About My Pack

If you don’t have a dog — at least one — there is not necessarily anything wrong with you, but there may be something wrong with your life. (Vincent Van Gogh)

There are currently three members of “My Pack” — Bear, Lulu, and Floyd, two dogs and a macaw. I lost a beloved pack member, Tony, two years ago and he is much missed.

Friends at Midnight

All my pack members are rescues — by offering them a new and permanent home I have received so very much love and devotion in return. My two wonderful Belgian Shepherds, Bear and Lulu, are from the North Shore Animal League on Long Island, my beautiful Greenwing Macaw Floyd was rescued by my son from a gloomy cellar to which he had been banished when his previous owner’s son became allergic, and my late beloved Tony, a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog mix, was taken in when he was in danger of abandonment to the streets.

If you are considering adopting a pet, I urge you to seriously consider a rescue — any help you give is infinitely repaid in unconditional love.

People who keep dogs (or cats, for that matter) live longer on average than those who do not. This is not some kind of pro-canine campaigning fantasy. It is a simple medical fact that the calming influence of the company of a friendly pet animal reduces blood pressure and therefore the risk of heart attack. (Desmond Morris)

Watercolor and Pastel Paintings of “My Pack”

We need another and a wiser and perhaps a more mystical concept of animals… In a world older and more complete than ours they move finished and complete, gifted with extensions of the senses we have lost or never attained, living by voices we shall never hear. They are not brethren, they are not underlings; they are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time, fellow prisoners of the splendour and travail of the earth. (Harry Beston)

Bear, My Older Belgian Shepherd

Beautiful, Loving, Intelligent, “the” Guard Dog

Lulu, My Younger Belgian Shepherd

Adorable, Delicate, Feminine, “Miss Trouble with the big ears”

Floyd, My Greenwing Macaw

Brilliant, Beautiful, Feisty, Loud, Messy, Sweet

Floyd in Old (too small) Cage

My Floyd’s New Cage

In Memory of My Beloved Tony

Big, Tough, Strong, So Devoted, To Know Him Was to Love Him (Pastel Painting)

I paint in order not to cry. (Paul Klee)

I have found that when you are deeply troubled there are things you get from the silent devoted companionship of a dog that you can get from no other source. (Doris Day)

Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened. (Anatole France)

There is an Indian legend which says when a human dies there is a bridge they must cross to enter into heaven. At the head of that bridge waits every animal that human encountered during their lifetime. The animals, based upon what they know of this person, decide which humans may cross the bridge… and which are turned away… (Unknown)

You Know You’re a Dog Person When…

You have more dog beds, chew toys, collars, leashes, harnesses, and dog crates than you have dogs.

You meet other people with dogs, and remember their dog’s call name after 30 seconds, but don’t get the owner/handler’s name until you’ve met them 2 or 3 times.

You don’t think twice about trading licks of an ice cream cone with your dog.

Your parents give up on grandchildren and start to refer to your dogs as “your kids” or your children.” (Bonus: they start to call them “our granddogs.”)

90 percent of your Internet connection time goes to the dogs (seeing what’s new when you enter your breed into the browser, reading up on multiple lists, checking out photos, sounds and FAQs, etc.).

You have hundreds of pictures of your dogs on your desk at work, in your wallet, etc., but none of your family or yourself.

No one wants to ride in your car because they know they’ll get dog hair on their clothes.

You reach into your pockets for change, and liver treats, dog kibble, and pick-up bags fall all over. (Bonus: You’ve done this in a classy establishment.)

You’ve had long meaningful discussions with your friends on the best way to trim your dog’s nails, but have never had a manicure or pedicure in your lifetime.

Books and movies are ruined for you if the dog references are incorrect.

The highlight of your day is spending time with your dog.

You watch simply awful movies because your breed is either featured in a cameo scene or there’s a 3-second camera shot during a crowd scene.

All of your clothes have dog hair on them, even when they come back from the laundromat or dry cleaners.

The only thing your friends, colleagues, and passing acquaintances say to you when they see you is, “How are the dogs?” or “How many dogs do you have now?”

Your photo holiday cards feature your dogs (humans optional). (Anonymous)

There are additional paintings of my dogs on The Dog House page.

There are additional paintings of Floyd on The Aviary III — Macaws page.

There are additional paintings of my Floyd on The Aviary IV — The Bird Cage page.

There are Animal Rescue sites you can visit listed on my Contact Me/Links page.

If there is no heaven for dogs,
then I want to go where they go when I die. (Anonymous)