I was thinking about getting a second pup since Honey (my Pit Bull/German Shepherd mix) is getting older. I got Honey from the Oakland Animal Shelter when she was about five and by the time she was seven, it was a now or never time. Dogs get too “set in their ways” with age and I wanted to get her a companion before she was too old to accept one. Honey had come to us very soon after my adored Cocker Spaniel, Mitch, had died, and she was and is the light of my life. The first time I saw Honey, there was a calmness that just emanated from her. My husband didn’t feel the same way. I told him to come and look at this gorgeous small German Shepherd and he took one look at her and said, “That’s a Pit Bull.” What rubbish!
When we brought Honey home, I did notice that she was quite a bit larger than my Cocker had been and she had the most muscular body I had ever seen on a female dog. She also had amazing jaws! Hmm. Okay, I finally understood that she was part Pit, but a smarter, gentler, more soulful dog has never lived. She’s wonderful with kids, and people. The only negative is that she is not crazy about other dogs. She’s golden and gorgeous, still people cross the street to avoid walking by her. Her honey colored eyes were what prompted me to change her “shelter name” (Fern) to Honey. Still, even if you call a Pit Bull “Honey” or “Sweetness,” there are folks who are going to cringe at the sight of a very muscular seventy-pound dog who has a huge chest and an enormous jaw. Whatever, that’s my baby!
From the time we got her, we were aware that Honey had some health issues, severe arthritis in her hips for example. We have taken her to vet orthopedic doctors, as well as having a dog acupuncturist and herbalist treating her. This is one expensive “mutt.”
It was only fair that my husband, Alex, be allowed the final say on dog child number two. We drove down to the Oakland SPCA to look at a German Shepherd who looked like he might be the perfect family addition for hour home. It was not to be. When we arrived, the GSD was being vetted by two darling little girls with their Mom. I said we had also looked at a dog on-line named “Abner” and the guy who was helping us, Dan, said “Oh that’s one great dog! He’s a puppy, about eighteen months old.”
Apparently, Abner was one of his favorites and I said we’d like to meet him.
