Dogs Are Family

Esther’s writing prompt: December 24th: Family

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With this post I wanted to remind everyone that dogs are family, and we should not forget that during the holidays, you should give them extra cuddles and some presents and let them participate in the festivities if possible.

Our Latest Trip to Baltimore

First, I wanted to say a few words about the latest addition to our family, our first grandson Jack. Our oldest son Jacob and his wife Ashley live in Baltimore, Maryland, and their son Jack is three months old. We’ve visited him a few times since his birth and these pictures are from our latest visit about a week ago. Jack is a healthy and happy baby who does a lot of cooing. See the photos below and the short video.

A photo of a three months old baby sitting in the corner of a sofa.
Jack in the sofa. Three months old.
A photo of the three of us sitting in the sofa. Baby Jack is sitting on the right. He is wearing a Pajamas.
My wife Claudia is on the left, I am in the middle and Jack is on the right.

Our Dogs Are Family

I did not grow up with dogs, and I was not even particularly fond of them, and then when we got our first family dog, the yellow Labrador Baylor, I really got to know and love dogs, and it changed my life. Now, I think I love dogs more than people. Well, at least I have learned that dogs are wonderful people. They always come with us to gatherings whenever possible and they got along very well. Our latest dog Rollo loved his sister Daisy and his big brother Bronco but he has a hard time tolerating any other dogs.

My wife, opening the trunk of our red van as Baylor, our Labrador is preparing to jump.
My wife Claudia and our first family dog the Labrador Baylor. This was back in the day. Our niece gave us Baylor because she was going to college. In turn she had gotten him from a shelter. He was a mix, one quarter Rhodesian Ridgeback and three quarters Yellow Labrador. He was able to jump up into the trunk of our van. Baylor was my first dog (not my wife’s first dog), and he taught me a lot about being a dog parent.
The photo shows a yellow labrador swimming in the middle of an Olympic sized pool.
Our Labrador Baylor is swimming in Claudia’s parents pool. He loved swimming, and he loved that pool and swam in it a lot.
A dark brown and black German Shepherd walking around in a dog park.
Our German Shepherd Baby at the dog park.
Two dogs looking into the camera. An old yellow Labrador on the left and the dark brown and black German Shepherd on the right.
Our Labrador Baylor and our German Shepherd Baby. Baylor was older in this picture. We had just gotten our Leonberger Bronco.
The photo shows a Leonberger puppy wearing a red scarf. He is looking into the camera.
This is our Leonberger Bronco (Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle) at three months old.
Three dogs sitting on the floor, a Leonberger, a Japanese Chin and a Pug.
Our Leonberger Bronco (Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle), our Japanese Chin Ryu, and our Pug Daisy in the front right.
Three dogs running. On the left and unknown dog, in the middle a yellow Lab and on the right a Japanese Chin.
At the White Rock Lake dog park. Baylor our Labrador in the middle. He was old in this photo. Our Japanese Chin Ryu on the right.
The photo shows a Pug in the front left and a black and white Japanese Chin in the back to the right.
Our Pug Daisy and our Japanese Chin Ryu.
Our Japanese Chin Ryu is licking our beige pug Daisy’s ear. She is sitting in front of a vent.
Our Pug Daisy often sat in front of vents when she was cold. Daisy and our Japanese Chin Ryu were very close, like a couple. Daisy was obviously grieving when Ryu died, from cancer a bit early at only ten years old. Bronco was grieving as well.
Daisy our beige pug is lying over the back of our beige leather sofa.
Daisy is exhausted after doing nothing for a whole day.
The photos show a cage containing two dogs, a black and white mini-Australian Shepherd and an English Bulldog.
In December of 2018 we picked up our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo. His friend was an English Bulldog.
The photo shows a mini-Australian Shepherd puppy on the floor and behind him is our big Leonberger Bronco.
Our Leonberger Bronco is welcoming Rollo.
The photo shows a young mini-Australian Shepherd puppy and beige pug on a black spotted blanket.
Our pug Daisy and Rollo are saying hello.
The photo shows a dark brown and white mini-Australian Shepherd puppy sitting on a beige tile floor.
Our mini-Australian Shepherd puppy Rollo at 3 months old.
The photos show a mini-Australian Shepherd puppy play fully lying on his side in front of our Leonberger Bronco.
Our mini-Australian Shepherd puppy Rollo and our Leonberger Bronco.
The photo shows a mini-Australian Shepherd standing on a chair and having his front paws on the table.
Our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo at the table on his seventh birthday. This is a more recent picture, from October of this year.

My Other Responses to Esther’s Prompts

Happy Holidays Everyone

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Author: thomasstigwikman

My name is Thomas Wikman. I am a software/robotics engineer with a background in physics. I am currently retired. I took early retirement. I am a dog lover, and especially a Leonberger lover, a home brewer, craft beer enthusiast, I’m learning French, and I am an avid reader. I live in Dallas, Texas, but I am originally from Sweden. I am married to Claudia, and we have three children. I have two blogs. The first feature the crazy adventures of our Leonberger Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle as well as information on Leonbergers. The second blog, superfactful, feature information and facts I think are very interesting. With this blog I would like to create a list of facts that are accepted as true among the experts of the field and yet disputed amongst the public or highly surprising. These facts are special and in lieu of a better word I call them super-facts.

51 thoughts on “Dogs Are Family”

  2. Your grandson is precious, Thomas. What a happy-looking guy! Our grandson (also Jack) is now 19 months old. While we love being grandparents, one of my favorite parts is watching our son be an amazing dad.

    My wife has said thae same thing to me about sometimes preferring dogs to people. I’m just ready for her to tell me she’s ready to get another dog, but I’m not going to rush or pressure her into that.

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    1. Thank you so much for your kind words Pete. Yes now when you say it I remember that your Grandson is called Jack as well. Our son is also turning out to be an amazing dad, which is wonderful to see. Him and his wife is such a great team. Dogs are amazing. I hope you’ll get another dog.

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  6. Lulu: “That is a very happy baby all right! I would probably give him a smooch if I saw him ― I love all forms of baby, be they dog, cat, or human.”Charlee: “Or gopher?”Lulu: “Welllll ….”Java Bean: “Ayyy, we enjoyed this trip down dog memory lane, and we completely support the premise! Dogs are family!”Chaplin: “And cats are of course gods to be worshiped and served. And also family.”

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  11. I agree dogs are an important part of the family. Now that my kids and grandkids are grown up, I’m very happy to have our two dogs to fill the gap. Your grandson is adorable and looks so happy and contented. You are blessed with doggies and little people. xo

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  14. Congratulations on your adorable grandson! I agree 100 percent that dogs are and should be family. They naturally want to be involved in our lives. Even dogs who guard livestock (there are plenty in our area) should be loved, given warm shelter, and included in the human family whenever possible.

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    1. Thank you for your kind words JoAnna. And I agree with you dogs are and should be family. I have to admit I don’t know many dogs who guard livestock but like say I believe they should be loved, given warm shelter, and included in the human family whenever possible, as well.

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  15. Awww, Jack is adorable. The grandparent’s club is the best! I have always had a dog, until my last one crossed the rainbow bridge. I travel for almost half the year off and on, and it is too hard to have another one at this time. However, my granddog, Sebastian, is here 3 days a week, so I do get my dog fix.

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  17. You’ve had a lot of dogs Thomas! But your right, dogs are awesome! I love dogs, they are so loyal, never disappoint you, so loving, just so awesome! Thanks too for all the descriptions on your photos, I am blind, so I really appreciate them. Xoxo

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    1. Thank you so much for your kind words Carol Anne and I agree dogs are loyal and awesome. I did not know that you were blind. I guess that is a good reason for having the alt texts. I will keep that in mind and keep adding them.

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  19. Congratulations! What a blessing it is to be a grandparent. Jack is precious! Dogs are family in my house that’s for sure. I typically favor my dogs over humans. You have had quite an array. The photos are great. Happy, healthy 2026 to you and your loved ones — with fur and without.

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