Category Archives: pets

Tucker, Faithful Lab

It was the mid 90s….

1/31/1996.  Fifteen years ago today I was pregnant with our first son, and although I didn’t know it yet, it was also the day our very first puppy was born.  A week or so later we visited the farm where his mom–a yellow lab–and his dad–a black lab–spent their days.

It was so hard to choose!  We watched and fell in love with the tiny little pups who tumbled over one another, all tospy-turvy.  Finally, we knew the one that would be ours.  The farmer, who had been breeding for years, marked his ear with pink nail polish, so we’d know for sure he was ours when we returned.
In March, we brought him home, and we called him Tucker.  Oh, he was cute!

He found a favorite spot in the kitchen,
and waited for the baby to come, right along with us.
In August, our first baby joined us,

and Tucker learned a new trick.

Over the years, Tucker would be joined twice more by little babies, and he was never happy about it that first week after a new infant showed up.  Those boys loved him, though, and after a week he loved them right back.

Of course, they didn’t have a monopoly on the dog love.

He made it 13 long years, and we really loved him.  We miss you, good dog.

Off My Game

Have you ever noticed how often life gets in the way of Life?

I think I need one of those Vision Board things.  But, you know, I’m always little skeptical about things like that.  First of all, really?  Cut pictures from magazines and your dreams come true?  Second, I don’t know, something about it rubs me the wrong way.  It just doesn’t seem right, somehow.
I know, right?  I have enough random guilt for all of us.  So you’re absolved.  Go get your posterboard and clip your pictures and make your dreams come true.  You’re welcome.
Also, on an unrelated note, my dog eats paper.  And flip flops.  Socks, too.  He deems teddy bears a tasty treat.  But look at him. Maybe I should just buy more paper.
And, finally, that money tree I planted in my back yard just WILL NOT grow.  What is going on around here?
I know, you’re still looking at my dog.  Cute pup, isn’t he?  We love our Finn! 

The Best Seat in the House (or car)…for a Dog

Bringing home a Labrador retriever puppy when I was a few months pregnant wasn’t, perhaps, one of our wisest ideas.  Tucker, the pup, was 7 months old when we brought Matthew, the baby, home.  Between the two of them teething, barking, and crying, I was more than exhausted.  I thought that first year would never end.

In hindsight, though, it turned out to be a stellar move.  Tucker watched us bring all three boys home and the boys thought of him like a brother.  When the time came, thirteen years later, for Tucker to leave us, well, there aren’t really words for that.  Heartbroken doesn’t come close.  
We made it through the fall, and winter, and on Valentine’s Day our little Finn was born.  Two months later, he joined our family.  Adorable, isn’t he?
And now?
Now Finn thinks he’s one of the boys.  Although he’s usually still in his kennel in the car, one day he and I were waiting in the car for the boys to finish up playing.  It was an incredibly breezy day, so while we waited, I brought him up front with me and put all the windows down. 
Apparently Finn thought the floor was only for dogs and that he’d enjoy the breeze a little more in a comfy seat.
Looks like we have some training to do.  But none of us mind.  Not one bit.  We love having a pup in the house (and car) again, hair and all!