Happy Gotcha Day

May 2-4 Memories

May 24th, or “May 2-4” as we used to call it when we were young, was the most exciting long weekend of all. It marked the beginning of summer. I can remember asking an older friend to get me and my pals some beer for the weekend parties that were sure to pop up. Whether it was in someone’s backyard or we all went camping, whatever we did, we were sure to have fun. You remember those days? So long ago 😉

A New Kind of Excitement

Five years ago on May 2-4, I got excited for a completely different reason. May 24th, 2019, marks the day that Tank came into our lives.

The Story of Tank

Most of you have probably heard these stories before, but in my wee head, they are worth repeating if only for myself to read. There are a ton of pics in this blog post. Sorry/not sorry.

Tank is a cross between a golden retriever and a cocker spaniel, called a Country Retriever. He was one of a litter of five pups—four blondes and a little redhead.

We saw the post on Pet’s in the Country (Breeder) website about his litter being born just in the nick of time. I called the breeder, and she said four of them were spoken for. If I got my down payment in, I would get the last pick of the litter. It is basically first-come, first-served. First in with the payment, first choice of pups. Steve wanted one of the blonde pups, and to be fair, the blondes did look adorable in the photos, a bit more so than the little red guy.

Gotcha Day Arrives

Our ‘gotcha’ day and time was upon us. Half of my kitchen was sectioned off as Tank’s new home. We called it the Shark Tank. We had chosen the name Tank before we ever saw him. Off we went to pick him up, and I was beyond excited to meet him.

As I entered the room, there was one little puppy waiting—the fiery little redhead. My heart melted. He stole it from the get-go. I walked up to him, and without hesitation, he jumped right up on my legs. I swooped him into my arms and, looking at his little face, I clearly remember saying, “Well, hello Tank. I am your new mom, and I will love you.”

We took him out to a grassy area where his brother Turtle was playing. The two of them ran around, both checking in with their new parents.

A Perceptive Granddaughter

Savannah came to visit us and said to me, “Nana, aren’t you glad you didn’t have to pick your puppy? You never would have picked Tank.” She was right. How perceptive of her. We would have taken a blonde. Fate had other plans.

The Rascal Tank

Tank has been in a whole heap of trouble! It was no mistake that he was on born on April fools day. He is a rascal for sure. We were meant to have this little guy. He had a seizure when he was six months old and was diagnosed with epilepsy. We have seen him through many seizures since then. We have to be available to give him his anti-seizure meds every day without fail at 9 AM and 9 PM. If we can’t do it, we have to hire a sitter. He is no different than a kid to us. Some people think we are nuts, but seriously? 😒 What were we going to do? Give him back? Not a chance. For all the love and care we have given him, he has given it right back to us.

When Steve had six weeks of radiation, which left him very tired, Tank laid down beside him every day of those six weeks. Curled right into his legs. He knew something was up with ‘the dad’. When I was feeling down, he came over and put his head on my lap. I like to think he was looking out for me too, but I think, for the most part, he was just looking for a snack. 😂

He came to us at a point in our lives when we needed him as much as he needed us. It was a match made in heaven….but still…what a little stinker!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Celebrating Tank

So, on May 24th, it was all about Tank. We started our day at Tim’s so he could get a plain Timbit. Steve took him to Jake’s to pick up lunch, and Shayne will gave him too many cookies 😠 😉. Dinner was  a nice big piece of chicken with some gravy.

That night,  he snuggled up between us, taking up the most space on the couch, and we didn’t mind. We  let him pick the show to watch. Reruns of Seinfeld.

Come bedtime, he cozied himself up under his puppy blanket where he  slept till he missed me. 😂 …then he hopped into bed with me. I wake up nose to nose with him.

True love 💗

10 great reasons to have a dog

Companionship

Dogs provide constant companionship and help alleviate feelings of loneliness, especially important for people who may live alone. Steve and I both love knowing that we are going home to a ‘Tank greeting’ every day. Steve loves to tell this joke: “If a man sticks his wife and his dog in a trunk for 1/2 an hour, only one of them is going to be happy to see you when you let them out!” 😝

Physical Activity

Caring for a dog encourages us of a savvy age to stay active through daily walks and playtime, which can contribute to better physical health and mobility. Tank gets multiple walks a day. Some long, some short. Our favorite is our after-dinner walk. It is actually great for our digestion (which is definitely a thing for us), and it is also a great time for Steve and me to connect and chat about how our day was or what is coming up in our calendar.

Routine and Structure

Having Tank has definitely given us a morning routine. He gets us up and at ’em, rain or shine. He likes to eat by 6 AM and poop by 8 AM. Now that is routine!

Emotional Support

Tank offers us unconditional love and emotional support. He is so comforting to both of us. He listens to all of our stories, whether happy or sad, and all he asks for in return is a snack.

Social Interaction

When we walk down the road, especially in our FL neighbourhood where we have lived for a few years, people will stop and say “Hello Tank,” and they have no freaking clue who we are.  We know that because we are the same way. Dogs are a great way to foster new friendships. A friend of mine and I get together weekly to walk our pups together. Our friendship has definitely been nurtured by our dogs. 💕 🐕

Sense of Purpose

It’s true. Tank gives us a very good reason to get up each day and stay engaged in our routines and responsibilities.

Safety and Security

Tank has a loud bark. We don’t often hear it, but when we do, we know something is up. I know if someone showed up unexpectedly at our door, Tank would be there in a hot second to bark and let them know he is waiting on the other side. Little would that person know, it would take one Scooby snack, and Tank would show them to the safe. 😂

Hobbies and Interests

Owning a pup can introduce you to new hobbies. I have taken classes with Tank that I know he loves. We have done sniffer classes. This guy can find a hotdog faster than a trained K9 can find a bomb!

We have done obstacle training classes. He has been certified by the American Kennel Association as a support dog for the elderly and children. Though, to be honest, I’m not sure  I would trust him to help anyone across the road if he spotted a bunny. He is a bit A.D.D.

Mental Stimulation

Training your dog is a lot of mind work. Training is something I have never stopped doing with him. It keeps his mind sharp and mine too.

Joy and Entertainment

Tank has brought us so much joy and entertainment too. He has so much personality. I have written three children’s book with him as the star. We are the type of parents that watch him sleep on the couch. If he does something cute with his paw, Steve and I point it out to each other, “Awwww look at that,” we say, and then out come our phones. Our phones used to be nothing but grandchildren pics. Tank has taken over. He has truly ‘upped’ our quality of life.

Happy 5th gotcha day Tank  we love you 🥰