I just had to give you my doggy story after reading all of yours. When living on my own in gosh - 1986 - did that year exist!!?! - I decided I wanted a dog. A friend of mine worked as a vet assistant so I asked her if there were any dogs unwanted or owners couldnt keep then I would be interested. I didnt want a bitch but a dog dog! Size or breed no matter but a medium size.
A few days later she called me as a client had gone to see them. She was getting a divorce and 3 dogs had to go. 2 fully grown and 1 4 month old puppy. We went to see this puppy, called Butch, to find a very cute (got no digital pics!!) cross between a rottweiler, doberman and alsation, but with the nicest nature possible. I decided then and there to take him home and promptly renamed him Flynn (dont ask me why as cant remember now!)
Anyway, took him to the vet (my firned put herself down as owner so all treatments were free) for first jabs and a check over. The vet was feeling thelegs etc and then came out with 'and what sex did you say this 'dog' was?' Well, both of us went bright red - her more than me obviously - as we hadnt thought to double check what someone else had said!
Anyway after a flash thought I renamed 'her' Astra (after the make of car I had!)
At around 9 months old I let her out into the garden which had a rear entrance obscured from the kitchen window. She disappeared - we thik someone tried to break in and her barking scared them off, but I hadnt gone down the path to see if the rear door had been moved - garden was totally overgrown (sorry - dont do gardens!) so you couldnt see anything but the wildlife was amazing for London!
Anyway after 3 days she was found at the RSPCA centre, she had tried to cross the main road, was hit by a car. She was dazed but ok - they knew she had an owner as there was a collar and she was well looked after (used to go home at lunchtime to cook her lunch!!!!)
Anyway - after a while she was limping, the vet said to leave it to see what had happened but it was likely her nerve endings had been affected by the hit. I came home one night to find out she had chewed off half her right paw! (and no bits to be found either!!!) After a week of bandaging etc, it wasnt getting better and so she had her full leg amputated, up into the shoulder so it looked like she had been borne that way.
She was perfectly happy and so was I - until stupidly I threw a stick into a river, not thinking, and she jumped in after it!!! Thinking she was going to drown I scurried down the embankment, but was amazed to see her swim!
Pregnant with child 1 I took her to a scrufts show near home. She was entered into a few classes with placings but the one that we won was the best 6 legs class - another friend and I bound our legs together (3) and Atras 3!!! Got a photo somewhere I think!
She used to protect the kids running around with them, swam in the sea and loved moving to Spain. She lived until she was nearly 15 years old when age beat her and she had to be put to sleep
Ive never had another dog - couldnt really bear to and I still have some of her fur in a box!
Many, many hilarious stories I have and she gave so much fun and pleasure to many people.