And they called it ‘Puppy Love’
In 2006 my family was adopted by a cross bred female dog at an SPCA Monteregie dog walk held in Knowlton. Part German shepherd and part Doberman, Crisp was not our first choice although she had her sights set on our family from first glance. We were looking for a golden Lab female and Crisp did not fit our criteria as she had mistakenly been tagged with a big sign hanging around her neck as a “Doberman mix, male who did not like cats!” We wanted a female, we had a cat and with three young sons, we felt we wanted a more gentle reputation breed.
We walked, sat with and conversed with a variety of dogs all while being followed, nudged, and stalked by Crisp, who immediately fell in love with our youngest son. While we perused the many beautiful dogs, Ethan sat with his arm around Crisp negotiating her issues with cats…we were also told that her last family had rid themselves of her because she did not travel well and they could not keep her due to a pattern of bringing their dog on vacations.
By days end on July 25, we had determined that Crisp was indeed a female almost three years old and that her disposition was that of both the German shepherd and Doberman: obedient, intelligent, watchful, courageous, alert, loyal, curious, and confident; a great guard dog. We filled out the paperwork while Ethan continued to negotiate. After loading her in the van, we alerted the boys to the fact that she would not travel well…all were vigilant.
Crisp had no issues travelling and to this day, never has. She hated our cat the moment she stepped into the house and all the negotiating had little effect on her. Cats were something you dominated and, if you could get under the bed, tortured.
Crisp instantly and continuously has made her place within our home, lives, and hearts. She had a longtime companion when we brought home, Fiona (a Scottish terrier) who died a couple of years ago. A little over a year ago we acquired Spot, who was a puppy at the time and Crisp was instantly smitten with him and has allowed him love and attention. He walks her, leading her by her chain whenever they go outside.
Crisp turned 14 this year. The average lifespan of a German shepherd and Doberman ranges from 9 to 13 years. She is now having difficulty walking and her hind legs are starting to struggle. With the boys now grown, she sits by the patio door and waits for their visits. She remains Spot’s best friend and she comforts all who come through our doors in difficulty. She is old and not at all the dog she once was but she has been the best friend anyone could hope for.
She is not in pain but I know that her days are numbered as she sleeps most of the time. I attempt to prepare myself with what I know will be little success when the time comes. While I do not know what the future will bring, I feel compelled to thank the SPCA Monteregie for bringing us Crisp all those years ago; for suggesting that we choose the dog that had chosen us when we first arrived. To those pet owners reading this, while I am not a hard person by nature, I never thought that I could feel so much love for an animal. All this to say, “I get it now,” until you have a pet you can call it Puppy Love but I guess you will never know how deep that love can go.