"I'm not his daddy, you're not his mommy - & he's not sleeping in our bed."

[demmiblue]

7 yrs ago today, we adopted rescue pup Franklin. “2 rules,” @SenSherrodBrown said that day. “I’m not his daddy, you’re not his mommy - & he’s not sleeping in our bed.” Days later, Franklin had his own steps at foot of our bed. Sherrod comes home & yells: “Franklin! Daddy’s home!”

Link to tweet

[Ohiogal]

1. OMG, those eyes!

Go Sherrod and Connie! Two of my favorite people!

[PJMcK]

2. Okay, that brought a tear to my eye

We had to euthanize our rescue pup, Bubba, six months ago after a good long life of 16 years. He had the same beautiful and loving eyes!

You have a wonderful companion!

[demmiblue]

20. I'm sorry for your loss of Bubba.

It is so incredibly painful, even as time passes.

[PJMcK]

22. Thanks for your thoughtfulness

It was the right time for Bubba.

Isn’t it curious that we can’t make similar judgements about our own lives?

[samnsara]

28. (((hugs)))

...we never have them long enough and we never are too old to cry for our pups and it never gets any easier...

[zanana1]

3. They do become our babies. nt

[marble falls]

4. Our pets are the ultimate subversives. Today the rug on the floor, tomorrow ...

the whole house. Our cat knows everything is his, but he'll usually share. We love him dearly.

[calimary]

5. Yep. That's about the size of it.

[marble falls]

6. So you have a furry boss, too.

[calimary]

8. Three of them. Two cats and a dog.

Dog’s too big to be on our bed but the cats aren’t. They’re on our bed all day.

[marble falls]

10. When my stepson was staying here he brought his dobie ...

that dog would carefully find a spot after he we were asleep and slept with us. The son turned out well finally, but I sure do miss that dog. I did not want him here. That lasted about a week.

I miss that dog. Just a good being. Better than a whole list of people I can name.

[sarge43]

7. They're stealth masters. They always find a way into our hearts. n/t

[marble falls]

9. This cat got to my wife's heart overnight. It took me months to get there! ...

the understanding was the cat was not coming into the house and I told her it was staying until I found a non kill shelter. She named him that night, and she bathed him and he loved that bath. I fed him some turkey he he purred as he ate: I never heard a cat "nom" before.

Like I even bothered calling shelters. He's our little kitty boy.

[sarge43]

19. The feathered babies are masters of the art, too.

From the days when I worked in a pet store.

I worked in the bird dept and one day Mrs Gottrocks strolled in looking for a cockatiel because she heard they are sweet birds. I agreed that they were first choice as a starter parrot. I take her over to the 'tiel holding area and, being 'tiels, all but one freaked out, throwing themselves against the bars, yelling hysterically. All but One took one look at the mark, the designer suit, the jewelry, the 500 dollar handbag, hopped over and started the "Tweet, tweet, I'm so sweet" con.

Mrs G melted and "Can I hold him"?. AbO jumped on her hand, ran up her arm and started blowing kisses in her ear. I worried about her diamond stud earrings, but AbO was smarter than that; he would wait until they were home, then rip them out.

He went to his new gated community with a top of the line cage and food, every 'tiel toy in stock and our standard owner's manual How To Be An Acceptable Slave for Your Feathered House God.

Played her like a violin and lived the good life.

[marble falls]

21. My son has a parrot he's had for over twenty years. They actually had to get therapy for ...

it because it was so attached to him and put up a big fuss when he got married ten or so years ago. I understand her concerns - its hard to try to make friends with an angry bird that could probably take a joint of her little finger. They all get along fine now.

My son keeps bees (as well as selling bee-keeping equipment on line) and claims his hives know him and are calm around him.

[sarge43]

32. Parrots often will bond with one person

and loath the rest of humanity with the intensity of a super nova. African Greys are particularly known for this.

My husband keeps bees and he can work with the girls quite safely. He doesn't even suit up. I think one factor is scent, but more importantly knowing how to behave around them.

[marble falls]

33. Bees, wasps, hornets don't other me, mainly because I don't fear them ...

and I do not bother them. I do catch them in the house and release them. My wife, however is afraid of them and they crowd her.

I think they can "smell" fear.

[sarge43]

34. You could be right about the smell.

Also rapid movements like swatting at them will get them wound up.

[marble falls]

35. Swatting movements is her speciality. Ask the kids. They still laugh about her ...

totally ineffective attempts at swatting them with a newspaper. She gave up when they were eight or so. Groundings were much more effective. We got good kids.

[marble falls]

37. This is not a spam ...

My son's website

https://blueskybeesupply.com/

[Scarsdale]

11. He's adorable!

Animals have a way to make it into our hearts. I have never met one I disliked, they are all loveable. Such sweet, innocent faces.

[sandensea]

12. Dogs have a way of winning you over

[smirkymonkey]

24. Awww! What a cuddly little baby!

I just want to give him/her a big hug and kiss. Soooo cute!

[sandensea]

26. That's a Basset for you

They're real cuddlebugs. Big personalities too.

They're not for everyone, since they're probably the least obedient dogs out there (they need a yard too, as they pee a lot); but once you have one, they're impossible to forget.

[ProfessorGAC]

36. You're Lucky

Not that your doggie wants to do that. Mine does too. But my beastie weights a 100 pounds. I couldn't breathe if he was in that position on me!

[sandensea]

38. Aww. Well, you know what they say about big dogs.

They have the biggest hearts.

[ProfessorGAC]

39. Yikes!

That one is even bigger than my doggie. You can barely see the person in that photo.

[sandensea]

40. I've never had a St. Bernard; but I've heard they're great company.

Great Danes as well, so I was told. My Basset loved running tinto Great Danes.

Dog park memories.

[ProfessorGAC]

41. Always Loved Them Too

But, i hear they don't live all that long. That's always scared me off a bit.

[sandensea]

42. True.

The bigger sizes often come with bigger health issues.

English Bulldogs too, poor things. Lots of heart trouble.

Made of honey though.

[marieo1]

13. Loving furry friends

What a beauty!!! Our furry friends brighten each and every day. We all are devastated by what is going on in our country and these furry friends will still stick their warm noses in our hands and ask to be petted and loved and give back love abundantly. We need them. Sherrod Brown just showed his humanness, thank you, Mr. Brown. It's amazing how they can move into our hearts.

[TruckFump]

14. I'm in love with Franklin!!!

[smirkymonkey]

25. So am I!

You just can't help it!

[The Mouth]

15. Happy 'Gotcha' day, Franklin (and family)

[Rorey]

16. He's beautiful

Quite a few years ago my daughter asked if we'd care for her Rottweiler puppy for a little while because she was in a living situation that wasn't good. My husband said no repeatedly. We already had another dog, and our yard (at the time) was not big enough for big dogs. I already knew that the dog had some health issues. I had helped my daughter get him through Parvo, and then we found out he had bad hips.

So she brought him over after my husband went to bed. He didn't discover that he was there until he got home from work the next day. I told him that the dog had already been there a full day, so it was too late to not accept him. Our other dog was absolutely thrilled, and "the boys" acted like they had shared the same womb.

Still, I knew right away I wasn't going to like the Rottie. Unlike our Aussie mix, Taney had wiry fur and I wasn't a fan. Also, there was the factor of his bad hips. I didn't figure we'd have him long, so I made it a point to not get attached to him.

I have no idea what the hell happened, but he turned into MY dog. I got him his own twin size bed that I put right up against my side of our bed. When he got worried or just lonely, he'd crawl from his own bed onto ours so we could snuggle better. He was with me every moment that he possibly could be. He was completely devoted to me and did anything I asked him to do.

We had Taney until he was almost 10, and then the hip issue became unmanageable. I held him (all 125 pounds) while he was getting euthanized. I was inconsolable for a long time. That was over 13 years ago. Still sad. Best dog ever.

[ZZenith]

31. I'm glad you and Taney had some quality time together.

You made room in your heart for him and now it’s much larger than it was before. He was a lucky dog, and grateful, too.

[Rorey]

45. And I was a lucky human.

And grateful that I was privileged to have him in my life. Everyone loved Taney. He was this great big gentle giant. He sure did teach me a lot of lessons.

[hostalover]

44. So glad you were with him at the end. Hard to do, and I know from experience.

[Rorey]

46. Hard to do, and impossible not to do

As you know.

[hostalover]

17. What a heartwarming story! P.S. Quincy and Whiskers say "Hi!"

[Stonepounder]

18. We currently have 5 Cavalier King Charles (Which is what Franklin is)

I have a plaque hanging on our bedroom wall:

DOG RULES:

1. The dog is not allowed in the house.

2. OK, the dog is allowed in the house, but only in certain areas.

3. The dog is allowed in certain rooms, but he has to stay off the furniture.

4. The dog can only get on the old furniture.

5. Fine, the dog is allowed on all of the furniture, but is not allowed to sleep in the beds with
the humans.

6. OK, the dog is allowed on the bed, but only by invitation.

7. The dog can sleep on the bed whenever he wants, but not under the covers.

8. The dog can sleep under the covers by invitation only.

9. The dog can sleep under the covers every night.

10. Humans must ask permission to sleep under the covers with the dog.

(And in our household: The humans will adjust their sleeping positions to accommodate the dogs.)

[Haggis for Breakfast]

27. This sounds just like our house 15 years ago.

It started like this: I'm taking a nap. My spouse comes into the bedroom for shoes and says something about going to the grocery store.

Me: "I just went two days ago. What can you possibly need ?"

Spouse: "mumble ... mumble ... dog food."

Me: "We don't have a dog."

Spouse: "What did you say ? Sorry gotta run."

An hour later.

Me: "WHAT ? And you said, "Yes" to them ?"

Dog starts wrapping herself around my ankles, making soft sounds, looking at me with those big brown eyes.

Me: "Stop that. You are not staying."

Dog continues worming her way into my heart.

Me: "Okay, but she stays outside and you build her a nice dog house."

Spouse: "Done."

Dog does everything in her power to break me, but I stand resolute.

Me: (two days later) "Where is the dog house you are supposed to be building ?"

Spouse: "Well, blah blah blah . . . " (Too many excuses to list here.)

And then, almost word-for-word, it went down just as you described it Stonepounder.

But, she's getting on in her years and I get worried about what the future holds for her.

No problem.

I'm in the living room, reading a book.

Spouse enters. "Do we have more than one dog bowl ?"

Me: "Why do we need another dog bowl ?"

Spouse: "Well, you can't expect two dogs to eat out of the same bowl."

Me: "We don't have two dogs."


Do I really need to keep going ?

[Stonepounder]

29. ROFL Haggis!!

Finally, someone who understands us!

[hostalover]

43. Big chuckle! Thank you for this!

[Rorey]

48. That was great!

[Rorey]

47. Yeah, you may as well concede right at the onset.

It's not so much that the dog wins, but the your heart wins over your brain.

I LOVE those rules.

[trueblue2007]

23. beautiful baby !!! Cocker spaniel mix? What a gorgeous little puppy boy

[Stuart G]

30. Wonderful Post.. k and r...thank you for posting this..