Dogs in Our Lives

As my granddaughter sends us photos of her children playing with Sadie and Caspian, I recall the dogs of my childhood on the farm. Also, my daughter had Muffin when she was growing up. The dogs of various sizes and breeds, become playmates for children, teach responsibility and create memories. Several dogs come to mind when I think of life on the farm in the Hudson River Valley of New York State. They were cow dogs, but were gentle with us children, too.

Shep was the dog of my early childhood. He was a collie and was living there when I was born. Dan, our hired man, sent Shep for the cows in the pasture late afternoon, and he would round them up. I don’t know if Dan was the one who trained him or whether my dad did.

Shep tolerated us children and seemed like one of the family. We even had a birthday cake for him each December. As I recall, Mother said that was the month he was born.

Bud Rover followed Shep, who died of old age. We acquired him as a pup, when Shep was getting stiff and unable to round up the cows. He was part German shepherd and part collie. My sister and I wanted to call him Rover and my brother opted for Bud. So Mother combined the names to satisfy us all, and Bud Rover answered to either or both.

Dan, the hired man took him along when getting the cows for milking, and Bud Rover soon learned his task. However, he wasn’t so good on his own as Shep had been.

Dasher was a hound we acquired, I don’t know from where. Low to the ground and comical, he wasn’t much of a cow dog. However, he became one of the family and followed my brothers around. By now, Dan had retired, and we youngsters called in the cows and sought out the elusive ones in the pasture. Dasher came along for the run on his short legs, but didn’t scare the cows much, I think.

I left for college when we still had Dasher and married after graduation. However, my brothers had several dogs to help them on the farm in those years. Generally the dogs we had were working dogs and expected to help us in the pasture. They often liked to follow us to the hay fields, too.

What are some of the dogs in your life and those of your children? Do you take pictures and keep memory books? Perhaps you even write stories.

APPLE CHEESE COFFEE CAKE - Sift together 2 cups flour, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 3 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/2-teaspoon salt. Cut in 1/4 cup shortening and 1/2 cup grated cheddar. Add 2/3 to 3/4 cup milk to make a soft dough.

Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead for 1/2 minute. Pat dough into ungreased 9-inch layer cake pan.

Pare 2 to 3 apples, core and slice thinly. Arrange apples in petal design over top. Sprinkle with mixture of 1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Add a dash of nutmeg if desired. Dot with 1-tablespoon butter.

Bake at 425 degrees for about 25 minutes.

(c) Mary Emma Allen

(Mary Emma Allen researches and writes about family history from her New Hampshire home.)