Under the Dogwood Tree

My first dog was a German Shepherd named Duchess Ann, but pronounced ‘Duchess-zann’. I was probably 25 years old when I realized that the name was actually “Duchess Ann”. I had always heard it and said it as one word. I am told she was named for a friend of my parents who lived in Germany. Dutchess went to live in the country when I was about five or six.

My brother or I developed asthma. Mom always said it was me, but I remember it was the Goob. My grandfather was so deeply concerned that he bought us a chihuahua puppy. Chihuahuas, he said, if placed on a child’s feet at night will pull the asthma out of the child. Apparently it worked because who ever it was who had asthma was somehow cured, and I don’t know what became of the dog. I am thinking that he went home with Papaw and grew up to be Papaw’s dog, ‘Little Man’.

Duke was the next dog. He wasn’t with us very long. He was of an indeterminate heritage, and apparently set out to find his birth mother not long after we adopted him.

In October of 1967, a miniature Dachshund joined the family. His name was Rudolph. At Christmas, Mom would play Christmas carols on the house Intercom, and when Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer came on, you can imagine how Rudolph the dog reacted. Rudy was not a friendly dog. When loose, he would routinely come home chewed up. Seems though he liked to fight, being so small, he wasn’t very good at it. Rudy died after a fight in the summer of 1973

When I lived on the farm caring for the cattle, I had another German Shepherd. Her name was Brandi, and she helped me with the cattle. When I moved back to town, I just couldn’t have a German Shepherd who was used to running free. I gave Brandi to the guy who cared for Mom and Dad’s yard. He used to show me pictures of Brandi playing with his children.

Jen and Jordan had a dog early on. We lived way out in the country and I wanted a dog to look after them. I chose a German Shepherd, of course. Her name was “Duchess Ann”. Oddly enough, Sweet Pea and Tony had a German Shepherd about the same time named “Duchess Ann”. Our Duchess jumped the backyard fence and disappeared when we moved to Memphis.

Buckwheat was born near Wynne, Arkansas near a town so small that it’s only building had fallen down. Buck was a Black Lab, and a dog of amazing character. He would play fetch as long as you would throw the ball, but expected a beer at some point for his efforts. Catfish used to claim that Buck was his brother. When we were potty training Catfish, he would claim that Buck put poop in his diaper. Buck was a unrepentant liar. He would insist that he had never been fed despite the fact that you yourself had just fed him. He could conceal an entire 6 inch long pizza crust in his mouth. Buck was with us 14 years. On a blown knee and with a split tibia, I carried him to the car for that last visit to the vet.

Chaunti was a white kick-me also from Arkansas. She lived a pampered life that included enjoying showers and being blow dried. She loved watching TV and would perform zero tricks. She was a dog of leasure, and greatly enjoyed laying in the warm sun. She didn’t like snow at all. After 16 years, my little white Kick-me had a stroke.

Tony Perez was an occasional house guest for many years. Tony came into our lives by way of an adoption gone wrong. I have long suspected that it was a conspiracy. Tony lived with us while Jen was in College, then moved to New Orleans with Jen. After a year in New Orleans, Jen dropped Tony off again when she went to law school. Four years later, she picked Tony up after she graduated law school. Tony lived with Jen and Alex in Boston and Atlanta until this summer. After 16 years of stardom, Tony retired.

Dixie Dog was originally a pool toy for a friend. Our friend realized early on that Dixie was not the dog for her, and so Dixie came into our life. Gravity, it seems, had an “on-again, off-again” relationship with Dixie. Both ends of her were rarely on the ground at the same time. She enjoyed eating floor tiles. She once at an entire 17lb brisket which resulted in an environmental disaster of cosmic proportions. She loved to swim and sleep. Somehow yesterday, 14 more years slipped away.

A few years ago, we planted a dogwood tree in our backyard. Buck and Chaunti lie beneath it. Dixie will join them in just a few days. This morning, I look over there I tell myself that Buck, Chaunti and Dixies aren’t really gone. They are just resting in the shade of a tree, and I just have allergies.