Well, I came into Don's life in 1998 with Pogo, my Doodle dog who will be 13 next month. Pogo had been devoted to my husband and was lying right next to him when he died of cancer in 1995. Pogo went into such a depression he had to be taken to the vet and medicated. Gradually he came out of it and we had a wonderful time camping together (something new for us!) in my little dome tent in the state parks of Vermont. I sold my house on 11 acres and moved into a condo in town and poor Pogo went into another depression. But in 1998, I met Don, a lovely widower in Maine. We began to wear a track in Route 2 between Vermont and Maine and Pogo went everywhere with us! He LOVED having a man in his life again -- Pogo has always preferred men. And this man owned woods on a lake in Maine!!! Pogo was is heaven!
I know, this is about Yorkies....I'm getting there. Quite simply, Pogo has been a PERFECT dog. He is half Dachshund/half Poodle and 17 pounds of SMART.
Last year he kinda hit the wall of old age. Just like I did. Dang! Really slows ya down, ya know? I began to realize that Pogo would probably go to the Rainbow Bridge before I do and I couldn't imagine life without a dog in it.
Don doesn't like dogs.
Nope.
He really isn't big on any pets. His wife loved cats and he had two cats. He had given 4 cats to Jean's sister when Jean died suddenly in 1996. Don said in no uncertain terms "After Pogo goes, there will be NO MORE DOGS." I said "Oh yes there will!" He said "Then you and the new dog will go live elsewhere," and I said "Fine with me! I won't live life without a dog but I will live life without a husband!"
I really wanted to get a puppy, preferably another outcross of two small breeds, so Pogo could "mentor" that puppy and teach him how to be a good dog like Pogo is. And I began to search, looking in local papers over the last year or so. Don kept saying "No way."
I would like to say the Toto convinced Don that Yorkies were wondeful. But he really wasn't all that interested in Toto during the week we all spent together at a Casita rally in Florida last January. Of course, the fact that PATRICK had this cute little dog had an effect. Don and Patrick are very competitive and what one has, the other must have also, right Bettyeanne? They are sooooooo funny, those two guys!
It was little Chanel that got to Don. We stayed on at the RV park after the rally, and there was a tiny 4-year old little Yorkie that walked with her owner around the park several times a day. She loved me and would come running to get patted and kissed and loved on.....Her owner said she didn't like anybody else in the park....just me! I began to look at Yorkies. Impossibly expensive for our retirement budget. Pretty much gave up on that idea.
All this time, Don is saying "NO MORE DOGS!"
Thought maybe I would get a Pug. They look like me and dogs and owners look alike, right? Started haunting the humane societies. Valentine's Day is our anniversary. And my birthday is in March. Toward the end of January, Don said over coffee one morning "Okay, if you HAVE to have another dog, you can have one, BUT it HAS to be a YORKIE!" Could have knocked me over with a feather! I warned Don that terriers could be terrors and not laid back like Pogo. Didn't matter. HAD to be a Yorkie. THE SEARCH WAS ON!
It took about a month to find Higgins.
There is no more devoted "daddy" than Don! This man who doesn't like dogs is so in love with Higgins it is a joy to see! Higgins sleeps with Don. Is by Don's side at all times. But he loves his "mommy", too, and is always fair about handing out his kisses equally.
I have owned many breeds and mutts in my life and I think Higgins and Yorkies are unique. Smart and full of personality that blossoms in a loving family. Higgins has become the center of our lives! Viva Yorkies!
