Our Deep Connection with Our Pets and Our Love for Dogs

We are connected to our pets emotionally as they represent members of the family.

Dogs especially have long been considered man’s best friend.

I've owned several large bred dogs. A German Shepherd and a Rottweiler is where my story begins.

Cherished and loved our pets give us genuine love and affection.

Today, I own a Rottweiler. She is tough yet gentle. Rottweilers have long been considered as an attack dog.

In movies and television, Rotts are portrayed as the guard dog or the fierce bred dog.

Rottweilers have the muscle and they have a strong endurance but Rotts can also be a bully. My Rott is all these things yet she is also gentle and loving.

After getting married, I knew I would always have a dog. As a little girl, growing up in a home where dogs were not allowed, I pretended to have a pet dog. I loved animals, especially dogs.

I'm allergic to cats, but once when I was a child, a stray cat followed me home. I thought I would give him some milk. My Dad didn't want me to feed a stray, “you’ll never get rid of it.” he told me. Of course, I did give the cat some milk before I went inside.

Later that evening, the landlord upstairs complained about this cat hanging around the house. The cat continued to meow so she called my Dad. My brother the hero, decided he would get the cat off her porch so he proceeded to head upstairs. When he picked up the cat, it hissed then scratched him right down his forearm. He had to get rabies shots. My brother never did like cats again.

I've had several dogs during my life and my German Shepherd fast became my favorite. She was a black and tan shepherd with awesome markings. She came from great lineage, AKC registered with papers and all. My husband and I wanted to learn all we could on this breed and we enrolled her in dog training classes.

Do you know that dog training classes don’t train the dog, they train the owner?

My shepherd grew up with my children. She was a great family pet. She had a litter of puppies one year and we witnessed the miracle of birth. When the puppies were about 3-4 weeks old, our house was hit by lightening. A severe thunderstorm broke and our garage caught on fire. Luckily our children were not home. We didn't have time to gather up all the puppies and we quickly left with the shepherd to get out of the house. It was heaven sent that the firemen arrived in time and there was only minor damage. Our Christmas decorations in the garage took the hit and protected our home from going up in flames. The puppies were all safe.

Over the years my beloved German Shepherd started to develop tumors. After a period of time she could hardly walk. Then one night she approached my bedside. It was way before dawn, as the moonlight streamed through my bedroom window, she sat alongside my bed.

For some reason, I awoke and there she was, staring me in the face. I cannot explain the sense I felt. It is hard to put down into words but I felt her spirit. She looked at me with an intensity and a true sense of peace. I knew she was sick. Maybe it was the moonlight, but I still remember her silhouette in my mind. Two days later she took a fall down the stairs and we had to put her down. A very sad day, but I remembered the night. It was as if she told me, it is ok Mom, I’m ready to go.

The Rottweiler dog I have now, is my husband’s shadow. She loves my husband. We got her as a puppy before my shepherd passed away. Our Rott was born on Jan 1, 2000. That would make her a millennium puppy.

A dog with a sense of drive and a passion for rocks. As a puppy she loved to chew on rocks and play in the sprinkler. My daughter allowed our Rottweiler to sleep with her. Rotts are great for protection. My daughter had been bitten once by a Doberman and developed a fear of strong dogs. I believe the Rott broke her fear and from then on, they were best friends.

I find that each day my Rottweiler offers me something more. Pets are great for understanding. They don’t judge you and they are always forgiving. When you have a bad day at work, you can count on your pet to greet you at the door, ready to love you. Every day she demonstrates what unconditional love represents.

The Rottweiler breed is something to cherish.

Misunderstood and remarkably strong, this breed offers a solid performance. Trained properly this dog can provide years of pleasure and fun. Misguided owners should not have a Rottweiler because of the nature of these animals. This breed can be frightening and intimidating. Their endurance is understated and their strength is immeasurable.

Any owner of a large bred dog of this nature needs to go through dog training. Left without this training, the dog can easily become what's known as the alpha dog. A term used to identify the head of the household. Dogs are meant to be pets however they also are characterized as pack animals. They want to lead the packs.

Watch the Dog Whisperer and you'll see more of what I’m talking about.

After losing my beloved German Shepherd, our Rottweiler restored the sense of loss I felt.

My love for dogs and pets will never cease.

"It’s true that some people go overboard with their pets, spending too much money on them compared to human needs in the world. But I also believe God has used pets to minister to and speak to and be a comfort and companions to many people.

God created us, God created them, and God created us to have a bond with them. This is not only true of dogs and cats, but certainly of other creatures, whether that’s horses, guinea pigs, rabbits, fish, or turtles. They are God’s gift to us as human beings." – Randy Alcorn, Author

I love dogs. In my family we have had so many.

My mom got a dog after my dad died. She cared for him and loved him with her widow heart. That love kept her going after his passing. Her dog became her healer, he became her life saver. She lived for many years after my father passed away and I believe it was due in great part for the love of her beloved Lhasa Apso.

As for me, I’ll never be without my dog. My rottweiler brings me joys and laughter. As for my german shepherd, she will always hold a special place within my heart.