Animal-Loving Author Awaits Four-Legger Arrival

The Writing Gourmet
By Cal Orey

Since 1986, when I was first published in Dog World Magazine, I've been an author with dogs on the brain. Actually, my love for canines goes back to when I was a kid. My bond with the dog was spawned by my relationship with my dad. He is the man in my life who turned me to the beautiful world of dogs. As a child, I enjoyed a Dalmatian, Casey, and Norwegian Elkhound, Ole...
At 21, I ended up hitchhiking across America with a Maltese who was stolen in front of Lady Luck Casino in Las Vegas--and the loss tore my heart. Soon after, fate hooked me up with a beautiful black Lab six month old puppy. And it was Stone Fox and I who enjoyed the country and more than a decade together.
In my 30s, it was two dogs: Stone Fox and a new yellow Lab Carmella that entered my life and gave me happiness. And I learned that two dogs give me a sense of wholeness. 
Later, during my 40s, when I was Lab-less I fell into Brittanyland. I adopted my first orange and white energetic Brittany and was in love with the happy and hardy breed. So, it was Dylan, who captured my love and he lived to 14--despite his epilespy. (He was seizure-free after age 7; I wrote a book on the holistic remedies to control my "shaky pup".)
Next came Simon and Seth--two Brittanys who were part of my life day and night. As best friends we were a happy and balanced trio. Then, tragedy hit Seth (named after the angel in City of Angels), the dear dog love of my life. Canine neuropathy rocked our world and left me with one dog: Simon. As we both grieve the loss of Seth, a giving and fun-loving pooch, we are preparing, day by day, to welcome a new addition this month to our home and hearts.
Puppy-proofing the home...preparing for adjustment for "Skyler"--an Australian Shepherd (I penned the article on how to do it right), another Type-A breed I've written about in the past--is exciting and a bit unsettling with the fear of unknown. But as a devout dog lover and intuitive, I'm sensing it will all be good sooner than later. The new addition will fill the huge hole in my heart and add life and longevity to my Simon and Zen (a Siamese cat who believes he's a dog). And we await the beginning of a life-changing dog adventure with the healing powers of a puppy to begin in a few weeks.