Like every proud grandmother, Donna McCabe of Whidbey Island, Washington, carries a brag book of photographs of her grandchild, Audrey, in her handbag, and is always swapping news of her escapades with friends and other family members. McCabe isn't the slightest bit fazed that her grandchild happens to have four paws and a tail.Audrey is an exquisite Italian Greyhound, with delicate features just like her namesake actress, Audrey Hepburn. Her "grandmother" dotes on her.
Family dynamics today are more complex than just Mom plus Dad plus two children. Many people are divorced or opt for a single lifestyle. Others remain childless, by chance or by choice. It is a lifestyle that makes close family relationships the exception rather than the norm. Into this void step our dogs, ready and willing to accept all offers of adoration and spoiling.
More than simply companions, dogs are considered children in many households. So it follows that a fur kid's family tree branches out to include aunties, uncles, cousins, and, of course, the ultimate dispenser of spoiled affection-grandparents. (...)
Typically, grandmoms seem to take center stage in talking about their granddogs, but Al Cartwright of Nassau in the Bahamas was quick to step up to the plate and talk about his amazing bonding experience with his granddog, Quinn, a 10- year-old chocolate Labrador.
"We rode out a bad hurricane on the island together," he says fondly. "Both my wife, Carol, and Quinn's pet parents, Kelly and Robert, were away when the storm warning became a reality. Quinn and I took care of each other. He was wonderful company. He's a gentle dog and I love being around him. He loves to show off his toys and never forgets our birthdays, sending presents and cards. I treat him just like I would a grandson."
"My parents are very loving people," says Kelly Meister. "I am sure if there was a real grandchild in the family, it would inch up above the Crown Prince but Quinn would be none the wiser."
by Sandy Robins, Modern Dog | Read more:
Photo: Lucile by markk
