DOG DAYS OF SUMMER 2017 - Dog Tag

In celebration of THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER, co-hosted by JO'S BOOK BLOG and LA LA IN THE LIBRARY, Jolene and I have created a fun dog tag.

I am tagging...

Annemieke from A DANCE WITH BOOKS

Heather from RANDOM REDHEADED RAMBLINGS

Michelle from IN LIBRIS VERITAS

Talitha from VICTORIAN SOUL CRITIQUES

QUESTIONS

1. What was the name of your first dog?
Tobias, but everyone ended up calling him Toby. The only time he was called Tobias was when my mother was mad at him. Ha Ha. He was a hound-shepherd-heinz mix of some kind. My father got him for me when I moved to the country. I was nine years old.

2. Do you have a dog now?
No. *sobs* I haven't owned a dog in about 30 years. It is difficult in our city to find apartments that will let you have a dog, and even if you can find one there is usually an extra monthly fee of $100.00 - $150.00.

3. What is your favorite breed of dog?
For a big dog, a Scottish Deerhound

For a little dog, an Affenpinscher.

Although, when I can have a dog (soon I hope), it will probably be a little "so ugly it's cute" dog from a local shelter.

4. What is your favorite canine themed book?
WHERE THE RED FERN GROWS

You will need a large box of tissues.

5. Who is your favorite fictional dog?
Toto from The Wizard of Oz!

6. What is your top movie choice with a featured canine?

TRAILER

You might need two boxes of tissues for this movie. I was broken for days.

7. Do you consider yourself a dog or a cat person? Why?
I am very much a dog/cat/horse person. I love each of them equally for different reasons. I am happiest if I have all three in my life. I cannot ride at all anymore, but I love just hanging out with horses. I would love to have one just to groom and talk to it. My cousin Carol is 70 years old and she still rides. I am so jealous.

JEALOUS!

BONUS QUESTION
Tell us about a personal dog related memory.
I grew up riding horses and going to horse shows with family. I couldn't enter the shows because I have a luxating hip and there was never any way to predict if I would get a dislocation on a show day. I started to hate going because all of my cousins were getting trophies and ribbons and praise, and all I got to do was help groom. The solution was to get a show dog for me. At first I had Irish Setters, but the older I got the more easily my hip would slip out from getting up and down, and having to run with them in the show ring. I needed a smaller breed dog that gaited at a walking pace and was examined on a table. Because of my junior handling status, a top show kennel decided they would co-own a Lhasa Apso with me. If I had had to pay for him he would have been around $5,000 dollars (in early '70s). Babysitting money doesn't cover that. Ha ha. On his first time out he won best puppy in a specialty show. He was amazing.

I started feeling sorry for him because he wasn't allowed to run around in the woods and in the mud with my setters. He would sit in the window seat and whine and look sad when I was playing with the big dogs, so I started letting him romp outside with them.

This photo was so faded it was almost unsalvageable. This was the only photo of him muddy though. My nose looks weird. Ugh. I was sixteen in this photo. Long story short, they took him away from me because I ruined his show coat. Ha! I asked if they would let me have him back as a pet when he retired from the show ring and they said yes; but in the end when he wasn't being shown anymore, his last professional handler wanted to keep him as a pet. I hope they let him play in the mud. He loved it.

I TAG YOU!
If you do this tag, leave your link in the comments and I will link it here and drop by for a visit.

Make sure to check out JOLENE'S tag post: HERE.

HEATHER was quick! HERE.

MICHELE has a Star Wars dog pack: HERE.

See ANNEMIEKE'S canine "sibling": HERE.

GREG has a great dog book fave: HERE.

&

Booker T' s Farm
MELISSASBOOKWORLD