Rainbows and dogs

Life seems to leap from challenge to joy to challenge with every heartbeat.

Today was a day made for sitting in the shade in the backyard, watching the babies splash in wading pools and play with the dogs. Tired from the sun and cooking and playing, everyone napped. An enormous and complete rainbow is visible east of our house, right outside the front picture window. Rainbows usually fade quickly, but this one has been there for ten minutes and just keeps getting brighter as the thunder rolls. Still not a drop of rain...

My oldest and best dogfriend, an Akita we call StarBuck, has come to my room as the thunder grows louder. He will be ten years old August 27th, a very old dog as Akitas go. Giant breeds average 8-10 years; it is thus my greatest fortune to be able to touch his tremendous, soft tail with my toes. He has made it through so many rough times to live this long. He only recently developed arthritis and has suffered long from allergies that need to be treated with steroids that were supposed to shorten his life or at least damage his kidneys. He's obviously disproved those theories, so far!

Just about four years ago, around Halloween, because we love "Buck" so much and knew he was aging, we got another Akita pup. Smokey Bear came to our home after I fell in love with his little black face (Buck's is white) from two litters someone bred (yes, I should know better) in their backyard. Too late, we discovered major genetic problems resulting from inbreeding would affect him for the rest of his life. He's gone blind twice and nearly, again just last week. "Smoke" is a sweet, gentle dog who reminds you of the people you might see and think..."he has an ancient soul."

There is no doubt that both of them have been known to me for lifetimes and I am sure will know in lifetimes to come. The two of them have disproven much about traditional thought on Akitas. Reading about the breed, you are told it is not advisable to have more than one dog, but especially not two of the same sex. After a couple of "I'm the top dog...No I'M the top dog" fights, the have settled into a coexistence and can barely stand being separated. Our vet, Dr. J, was so scared of Akitas when we first visited that when he opened the door and saw 100 lb. Buck, backed up and said..."hold your dog, hold his head!" before he would come in to examine him. After nine years in his care, Dr. J now comes in to the exam room with a pocket FULL (if you knew Buck, you'd know why) of dog treats. He and all the vets in our clinic say they've never seen an Akita with such a gentle disposition...until they met Smokey. I only know I am privileged to know them both.