Garrett and Earl - Two Great Dogs

I didn't used to be a dog person. We only had one dog when I was growing up, a little teacup poodle who would often run away. Not surprisingly, I was not very connected to Chewy. I much preferred my pet cats, despite my allergies to them. Now, I can't imagine life without our two dogs, Earl and Garrett. The unlikely pair, small and furry versus large and muscular, delight and frustrate me on a daily basis. They are my biggest fans, and I love them as if they were my own kids. But even my own children don't leap up with delight when I walk through the door! That's what pets are for....

We adopted Earl in 2004 at four months old. A cute little black puppy, I guess he actually reminded me of my childhood dog. Maybe that's why I was drawn to him over the other puppies in the kennel. They told me he is a poodle-rat terrier mix. But our vet said that he believes Earl has schnauzer genes instead of terrier. The longer Earl's hair grows, the grayer it gets, which is why we named him "Earl" - for earl gray.

Earl is a funny little dog. Like most small breeds, he can be a bit yippy, to my husband's great disdain. But he is also fiercely loyal to me and my family. Thank goodness we have such a protective watch dog. I really don't think anyone can walk down the street in front of our house without Earl sounding the alarm!

Earl is most comfortable at night and when we leave during the day in a small cat kennel. Its the same one in which he's been sleeping since he was a puppy. He fits into it just fine, and, though I've tried to buy larger cages, Earl will have nothing of it. I think the snug fit is secure for him.

Recently, my heart has been broken watching Earl in the early stages of epilepsy. At first, his seizures were fairly far apart - maybe one every two months or so. Then, in January, he had two seizures in 10 days. What worried me was the fact that, with both of us gone during the day, what else was happening while we were gone? After running expensive blood tests and a general exam, our vet prescribed phenobarbital for Earl. We have to cut the pills and give them to him twice a day. Whew! A reminder that pets can be high maintenance at times. So far, Earl is responding well to the medication!

For most of his life, Earl either lived by himself or with one of our several cats. Things were pretty good then, as he enjoyed chasing the cats around the house and wrestling with them when he caught them (or when they allowed him to catch up). We lost two cats in our move to Oregon when they escaped a shed during a thunderstorm and ran away, never to be seen again. Although we adopted a new cat about 6 months later, he decided that life on the streets was better than life in a nuthouse... so he took off, as well. And Earl was alone again.

Enter Garrett in December 2006. Although I am a total "pet person," I was very surprised by my husband's idea to add another dog to the mix. After all, with four children and one dog, things were already pretty crazy at our place. But he wanted a running partner, and just didn't agree with me that Earl would be just fine jogging along the river trails.

We made a number of visits to the Humane Society, carefully screening each of the dogs we considered as pets. It was frustrating and heart-breaking to go in each time and leave so many dogs alone on the hard concrete floor. When I met Garrett, I knew he was the one. My husband was out of town at the time, and I was worried that someone else would take the dog if we didn't jump at the chance of adoption. So, I took some cell phone photos and tried describing Garrett to my husband long-distance. Fortunately, it didn't take much convincing - we put the deposit down and agreed to come back the next day to pick him up for his neutering surgery.

They believe that Garrett is a pit bull-shepard mix. We wonder if he has some laborador retriever in him, too. The dog absolutely LOVES the water. A walk along one of the many rivers in Central Oregon will draw him in like mosquitos to a flame.

Garrett is about 2 1/2 years old - a few years younger than Earl. He does enjoy running with my husband. Dogs like Garrett need a lot of exercise to stay healthy and happy. He has a wonderful doggy bed on which he knows how to "settle." All in all, he is a great addition as a pet to our family.

Earl and Garrett together couldn't be happier. I thought that Garrett's size would automatically render him the "pack leader" at the house, but not so. Apparently, Earl decided that his advanced age (he's 2 years older than Garrett) and longer tenure with the family gave him those bragging rights. So, although Garrett could swipe Earl across the room in a single blow, Earl generally calls the shots. He barks at Garrett when he's doing something "wrong," like playing with one of Earl's toys. He growls and even snaps at him if Garrett plays too rough.

The two dogs play like brothers together in our backyard. They especially enjoy chasing each other around and generally just loving life! Inside, the two "wrestle" and even snuggle together. I wished that I had my camera the other day when Garrett's right paw was casually draped over Earl as they laid on the floor. When I walked in, they glanced up quickly, like lovers caught in the act, but didn't change position!

The dogs seem like best friends to me, and it warms my heart. Like children, you're never quite sure if your heart can expand enough to love another pet as much as the first one. But both dogs have stolen my heart. Sometimes, after a long day, I like to sleep on the couch in our family room, rather than compete for covers or mattress space with my husband. Earl sleeps with me on the blanket, and Garrett sleeps nearby on his bed on the floor. I get up to go to the kitchen or bathroom, and they both leap up. Trailing me like security guards, these two never leave my side. I love to reward their loyal love with lots of ear rubs and snuggles.

Two dogs are enough for pets in our home. But these two animals, with their endearing personalities, will never leave our hearts empty. Whether frolicking in the backyard, or jumping into the car in glee for a hike or other outing, Garrett and Earl are just as happy to be part of our family as we are to welcome them in!