two) by
my side, and hopefully I always will. Above is my current GSD, Luka. Below are
my old girls Justice and Storm, both of whom have passed on.
Below is
a photo of Storm and I, circa 1990. It's not a great photo, but it was a very
typical scene: me, camera firmly planted in front of my face, with a dog next
to me. I was rarely seen without either a camera or a dog and was usually seen
with both.
Storm was my first dog. She was half German shepherd and half
something else, probably Labrador. I got her when I was 18 years old, and we
pretty much grew up together. This dog went through hell and high water with me
and back again. She remained faithful though many changes, outlasting even my
marriage.
One of the few puppy photos of Storm in existence.
When we were younger, Storm was my constant companion; she's the
most educated dog in town, as she attended nearly all my university classes
with me. She also went to work with me, and pretty much everywhere else--she
loved to run beside my bicycle.
She has
also helped raise all of my subsequent dogs…
…And
cats.
On May
13, 2002, Storm was peacefully put to rest at the age of 16 years.
I'll miss ya, girl.
This lovely
creature is Luka von Sontausen, born 6-5-2001. She is a product of working
German Shepherd dogs from Germany, and she shows it in her intelligence,
athletic ability, and drive.
There are
so many pictures of Luka that she has her own page.
Click here to see more!
You can
see Luka's canine family, and meet her breeder: reporter, former cop and
all-around good gal Julia Priest at Von Sontausen
German Shepherd Dogs.
The
newest addition is Beluga, an Akbash Dog.
This is a breed that hails from Turkey and is used to guard flocks of
sheep. Here, Beluga guards his goats,
chickens, kitties, and humans against unwanted predators. Despite his intimidating size (about 30” at
the shoulder and 130 pounds), he is really a gentle giant.
This is a
very interesting breed that is rare in this country. Click here to
learn more about the Akbash Dog, as well as his Turkish cousins.
I must
make mention of Freestep's Justice, CDX, Bh. Justice was a great dog and I learned
a lot about formal training with her, as we competed in AKC Obedience and
dabbled in Schutzhund.
At 4 1/2 years
of age, Justice developed cancer and we could not save her. It was truly a
heartbreak, and I miss her greatly.
Click here to see photos of the
wolf-hybrid I used to own, and learn why you should never own one.
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