spring — Blog — Pet-Friendly Planning

I love to sit outside on nice days, especially on a patio with lots of flowers. This year, the prospect of planting flowers — or plants of any kind — was temporarily hindered by two troublemakers: large-breed puppies who were ruthlessly digging up, pulling out, and demolishing everything that grew within their reach!

We tried placing a few small flowerpots on tables and wide railings, but it wasn’t long before one of the pups started climbing up to play with them. Although we managed to train her not to climb, having all those flower pots within reach was a constant temptation.

We had all but resigned ourselves to a flowerless spring this year.

Then my husband came up with a beautiful solution. He purchased several metal plant hanger stakes (about $15 each) at our local garden center, and installed them along the fence in the backyard. He even mounted a few onto the side of the deck. Then he hung potted flowers on them and, voilá, we were surrounded by spring blossoms that the dogs could not reach!

It is spring, and there is a sense of renewal in our home. Whether it be returning to health after illness, re-connecting with old friends, or re-launching an unattended blog, this has been a time for starting again.

The past two years have flown by and brought big changes. One of the hardest has been the loss of three senior pets: Road Dog, the feisty old terrier mix rescued more than 12 years ago by our then-teenage son; Penny, our sweet, gentle chocolate lab mix; and Mercedes, our goofy, friendly, dog-like cat.

Whenever we lose a beloved pet, we are faced with the question of whether to adopt another. It’s easy to feel like we are trying to replace the one we’ve lost, which of course is impossible. Every beloved pet is unique and holds its own place in our hearts.

Then there is the question of dealing with loss itself. I often hear grief-stricken people say, “No more pets for me. I can’t go through that again.” And yet, we choose to go through it again and again because hundreds of thousands of animals desperately need someone to take them in.

We have welcomed several new pets into our family these past few years. Our pack now consists of two rescued Dalmatians (both originally purchased from breeders and later relinquished to the rescue groups from whom we adopted) and a playful young mutt who was found roaming the streets of Puerto Rico and brought to the mainland by rescuers and volunteer pilots.

Our love for these dogs will not diminish the memories and love of the pets who shared our life before them. This is a different time, with new memories to be made and new love to be shared.

Keeping Flower Pots Away from Plant-Shredding Puppies

Starting Again