This is our 700th post and we will celebrate it
by talking about an event that significantly changed Dog Dad’s life fourteen
years ago. 31 December 2003 is the day
Dad drove north from Key West and was adopted by
Essex. She
was the last of her litter to be adopted.
Dad is convinced he got the best puppy from that litter. He had contacted Lil at Holmhaven Collies earlier
that month and found out she was still available.
 |
| Essex Holmhaven Puppy Pawtograph |
 |
| Essex Investigating Her Home |
 |
| Essex Walking Around Her Home The First Time |
 |
| Essex Sleeping On Her Back |
Dad drove three and a half hours north to Holmhaven. When he arrived Essex
came over and chewed on his shoe lace.
Dad gave her a belly rub and she was smitten with him. Dad and Essex got in the collie-mobile and Essex panicked.
She wanted to stay with her brother Buddy. She climbed up Dad’s arm and cried for about
ten minutes. Dog Dad kept stroking her
and spoke in calm steady voice. Essex relaxed to that voice. Half way to Key West Dad stopped so Essex could go potty.
Essex fell asleep and awoke
when the truck stopped at home. Dad let
her investigate the yard and a strong bond grew between the two. That night Essex
woke up Dad to go to the bathroom by licking his foot.
Essex changed Dad’s life so
many ways. Angel
Paws Dog
Park was built the month Essex arrived
in Key West. Dad and Essex discovered it a couple months
latter. There are so many pups and
hoomans Dad has met over the years. Some
were met at Angel Paws, some due to the Key West Collie blog, others were pups
from Holmhaven Collies, and then there was a place called Dog’s With Blogs. In 2007 the collies joined Dog’s With Blogs
which was kind of like Camelot. Essex and Deacon sadly saw that group fade
away several short years after it started.
Fortunately the chat room remains and the Collies still chat with our
pal angel-dog Skye and some other pups on most Sundays.
 |
| Angel Paws |
 |
| Essex Created A Dirt Path From Fence Patrol |
There are sad and happy memories. Dad has visions of Essex
on fence patrol and dirt path she created along the fence line. He remembers Essex
staying by his bed when he was sick, her gentle lick, her sleeping on her back and
how they watched out after each other.
 |
| Essex And Deacon |
 |
| Deacon's Holmhaven Puppy Pawtograph |
 |
| Sherman At Holmhaven |
 |
| Essex and Sherman Shortly After Leaving Holmhaven |
 |
| Sherman and Gemini Leaving Holmhaven |
 |
| Sherman and Gemini Playing In Their Yard |
Later Deacon came to live with them and crossed the rainbow
bridge far too soon. Sherman came to fill the hole in Dad’s heart after
that crossing. Little Gemini took her
time arriving after Essex’s crossed. It was worth the wait. Essex and Deacon definitely left there are
paw prints in Dad’s heart. Sherman and
Gemini are putting paw prints there too.
God bless the collies. Dad thanks
them for adopting him and knows they made him a better hooman.
 |
| February 2008 - Essex and Deacon Paw Prints in the Snow |
Dog Speed
Sherman, Gemini and Dog Dad
