When my wife Kim and I first got married, we had a red Pomeranian named Neecie. Kim always wanted a Pomeranian because one of her childhood friends had one, and she remembered what a cute and playful dog he had been. When properly groomed, a Pomeranian looks a lot like a fluffy red fox. We eventually adopted a black Pomeranian, too. Her name was Baby.
Both Pomeranians turned out to be very sweet dogs but, eventually, the shedding of their fur and their dander ended up being an ongoing problem for my wife’s allergies. Of course, that was back before a lot of allergy testing was performed, and before Kim knew she was allergic to dogs. After all, she had a white Toy Poodle, Buffy, when she was growing up and didn’t have any allergies.
Being the animal lover she is, Kim would never give any of our pets away regardless of how many sinus infections they caused. Instead, she takes allergy medication on a daily basis.
When our last Pomeranian made her transition at just over 15 years of age, we decided to hold off on bringing another dog into our home. Actually, it was me who had decided to hold off on getting another dog. At the time, I was traveling a lot for work and felt it was unfair to leave the sole responsibility to Kim while I was out of town. Plus, I wasn’t sure if her allergies could withstand another dog. Four years passed before Buzz and Woody, our two Standard Schnauzers, came into our lives. Little did we know from that point forward we would become avid Schnauzer lovers.
Schnauzers, for our family, are a perfect fit. Their dander and minimal shedding doesn’t cause the same issues for Kim’s allergies. They’re incredibly smart and easy to train. The traditional pepper-and-salt or silver-and-white coloring make the dogs resemble little men wearing a tuxedo. They always know how to have fun and know exactly when to give the best hugs in the world. Schnauzers also make you smile when they lift their heads, pucker their lips, and vocalize their characteristic, “woo, woo, woo.”
Don’t get me wrong, we think all dogs are great! However, Schnauzers seem to always pull at our heart strings a little more. Admittedly, we may seem completely nuts over them. We have car decals placed on our windows proclaiming, “I Love My Schnauzer.” We have a Schnauzer wall clock, magnets, sweatshirts, and Christmas ornaments showing off the Schnauzer breed.
I’m sure everyone has a particular breed of dog that they’re fond of, or perhaps a bit nuts over. I know we aren’t the only people who have decorated their cars and homes with breed-specific canine paraphernalia. Heck, I’ve even seen people with bumper stickers stating their dogs are smarter than certain people’s children.
Don’t get me wrong, I also love my cats very much. However, I don’t have any kitty bumper stickers on my cars. I really can’t recall ever seeing any decals proclaiming, “I Love My Orange Tabby” in the stores where I shop for pet supplies.
Maybe I’m wrong about the cat lovers of the world and I’m showing my kitty ignorance. I can’t wait until my Catster readers correct me for making such statements. But, please be kind to me, because I truly love my cats.
I’ll sign off for now and take a ride to my local pet supply store to buy some additional Schnauzer paraphernalia and, while I’m at it, see if I can find some cream-shaded cameo tabby décor as well.
Have you fallen in love with a specific breed of dog? Which one is it, and why? Are there other breeds you love? Does breed even matter? Tell us about it in the comments!
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