It’s funny that Tina should have us talking about cats and dogs, because it’s raining here right now and at times you’d think it was raining cats and dogs!

Did you have a dog when you were growing up? I didn’t! And we spent the first 7 years of our marriage without a pet. To be honest, we moved nine times in those 7 years–not conducive to having a pet. But when we bought our first house, we adopted our first dog. We’ve had one ever since. Most were adopted; two were purchased.

You’ve probably guessed that we are partial to dogs. They listen better, don’t jump on food prep counters, etc. Mostly they give back love and allegiance. Unfortunately, I didn’t start photography until we got our latest family member, Gem our Schnoodle. He’s 20 pounds of stubborn joy. Here he is as a young dog. I made the mistake of using him as a model while I was doing the 365 challenge. Now he leaves the room when I take out a camera!

He’s now 14 1/2, has a heart condition, and we are doing the best we can for him. He’s even more stubborn in his old age, wanting his daily walk and treats. I have a stroller for him when he tires.

Here are some other dogs I’ve come across during my photo outings.

And there’s always a dog at Chalk It Up!

Now on to the feline subjects of Tina’s challenge. In the past years, I’ve softened my stance on cats, but not enough to own one; or have one own me! Here are some I’ve met.

Then there are the residents of Dead Cat Alley in Woodland, Ca. Well worn ceramic statues adorn a three-blook alley.

And finally at Chalk It Up, I found one of our favorite cat characters.

We’ve come to a difficult decision to not get another dog after Gem passes. At our ages, we wouldn’t get a puppy because we don’t want to leave a dog behind and caring for another senior dog is also something we don’t look forward to. I’m hoping Gem will make it to his 15th birthday. In the meantime, it’s love, love, love!

I enjoyed all the colorful posts last week. Egidio’s challenge put us in a wonderful and complimentary world. I also look forward to seeing your dogs and cats. When you respond, please link to Tina’s post and use the Lens-Artists tag.

Until next week, live in gratitude and be resilient!

40 thoughts on “Lens Artists Challenge #334: Cats and Dogs”

  2. Some wonderful examples for this week’s challenge.

    Anne, I agree with you about getting another dog. I’ve seen many a vet series on TV where the elderly owner is not able to walk their pet or give them the attention in old(er) age.

    Having said that, my father and younger brother have/had a dog as long as I can remember. Eventually, Benny had to be put down as he was blind and barely able to walk at the ripe old age of 25 (well, I think it was 25). My father was very sad.

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    1. Thanks Vicki! Wow, to have a dog live that long is amazing. When we take a dog as a pet, we have to realize their limited life span. If I were to get another dog, it would be an older dog that needs a home, but then I’d be taking care of it–again.

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  3. Awww, loved this one Anne! That little white dog looks exactly like our little Nipper who at age 17 passed away about a month before we moved to Kiawah. With all of our travels we decided not to get another but I sure miss having one around. Loved your kitten in the grass and little Gem is a doll – and I’m sure just as well loved as he was then!

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    1. Thanks Tina! Yes, Gem is loved and we are trying to do what we can for him. I guess this would be the doggy version of hospice. You made the right choice to not get another dog given your travels.

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    1. Gem has a cat personality. He’s always been interested in what life can bring him, but bringing us joy along the way. Now he follows me around and wants me to sit and watch TV so he can be near me. I’m looking forward to your post!

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  8. Lovely photos, Anne. How wonderful he still wants his daily walk and enjoys treats. The stroller must be very helpful. One of our dogs enjoyed his last big treat, died the next morning.

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    1. Thanks Amy! The stroller is very helpful and he lets me know when he needs it. He just stops walking. When he’s rested, he stands up in the stroller. Who says animals can’t talk! I’m glad you gave your dog a special treat before he died. They deserve that for all the loyalty and love they give us.

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  11. Beautiful photographs Anne and we too hope Gem will be there for his 15th birthday 🙏 Enjoy your special times together and please give your sweet dog a gentle pat from us all 💕🐕 xxx

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  12. Anne, what a fun post you wrote. The photos are so expressive. That cat in the grass is beautiful, but the dog photos got me laughing all the way. They had some great poses. I also laughed out loud with your message about your dog leaving the room when you grab your camera. That’s just so funny.

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  14. I love your vivid way of telling the stories behind the pictures, Anne. And those images: Simply adorable! It shines through what a bundle of joy Gem is! ❤️- I faced similar challenges/limitations when it comes to having an own pet while moving a lot. Luckily I was ‘adopted’ by plenty of lovely stray dogs and other animals on the road😉. – A wonderful post, which makes me laugh and cry at the same time!

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    1. Thanks Yanaj! Your reply reminded me of a squirrel my mother-in-law sort of adopted. She would feed it a peanut (in the shell) every day at the same time at her front door. Could that squirrel tell time? I think so.

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      1. What a magical experience, Anne! Your mother-in-law must have been a true squirrel charmer. 😊- And yes, thinking about some of my wild animal friends and their mysterious inner clock I can only agree: They really seem to be able to tell time, – and much much more. ❤️

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  18. These are great Anne, lots of pets. I prefer cats, I was just saying I was bitten by a dog once and I have to admit I’m scared of them.

    I don’t like cats on benches, so our cats are not allowed on them and they don’t go on them. They do listen and they can be trained.

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