A NEW FAMILY MEMBER

by MARIA
(SARASORA FLORIDA)

AS A YOUNG CHILD 55= YRS AGO I GOT A BLACK PUPPY FOR XMAS. I ONLY HAD THAT DOG FOR 1-2 YRS BUT I HAVE NEVER FORGOTTEN HER. OVER THE YEARS MY FAMILY HAS HAD MULTIPLE DOGS USUALLY 2 OR 3 AT A TIME. MOST WHERE MUTTS BUT THEN CAME THE PEDIGREES. SCOTTISH TERRIERS,PUGS,GERMAN SHEPARDS,PEKENIESE,KEESHOUND ECT ECT. SO MANY GREAT DOGS. ABOUT 6 YEARS AGO MY DGHT ASKED ME TO GIVE HER MONEY FOR HER BIRTHDAY AND GIVE IT THEN IF I COULD. I DID AND SHE WAS OUT OF THE HOUSE IN ABOUT 3 MIN. SHE RETURNED SHORTLY AFTER AND WAS CALLING FROM THE PORCH FOR SOMEONE TO OPEN THE DOOR.A HUGH BLACK PUPPY FILLED BOTH HER ARMS. IT WAS LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT FOR ME. SHE BOUGHT A BERENESE MOUNTAIN DOG,IKE (SHE WANTED A STRONG NAME FOR HIM) WAS 4 MONTHS OLD. HIS PAW COVERED MY HAND COMPLETELY, HIS HEAD IS AS BIG AS A BEARS. HE IS THE QUIEST,GENTILEST DOG, AND THE EASIEST TO TRAIN. HE LOVES TO GO FOR WALKS, DOES NOT PULL, HAS NEVER CHEWED A TOY TO SHREDS LIKE MOST OF THE OTHERS HAD. ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO WE HAD A SIGNFICANT SNOWFALL IKE WENT OUT TO DO HIS DUTY BUT TOOK FOREVER TO COME BACK IN, SHORTLY AFTER WE NOTICED HE WAS LIMPING. HE BECAME WORSE THE NEXT DAY AND SEEMED TO BE IN PAIN. IT TURNED OUT HE HAD RUPTURED 6 DISCS IN HIS BACK. HIS USUAL VET DID BLOOD WORK X-RAYS AND MRI AND REFRRED HIM TO A NEUROLOGIST WHO REPEATED MOST OF THIS THE VET SAID IT WAS PROBABLY CONGENTIAL AND ONLY TREATMENT WAS SURGERY. WELL $9,000 LATER WE HAD IKE BACK BUT HAD TO KEEP HIM ON BEDREST FOR 6 WEEKS.NOW THIS TALE OF WOE TURNS INTO A COMEDY. EVER TRIED TO KEEP A 140LB DOG DOWN? WE COULD NOT CRATE HIM BECAUSE IF HE COULD NOT GET UP WE COULDN"T GET IN TO HELP. WE GOT A TARP AND FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS 3 OF US CARRIED HIM OUTSIDE TO GO,BY THIRD WEEK HE WAS MOVING AROUND SO WE GOT A RAMP FOR HIM TO GET OFF THE PORCH.IKE IS NOW HEALED BUT HIS ONE BACK LEG GIVES OUT ON OCCASION. HE IS BEING TRAINED NOW TO GO TO THE LONG TERM CARE FACILITIES TO VISIT THE RESIDENTS. HE LOVES PEOPLE AN BEING PETTED, HE WILL GENTLY NUDGE THE HAND THAT STOPS TOO SOON. I LOVE THIS DOG AS IF HE IS MY CHILD. EVERYYONE SHOULD KNOW ONE BERNIE LOVER