Photo Sharing Theme of the Week: Pets

Question

This week's photo sharing theme: Pets.

To participate, simply:

1. Choose a family photo that fits this week's theme.
2. Add it to this week's free-space gallery.
3. Reply with an answer below to let us know which photo you're sharing. If you want to include the photo but don't know how, click here.

The photo you share might be featured on the WikiTree home page and in our social media channels as next week's Family History Photo of the Week.

If you use a social network (Facebook, Instagram, etc.) you might want to share your photo there as well. This can be a great way to involve more family members. Many people love seeing old family photos. Be sure to add #52weeksofphotos and #wikitree to your post.

Also see: Profile Accuracy Theme of the Week: Thankful.

Answer 1

I took this photo of my father, John Miller, using his camera when I was a teenager.  I remember he was tired from work and our cat Misty had jumped in his lap as she always did when he sat down in the chair beside the piano.  I knew it was a rough day at work because his sheet music for Bach was there and had been played.  If it had been a good day he'd play a little Scott Joplin or Mozart and sit down.  Misty would wait patiently until the music was over and her favorite lap to sit in was available. Then she'd purr up a storm.

Comments

Pat, you did a great job taking this photo. It is wonderful with Misty as the center. Your father looks so relaxed—cats love a relaxed person.

My maternal grandmother was a pianist, and she would play at age 93 church hymns and Ragtime.

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Thanks, Alexis, for your perceptive comment.  Dad would play the piano to get relaxed.  I think that's wonderful that your grandmother was still playing at 93.

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Beautiful photo I love that photo the cat are adorable

Thank you Pat for sharing this wonderful photo

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Thank you, Susan.  You're very kind.

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Great photo, Pat, and such a fascinating story behind it. So interesting that you could tell the kind of day your father had had based on what he played when he got home... and that Misty had a "favorite lap." Thanks for sharing this.

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Thanks, Lloyd, but with music I find I can tell my own mood, even with my favorite 60s stuff.  Dionne Warwick, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, The Drifters...I'm in three different moods so I guess that was happening to my father.  But he liked classical, jazz and ragtime.

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Thank you, Casey.  It was kind of you to give a Best Answer Award to the photo I took of my father and Misty the cat.

Answer 2

This is a photo taken about 1904 of my grandmother Pearl McCleery. She is playing with her dog, and she has written on the photo "Good Morning Red..."

Comments

Thank you, Alexis, for sharing this photo. I always enjoy seeing photos of your Grandmother McCleery. It looks as if she and Red had a good relationship.

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This is wonderful photo, Alexis.  Looks like Red gets an A for etiquette!

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Thank you Betsy, I wish I could read the rest of her writing, but Red is probably going to get a treat for being a good dog.

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This is such a sweet picture, Alexis. Your grandmother is spending quality time with her adorable dog.

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Alexis:

     Once again, I love the outfit, too.  Very well-dressed for an outing with the family dog.

                        Roger

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Thank you Robin for your sweet comment.

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Thank you Pat for your lovely comment.

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Thank you Roger for your very nice comment; she moved to Oklahoma City in 1938, and I lived with her across the street from St. Anthony’s Hospital.

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Your grandmother was adorable Alexis she had a wonderful dog

Thank you for sharing this wonderful photo

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Thank you dear Susan for your comment.

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Alexis:

     My great, grandfather used to tell a story about falling off the old St. Anthony Hospital. He was working on the roof and claimed that he took a step back to admire his work.  Fell four stories, landing on his heels (which he broke but he was otherwise okay).

                                 Roger

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Roger, an amazing story…to fall four stories and only have broken heels. Glad he did not get terribly hurt.

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Thank you for sharing this great photo of your grandmother, Alexis. It is obvious that she and Red had a special relationship. I love her expression.

Answer 3

Bern and Laura Smith with CooCoo. CooCoo knew her name and came when she was called,

Comments

What a lovely old photo. Probably taken at a time when words like stress & anxiety weren't even used. It all looks so serene.

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Joyce what a beautiful photo with the chicken

and the couple are so adorable

Answer 4

This is a photo of my son and his Golden Retriever taken in 1994. With these two, you never knew who was the boss, boy or dog.

Actually, the dog was a family pet, but these two didn't seem to know that.

Comments

Lap dog?  Reminds me of Kathy acquiring one....not as large....and being trained by a new family member.

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John, this dog used to "steal" my son's socks and hide with them under a low table -- only his socks, not those of anyone else... and only his clean socks.

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Robin gore photo of your son with his golden retriever amazing photo thank you for sharing this wonderful photo

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Thanks Susan! He was a beautiful and loyal dog.

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Such a fun photo, and a fun story behind it. It is so interesting how a "family pet" can bond with a particular family member like that. Thanks for sharing, Robin.

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Thank you, Lloyd! Actually this dog was chosen from the litter when he was a puppy by my older son. Within a day or two he went off to summer camp for three weeks. When he returned the bond had been cemented between the puppy and my younger son.

Answer 5

My Uncle, John Allison Rammel (1922-1988) and his wife, Lillian Hellgren-Rammel (1914-1991), built a large cage in the basement of their home.  It was likely at least 12 x 12 feet.  It extended from floor to ceiling.

They raise all kinds of birds.  They had parakeets, cockatoos, parrots and more.  They would sell them to anyone who wanted one.  But, they also sold most of them to pet stores.

below is a photo of their son, Hal Gustaf Rammel (1947-...) with one of the birds.  It was likely taken about 1960.

Comments

What a great photo, Bill! Thanks for sharing it.

Answer 6

A family photo of 2 of our dogs, Penelope/Penny is the dog in the front behind her is Chance , they are taking a nap picture was taken a few months ago 

Comments

Janine they are gorgeous someone are having a magnificent live with lots of spoiling how great

Thank you for sharing this

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Thank you they are very spoiled , good dogs, love to play and keep us entertain

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Dogs are the best. Its great to see happy, healthy dogs. I have rescue dogs who come to me from dreadful conditions & they all deserve so much better. If only everyone realized how wonderful these creatures are. Thank you for caring so well for yours, Janine. And I'm glad most other people do too.

Answer 7

This is my older brother age about 1, the picture was probably taken at Horsham St Faith, RAF base in Norfolk, England, where my dad was the medical officer. I have no idea who the dog belonged to, we did not have a dog. My brother certainly seems to be thrilled with his companion.  

Comments

Thank you, M, for this precious photo. There is so much joy showing on your brother's face and he is so cute.

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Such an adorable photo. Love how the baby is so happy to share his lollipop with his new friend. The innocence of babies & animals, is a wonder to behold. And curls to rival Shirley Temple, to top it all off. Just gorgeous.

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Thanks for the star J Smith,

Answer 8

There are lots of family pictures with conventual pets, but this one is less commonplace.

This is my grandmother, Wilda (Brown) Pilcher in 1913 with her friends.  The picture is taken in front of the house where her family lived, "The Maltings" in Burghley Park, Stamford (the grounds of Burghley House https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burghley_House).

He mother ran the farm chicken house (to the left of the house) and her father was the estate butcher. In 1913 she was in service (in the kitchen) at Cannon Hall ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannon_Hall), so she was probably on a visit home.

Comments

The writing on the photo borders is making it personal, and I can symphatise with your grandmother working away from home and her friends.

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The context you provided makes this a very touching photo, Janet. The written note takes on a deeper significance, knowing that your grandmother was only able to visit the place she really wanted to be at that time. Thanks for sharing.

Answer 9

This is a photo of my siblings and our pet cats. I'm holding Fluffy and my older sister must have wanted to be fluffy also.

Comments

Our present pet dog, 'Fluffy', was just a ball of fluff when we first brought her home.....however, she is no competition to your sister.

Answer 10

As my father explained it.....he was very fond of Irish Setters.  When he went off to WW II, he left 'Rolly' with friends, only to hear back that Rolly had run across the road and been hit by a vehicle.  When I was old enough to know, it saddened me that a friend was lost.                                                                 

Comments

Thank you for this photo. I especially love setters and retrievers. They seem to make such good friends. I'm sorry that your father lost his friend so tragically.

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Beautiful dog wow what a awesome face

Thank you for sharing this wonderful photo

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Thankyou, Robin and Susan, when my father eventually shared this photo with me I had to agree, in my mind, that Irish Setters would be my favorite dog....now that Kathy has a dog I can experience how friendly they are.

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Beautiful dog, John. So sad, what happened to Rolly.

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Yes....I agree, Lloyd.....and looking back, not all that long before I was born.  I treasure the photo in my father and Rolly's memory. 

Answer 11

I have chosen this photograph taken at my parents farm in Shropshire in 2007. It shows the first of many pet owls they had, this one seems to be looking for a tasty morsel in my brother's hair. 

Comments

Wow Gillian a tame own what a amazing photo

Thank you for sharing

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Remarkable photo, Gillian. Thanks for sharing it.

Answer 12

This is my mother's cousin, Billy Hutchins, at her parent's farm in Tallman, Oregon about 1927. The puppies seem to be from a litter borne by Penny, the family dog.

I'm sorry about the artifact in the lower right corner of the photo. The corner of another photo was glued over the top of this one in a photo album. The perpetrator seems to have left a clear fingerprint in the glue, should a criminal investigation become necessary.

Comments

Ohhh, Puppies!! I love puppies! Thank you for sharing this wonderful photo. (I was wondering if the tall plants behind Billy were hollyhocks. If so, that would be a lovely sight when they were in bloom.)

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Thank you Lloyd for sharing another one of your wonderful photos. Billy is adorable holding the little puppies.

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Thank you for the enthusiastic comment and observation, Robin. I really don't know for sure, but they certainly look like hollyhocks, as you say. There aren't many people still living who were on that farm. But now you have me curious, so I'll have to see what I can find out. Thanks for the great question! In any case, yes, hollyhocks would have been beautiful when they bloomed!

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Thank you for your gracious comment, Alexis. You're very kind.

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Oh, Lloyd, you routinely offer up such wonderful photos.  This one is another gem. It's the puppies, it's the hat, it's the overalls, it's a cute little chap named Billy.

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Pat, thank you for such a generous compliment and for your wonderful comment on the photo. As I was looking for a photo related to this week's theme, there was no question that this was "the one."

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I agree with all Pat has written!  (And the others.  )

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Adorable photo Lloyd the dogs are so cute thank you for sharing this wonderful photo

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Thank you for your kind "agreement," Maria.

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Thank you for your sweet comment, Susan.

Answer 13

I just added my cat Mr. Bill to the group,, hope I did it right.  I put details about the photo in the comments along with it

Answer 14

Photo of my cat Mr Bill taken around 1984. 

Comments

L, you can edit your photo by changing the width (in the box) to 500 (the height will automatically adjust).....500 is a good size to fit the screen, you can experiment with other sizes as you go along (I sometimes use between 500 and 250)....and, thanks again to those who taught me. 

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This photo make me smile the cat and the teddy bears are adorable

Thank you for sharing this wonderful photo

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Way to go, L    and, who might the friends of Mr. Bill be? 

Answer 15

My dad, [[Gill-3794|Frank Morrison Gill (1904-1971)]], and Spot.  Photo taken at the park in Ely, Nevada, about 1940.

Comments

What a pleasant surprise to see your photo taken in Ely Park. My dad was born and raised in Ruth. His folks were both from Michigan's Upper Peninsula. My grandpa worked at the copper mine. They moved back to Michigan when my dad was 16 (1942). Their names were Tom Harper Sr. and Jr. My dad was a member of the White Pine High School Concert and marching bands. He played the coronet. Our dads might have known each other. Small world isn't it?

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I was born and raised in Ruth and went to White Pine High, although a few years after your dad.  Frank drove the steam locomotive in and out of the Kennecott pit. The background photo on my profile was taken in Ruth.  Yep - small world!

Answer 16

This Halloween, Pandora the cat heard a noise and jump on the fainting couch to see what the noise was.

Comments

What a scary photo and funny thank you for sharing

Answer 17

This Halloween, Pandora the cat heard a noise and jump on the fainting couch to see what it was.

Comments

That other guy fainted a long time ago.

Answer 18

Here is my mom, aged 8 or 9, with her favorite collie.  There were many photos of them together so I was spoiled for choice this week.

Comments

It's a lovely photo! Sweet, beautiful dog, and happy cute girl!

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Wonderful, Betsy.  Your mom looks so happy.  Collies are such a fantastic breed.

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Thank you, Maria.  I shared your comment with her when we visited on the phone today and she was very pleased.  

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I agree, Pat.  I asked her today what the dog's name was .... Lassie!!!

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Thank you for sharing this with photo beautiful photo of your mother and dog

Answer 19

Not sure whose dog, but the young boy in the striped shirt close by is my grandfather.

Answer 20

I posted this photo of my maternal grandfather, Robert L. Toman, as a boy with his dog, Jigs. I'm guessing he was about 4 or 5 years old here. My mom recalls that her dad's family always had a bulldog and all of them were named Jigs! Not Jigs I, II, III, etc....just Jigs :) She has no idea how many Jigses there were over the years. When I was little, my grandparents had lots of "froofie" dogs. I didn't realize it as a child, but those were my Grandma's dogs and my aunt's dogs. After he retired, my Grandpa got himself a dog. And of course, it was a bulldog named Jigs!

Comments

What a cute photo of your grandfather and sweet dog