Do You Have a Preference - Pointed or Flat?

Are you prejudice against certain dogs?  Do you stereotype them?  Do you believe some are smarter than others?

Our family has rescued over 30 dogs.  The other day it occurred to me that we have never adopted or rescued a flat-nosed one.  I asked my husband why and he simply said "I don't like flat-nosed dogs."  Come to think of it, I do prefer the long-nosed ones as well.

My question to you is this:  Dogs find us.  We must have some kind of internal magnet that draws the lost, the strays, the hurting to us.  So......how do they know we prefer long-nosed dogs? 

I did a little research to determine what differences there were between long and flat faced dogs.  Flat faced dogs often have breathing and respiratory complications which can lead to  health 

issues.  They are also more prone to infection, i.e. ear and eye problems.   It doesn't answer my question as to why only long nosed ones find us.  Do they SMELL us from afar?  And follow their noses?

Many of you have followed my rescue dog stories long enough to recognize many of these critters.  I have shared a few of their story links beneath their picture.  If you are a dog lover and want a laugh or a good cry -- here you go:

Abused Bernese "Charlie" was out of control
Now...two years later she is one of the best dogs ever

Z is for Zack - Rescue Doberman

ZACK.  Zack was a beautiful black Doberman that Louis Vuitton cared for and loved, as only a mini Dachshund could do.    A few years ago, my daughter Rochelle volunteered at an animal shelter. 

She loved walking this particular black Doberman.  Zack was his name and he was a senior citizen.  The shelter was not sure how old he was, but assumed he was around twelve years.  It was quite unlikely that he would ever be adopted and Rochelle knew what his demise would be.  Her soft spot for dogs, especially Dobermans, drove her to find Zack a home -- her own, of course.

Dogs - R is for Rusty and Rex - Black Dobermans

Rusty and Rex.  Black Dobermans.  I have a special love reserved for Dobermans.  I especially love red ones and Rusty was the only black one we had.  Rusty was beautiful.  He had a beautiful, shiny black coat and was a lot larger than any of the Dobermans we had.  We rescued Rusty from an abusive situation and brought him home.  At the time, we were living on a large acreage and he loved his new found freedom.  My children were quite young and they loved to romp and run with him.  As all Dobies, he was a great guard dog, loyal to the core.  There was never anything to be concerned about when he was babysitting the kids. 

Dogs - H is for Hiding Behind the Tree

"Please, please help me find a home for this dog," my friend pleaded with us.  I listened as she explained that her neighbor was keeping their dog chained inside their garage and decided they didn't want her anymore and were going to have her put down.  

I certainly didn't want or 'need' another dog but curiosity got the best of us, so we told her we would have a look and maybe find a suitable home.

Dogs - G is for Galloping Down the Highway

If there is a stray that needs a home, I have to close my eyes and plug my ears because if I hear about it or see it, well...... you know!

I was about 40 miles from home and made a wrong turn in a residential area out in the country.  As I was turning my car around I saw her. Now, you have to understand that not only do I have a soft spot for all dogs – but red Dobermans – well, it's a no brainer. Probably the reason she caught my eye was she was a red Doberman sitting in a red wheel barrel in someone's front yard.

I couldn't resist. “Well, hello there, you precious girl.”

My Dog Ate Dad's Teeth!

Remember Babe in B is for Babe?  When we brought her home she was about 8 years old.  We were able to learn a few things about her background.  She was a trained guard dog and only understood commands in German.  We had no idea what the commands were but certainly experienced her ability to protect us if she felt we were threatened.

We lived at the end of a road where teenagers liked to party late at night.  This disturbed Babe greatly and when she saw them coming she would run up behind them and smash the full weight of her body behind their knees.  They would totally freak out and didn't know what knocked them off balance but they stopped coming around.  Babe would nonchalantly walk away as if she was not guilty.

Babe - Our Dobie Lap Dog

My husband and I have always called each other Babe.  It would never occur to either one of us to name a dog Babe.  So how is it Babe was our loving pet for about ten years?

Babe and Mercedez

We had been out of touch with my husband's father for close to eight years.  We missed him but distance and circumstances prevented much contact.  In the spring of 1995, my hubby decided it had been too long and he needed to see his father.  He made the call.  Dad was thrilled and plans were made for hubby and son to go for a visit.

Only two weeks passed and we got the call from my sis-in-law.  "Dad slipped on the ice and hit his head.  He didn't make it.  He's gone."  

How Do I Tell Her About You?

This post is part of the 100 Word Saturday Write Tribe using the words How Do I Tell Her About You?

“You are so tiny!”  I looked into her soft brown eyes and couldn't resist picking her up.  She nestled into my neck and I knew we belonged together.

I also knew that my big eleven-year-old Doberman, Babe, considered herself Top Dog and it wasn't going to be easy to bring this little terror home.  

“How am I going to tell her about you?'    I asked looking into those soft eyes again.


I knew it wasn't going to be easy but it had to be done.  Babe would be gone soon and a puppy would help with the pain.

Photo courtesy of Flickr.com