MEET THE BOYS

These are the three dogs that inspired the name of this gardening blog. That is Buddy on smiling on the left, Rusty is in the middle and Scrap is on the right.

This is a portrait of Buddy who sadly passed away in his nineteenth year. Of all the dogs I have ever owned, he understood language the best. He twists his head and cocks his ears to catch every word I say.

Buddy's most unique gift was howling. He was a talented singer who could hold a note for quite a time.

I miss him terribly!

This is Scrap. He has been known to get into the kitchen cupboards and help himself to whatever he finds there.

He even managed to break into the fridge one time. We came home at the end of the workday to find that nothing more than a grease spot on the kitchen floor remained of the leftover roast.
I am sure the other two dogs helped Scrap eat the roast beef, but we knew by was the ring of cherry pie under his chin that Scarp was the ringleader. Needless to say, we now take extra time to lock up the kitchen before heading out.

Scrap lives to be outside. He loves to play with a soccer ball, kicking it with his front legs and controlling its direction with his nose. The only downside to Scrap's socer games is he never wants to play by himself.  He barks continually in an effort to convince the other two dogs to join in on the fun.

Scrap considers all squirrels to be his arch enemies. He tears down the length of the yard, barking at them in the treetops.

This is Rusty. A local breeder gave us Rusty because no one else wanted him. We don't exactly know what happened to Rusty in the first year of his life, but he arrived at our home dirty and so thin you could feel his ribs. And he was nervous to the point of neurotic.

Over time Rusty adjusted to his new life and became a chubby fellow. Even so, he never entirely lost those quirky personality quirks. He would only eat when he felt absolutely secure.

Rusty's favourite spot was always the perch on the landing between the first and second floors. There he liked to survey the world from the safety and security of his tiny dog bed.

One winter the gate to the back yard didn't catch properly and Rusty wandered out of the backyard. A car killed him a few minutes later. It was a terrible and heartbreaking loss.

A little over a year after Rusty was killed Piper joined the family. Buddy, who was by then a senior dog, was less than enthusiastic about the young pup, but he put up with him. Often rebuffed by Buddy, Piper turned his attention to Scrap. He'd pester him and hog the bed. Scrap tolerated all Piper's love and affection like a real trooper. Eventually, they became best friends. 

Gardening with three dogs definitely has its challenges. The dogs tare through the garden and Scrap's soccer ball crushes my flowers like a steam roller.

But I love them to bits and forgive them every time.

Check out these other Animal Themed Posts:

Get Ready for Some Adorable Faces: Come along for a visit to the local leash-free dog park in this funny post. 

Updates coming soon!