Before Taffy, there were a few turtles and budgie birds we called pets at the family home where I grew up.  But it wasn’t until our dog Taffy showed up that I felt we had a real family pet.   Our beloved German Shepherd/Collie mix (more Collie than Shepherd) with her long, golden hair, was quite temperamental but she was one of a kind.  

As a child I completely and utterly loved that dog and felt sad whenever we left her for too long.  We were a big family of seven so imagine how it must have felt for her when the house cleared out on a typical work/school day and Taffy had the house to herself?  Who knows, maybe she loved it – all that space and quiet. 

The summer between grade 10 and 11 I lost Taffy.   My friend Tracey and I managed to convince our parents that we should be able to stay at our family lake property, by ourselves for a week.  Our guardian was Taffy, a 11-year-old dog, mode of transportation was our bikes, and our only form of communication was a pay phone 15-minute bike ride away.   One sunny day, when we thought we had the world by its tale, Taffy wandered off and for some bizarre reason climbed into an open car at a local Provincial Park. The owners were visiting from Alberta, (a very long way from Ontario) and they bonded with her immediately.  They decided to keep her.  Thankfully before they broke camp and headed their car back towards Alberta, their guilty conscience kicked in and they decided to find out if Taffy had a family who was desperately looking for her.  Inquiries were made, police were called, Tracey’s older brother who lived in the area was alerted, and Phil and his wife Shelley returned Taffy to our home in Toronto.  My siblings started to talk to me again only after Taffy was safely tucked in her bed. It took almost losing her to realize how much of a massive part of our family she really was.

Six months later, I was in grade 11 when she became a Shimmy.   I was old enough to appreciate that I had her for my formable years, but I remember thinking I would never bond with a dog the way I did with her.  Thankfully I was wrong. 

The feelings we have for our pets when they are your “sibling” vs when you are their “parent” are different.  One is no less important than the other, but they are different relationships.   My sons grew up with German Shepherds from the time they were born.  Luna, Rubrum, Sniper, Ruby……. these dogs wrapped themselves around their little hearts and taught them to be big brothers/defenders/confidants.  

We dog momma’s feel the responsibilities, worry, exasperation, pride in a way our little 2-legged children do not.  It is ok, but it is different.  I like that. I will always wish that for children.  Let the relationship a child has with its pet be fun, trusting, worry free.

When our pets become Shimmies, it is hard to let them go but we know it is the right thing to do.  We remember them as tiny puff balls, annoying destroyers of everything precious, fierce protectors, goofy playmates, snuggly heating blankets and best of all, non-judgemental loving souls.   No pet is ever forgotten.  They just become Shimmies.

For all who have ever lost a beloved pet, I am truly sorry but please know they are with you always.