June 29, 2025
I love animals. Well… except for tiny rodents and reptiles. From a very young age, I’ve been an animal lover. Honestly, I’d rather spend time with animals than with humans.
Animals don’t ask for much—just love, food, and a safe, warm place to live. And in return, they bring us so much joy. I truly believe every animal has a personality—some more pronounced than others.
Over the years, I’ve had many cats, mostly Himalayans. Each one was different. Some were loving and cuddly, others a bit standoffish. And one? Downright hissy… but only toward me. She adored my husband and made it very clear she did not want to share him. If I got too close, she’d wedge herself between us, hissing and spitting like a little dragon. I finally gave my husband an ultimatum: her or me. I won. (Good thing, too!)
I’ve noticed something funny over the years—our male pets tend to gravitate toward me, while the females prefer my husband. Hmm. Interesting.
After years of being a cat household, I finally convinced my husband that we needed a dog. For over 25 years now, we’ve had Belgian Tervurens—herding dogs about the size of a German Shepherd. Each one has had a personality and then some.
Our current senior Belgian, Sierra, is a teaser and a total daddy’s girl. These two are spending their golden years together, keeping each other company. Sierra doesn’t do much these days beyond her morning walk, then it’s straight back to the couch, head on a pillow, snoozing the day away. Every so often, she’ll look up to check on her dad—just making sure he’s still close and okay.
A few years ago, we added two Shelties to the mix—Bailey and Madisyn (Madi). I figured having smaller dogs as we get older would be a smart move. What I didn’t factor in is how much Shelties bark. And boy, do they ever. They’ve even managed to teach Sierra, who was quiet most of her life, how to join in. We love them dearly… but the barking? Drives. Us. Nuts. No amount of discipline seems to work. Honestly, I don’t think I’d get another Sheltie.
Madi is the runner, Sierra trots, and Bailey moseys. They all adore their morning country walks, with one of them always sticking close to their dad. It’s like they take turns keeping an eye on him.
Bailey has a bit of an attitude. Disturb her nap? She’ll grumble at you. If she wants outside or just some attention, she whines or snorts like a little piggy. It’s hilarious. But heaven help Madi if she dares try to steal Bailey’s chewy or toy—there’s instant barking and snapping.
Madi? Oh, she’s the professional barker. Sometimes, she barks just because she can. Mealtime sends her into overdrive—laps around the table, whining, barking, spinning like a top until the food bowl hits the floor. Walk time? Same thing. Bark, leap, repeat.
And then there’s Sierra. No barking at mealtime. No fuss at walk time. She just stands quietly and waits. But if someone walks down her side of the street—dog or no dog—she’ll make it perfectly clear that this is her turf.
Years ago, we toyed with the idea of moving to an acreage. But deep down, we both knew what would happen. I’d collect animals. A cow, a llama, a pig, maybe a goat—or two. Anything I could domesticate. But reality (and our bank account) won out. Animals are expensive. Probably for the best that the acreage never happened.
We never had kids—decided early in our marriage it wasn’t for us. So, our animals became our kids.
And yes, I’m sure this will ruffle some feathers (get over it), but we always took separate vacations so one of us could be home with the animals. We never trusted anyone else to look after them. And yep, we’ve spoiled—and continue to spoil—them rotten.
Pets are the best stress relievers. There’s nothing quite like stroking soft fur to calm the mind. And that greeting when you come home—even if you were only gone five minutes to the grocery store—is pure joy. Smiling faces. Wagging tails. Pure love.
If you don’t have pets, you’re truly missing out. But please—don’t get one just because. Pets are a lifetime commitment. You don’t get to toss them aside when they become inconvenient. They have feelings. They don’t understand why their person just disappears one day.
And with that—as Tigger would say—TTFN. Ta-ta for now!