Addiction or Obsession?

I think it's both. I'm addicted to them, I'm obsessed with them, I'm in love with them, I can't live without them...
They're Aussies.

I need these dogs like I need oxygen.

Now don't get me wrong, I love all of my fur kids equally. But my passion for this breed can't be dampened. 

I find it hard to believe now, but there was a time when I hated them. Okay, hate is a strong word. But my first encounter with an Aussie was not a pleasent one. His name was Buddy.  I pulled him from a kill shelter. He was red listed and had one day left to find rescue. The reason he caught my eye was because he had spent his life chained outside before being dumped at the shelter.

He was truely a beautiful dog. Some crazy kind of merle with a wonderful coat. He was sweet most of the time. But he had these weird moments where he would do this growling scream thing and bite. And his coat, which was gorgeous but in deseprate need of grooming, when brushed would set him off into a biting, chattering mess. 

I wish now that I had known about Aussies at the time when Buddy was with us. I didn't even know what the breed was. I had to compare Buddy to the pictures in my breed book to find out what to list him under on petfinder. And once he was gone, I vowed to never have anything to do with the breed again.

I don't know what changed or what I needed to have Frankie. I'd wanted an agility dog, but I didn't purposely go out to find an Aussie. And there's a good chance that if I had remembered Buddy, I might have passed on Frankie.  But she called to me from halfway across the country.

Now, in present time, I have two Aussies, and I want more. I look on petfinder daily, I search craigslist for unwanted Aussies. I check out the Aussie rescue websites to see if there is anyway I can help these dogs without actually fostering them.  But oh I'd love to foster them. After having the Doxie boy for a week and a friend's retriever mix the week prior, the fostering bug has bit again. It's a tough thing to supress, especially with a man who is barely tolerating my small zoo as it is. 

I sort of feel bad for Red... I mean, when he met me I had one calm, quiet Lab mix and there was no pressing hint that I would ever be the obsessive dog person I am today. I was a cowgirl at the time. But after my riding accident, dogs took over and before he knew it, Red had 4 dogs and a cat living in his house, as well as a crazy girlfriend who brought home strays without thinking twice.  And now that crazy girlfriend of his has become addicted to the one breed that Red would be happy to live without... Aussies. 

I won't ever be without them. There will always be an Australian Shepherd in my life. 

photo courtesy of dooziedog.com

I love them.  I love them I love them I love them.