THUMPER 5/31/90 - 1/11/06

I had to mention my pride and joy for 15 1/2 years. I do not have a scanner/digital camera right now, but had this pic taken of him.

After Spanky died my parents were like exne on having any more pet's. One day while my mom, my aunt, and I were sitting outside in our backyard drinking tea and basking in the sun a few folks from my youth group came over for a visitation (personal invitation to come back to church) to see my brother. This guy (Sean) I had a major crush on was one of them! He was the same guy in the previous post who gave me his Bible to rest my head on. (This crush started in Middle School. In art class I drew his name out of macaroni, it was so cheesy I got the blues!!! LOL) As we were all in the backyard there were several little poodles next door that were outside. Sean asked me if I liked poodles. I said yes and that the dog we had lost several years ago (Spanky) was one of their brothers. He told me that he could get me a poodle for free. He said his mom breeds poodles. I looked at my mom with excitement, and gave her those begging eyes. She said she would have to talk it over with my dad first. For some teenage crush reason I thought it would bring the two of us closer by him giving me the dog. After much discussing, and pleading with my parents they said yes. I was so happy.

A litter was born at the end of May so we scheduled to come near the end of July to pick one out. It just happened to fall during the time I was recuperating again from knocking my knee cap out of socket. So I was in my wheelchair at the time with a knee brace on. I did not feel I was looking my best for Sean, but what ever I was getting a puppy! As we went to her house she brought out about eight puppies for me to choose from. The minute I saw Thumper I knew he was the one I wanted. He had an apricot color on his ears and down the middle of his back, he was the runt, the smallest one of the bunch and very energetic. Mom and dad saw this little chocolate colored poodle and fell in love with him. Knowing Mom and Dad would be doing most of the physical care taking I gave in, and we took the chocolate poodle home. After several days of being with us he did not seem he felt well. So we called the breeder, and took him back for observation. She said it was going to take a little while for him to perk up without his mother. She says It’s rare but some puppies do that, but he is okay. I was already attached to him. We named him critter. I understood that he needed to go spend some more time with his mother. She asked if I wanted to try another one and immediately without question I wanted the apricot one. So dad took me, and I never got out of the car.

On the way home I was holding him and we were thinking of names, but could not come up with any. A day or so later as he was in the front yard taking care of his business he went to throw up dirt using his back legs (their way of wiping). I am so glad us humans have other techniques like toilet paper! It was the cutest thing I ever seen because his legs were so short that he would just thump on the ground. It was then I said "look its thumper!" And that is how he got his name. (And my screenname!)

We all loved playing with him. He had a toy steak that when we would throw he would go get it then wanted you to chase him to get it back. He also loved pulling off your socks! Sometimes when he would come in from outside it was like he had gotten in to some loco weed! He would run around really fast and in circles. My dad would always say "He is just a funny guy, I wonder what he is thinking?" Thumper learned quickly that mom was his go to if he wanted anything. She was always giving him tablescraps. Ice cream was his favorite! He was a mama’s boy no doubt, and his throne was with her at the foot of the recliner. Anytime I moved he would stay w/ my parents. He would moan and act anxious if she were not there. He was a yapper and would bark at anyone that was not my mom, dad, bro, or I. There was only one exception, he never barked at my grandma (dads mom). We always used to say that he was my dog, born on my brothers birthday, and sleeped with my parents! He was not a big fan of being held. My mom could hold him the longest without him squirming. My dad would do it just to aggrevate him! He used to freak out at the thought of me holding him. My parents said he could probably sense the unsteadiness in my hands. We think he might have gotten claustrophobic from when he was born. Maybe the other puppies squeezed him. I am not sure it is a guess. When he was 14 he ended up having all of his teeth pulled except for 8 of them. His tongue would hang out of the side of his mouth. Gene Simmons had some competition during this time! He was no longer able to control his tongue and eat right. So we would hand feed him, and he was picky. Yes that we includes uncoordinated me. Can you just imagine that one! He would devour Chick-Fil-A nuggets from anyone’s hands though! That's my boy is all I am saying! He got that from me, I love me some Chick-fil-A as well! As time grew closer to his passing he began having troubles holding his bladder. Now I think he may have had troubles but he knew where he was making his deposits, because he would barricade me in with his poop! If I went anywhere I would roll over it. I have been there and done that, and having poop in your wheelchair wheels is no fun. So I would just sit there till someone came home. He was like having a kid or part of the family, and letting him go was so extremely hard on us all. My mom told me that her and my dad both cried themselves to sleep that night. I still find myself thinking of him and getting teary eyed. For example, typing this post has not made for a dry eye!

My parents are both saying exne on getting any more pets, but my moms knees get weak and her eyes light up when she sees another dog.

Do you have a pet story you would like to share? Thanks for taking the time to read,
Miss S