Rommel

Lori and Rommel

Many pets needing homes have found their way into our lives. One of those pets, a dog named Rommel, would teach us many lessons about life. Although my husband started the pet adoption process by rescuing a parakeet from a friend's five-year-old daughter, I soon followed in his footsteps. Following our short-lived adventure with several more parakeets and adopting our first cat together, the next pet was to be a pure-bred German Shepherd at the insistence of my husband. He and his daughter selected the six-month-old, black-and-gray puppy with perfectly arched eyebrows. Rommel was to become our drama pet for the next twelve years. Bringing Rommel home preceded many milestones, including the adoption of three more cats, stepchildren's high-school graduations, the birth of a granddaughter, the purchase of a home, and our eventual marriage. Through it all Rommel remained a constant challenge to the status quo. He was an obedience-school dropout who constantly marked his territory and was full of neurotic anxiety. Books about dog training taught me that German Shepherds, as with many other dog breeds, want to be in charge but do not make good leaders. If Rommel had been a sled dog, he would have been chasing the sled instead of leading it. Rommel insisted on testing us, but his antics were tempered by his innate charm. The most heartwarming trait was the bond that developed between dog and family members. He was highly protective of our granddaughter and would frequently nudge his nose under my husband's arm seeking petting and affection. He enjoyed rough-and-tumble play as he grew up with my stepchildren and appreciated most human company once he was assured they were welcome in our home. Three years after Rommel came to us, in the early morning hours of an October morning, an auto accident claimed the life of my stepson. In the months to follow the grief that settled into our home was almost palpable. As the days then months passed, I determined the need to perform a life-affirming event. The adoption of a new dog seemed to be the solution. Lady was brought home by me with the pretense of being a holiday gift for my husband. In reality I visited the animal shelter intent upon finding a dog which suited my dog-owner sensibilities. A quiet, two-year-old, Collie-Rottweiler mixed breed with a lean, beautiful face, a thick brown-black coat, and a stout body, Lady overtook Rommel's protests with her charm and submission. With the exception of a display of her canines in a half-snarl when Rommel became too dominant or walked near her food, Lady adapted well to the animals. It would take a few years before she became comfortable with my husband. Though nothing could replace a child's life, Lady made the passing time more bearable. Our grandson's birth was a welcome event in our lives a few years later. Life began to regain a sense of routine, and a kitten became the newest addition to our pet household. By the time our kitten adopted us, Rommel was in his twelfth year and aging poorly. Following a veterinary exam the prognosis was made that he would not likely live out another year. His hips were failing, his eyesight dwindling, and he had become incontinent. He became irritable to all household members, especially the cats, and it seemed likely that my husband would soon make a decision to end his suffering. On a late December evening I arrived home to find Rommel lying on the floor listless and barely breathing. I tried to comfort him, knowing no more could be done for him. Rommel died before my husband arrived home, so, as with my stepson, there were not to be any goodbyes. Two years have passed and the pleasures of pet ownership continue. Though raising Rommel was difficult at times, he taught me much about being a dog owner. I cherish the memories of boundless enthusiasm which only a German Shepherd could bring us.