Cro left holding the Baby

It is no secret that I am an unashamed lover of Dogs. I love all Dogs except for Pit Bulls (and their mixtures), and those little Devils they call Chihuahuas. Everything else is always welcomed.

As you can imagine, we have lots of Dog-owner friends. Not only do they tend to be very pleasant people, but their Dogs are mostly fun too.

One good friend has three Dogs; two Golden Retrievers, and this little character above. This scruffy little creature is called 'Baby', and is a complete cutie. She seems to know that I'm an easy touch, and always comes to me for tickles, etc.

Her two Golden Retrievers are also lovely Dogs; GR's are probably my favourite Dogs (after Border Collies, of course). One has only one eye, and the other is just a big fur-ball of friendliness.

My very first dog (Hamlet, see side bar) was a scruffy Black-n-Tan Mutt. He was an adorable boy, and everyone else thought so too. I could hardly walk a few yards down the street without people stopping to stroke, and talk about him. He taught me a lot about Dog/Human relationships.

Immanuel Kant said "We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals". The older I get, the more I respect all creatures; even the creepy-crawlies that most people squash underfoot. You wouldn't believe the amount of stinging insects I rescue (by hand) from the pool every year. I've yet to be stung.

In the hierarchy of the animal world, I always see Dogs as being at the 'High Table'!

In a previous life I must have been an Indian follower of 'Jainism'.