A Dog of Many Tricks

     It's been almost 2 years since we got our dog, Lewis.  When we got him, my middle son began to work with him to teach him some tricks.  Our last dog would fetch and that was it.  We had never taught her any tricks. She was a labrador and honestly, fetching just came naturally to her. She was a GREAT dog-- very calm and obedient but, no, she did not do tricks. Lewis was our new project and my son was determined to make him the smartest dog ever.  He IS a pretty smart dog.
     The tricks that my son managed to teach him before growing tired of his project were sit, shake (paw), lay down, roll over, crawl, up (stands on 2 legs), and hug (puts paws on the person's chest).  He is really cute and will do these tricks more readily if we have a treat or a squeaky toy as a reward when he is done.
     HOWEVER, if you dare come into the room with a REALLY GOOD treat such as a slice of pepperoni or a piece of hamburger or a BRAND new rubber squeaky toy, Lewis will go nuts in anticipation.  He will immediately sit, lay down, roll over, crawl, roll over.....he will run through the tricks he knows best and do them really fast over and over until you give him the treat.  It's pretty funny.  I guess you could say that he is a dog of many tricks.

(This story was written by my daughter, Karen.)

And My Name Is

     Right now, I do not own a dog.  But when I did, I was amazed at how the dog learned its name.  We had several dogs over the years.  When calling the dog, he/she would come running.  Was it the tone of the voice, or whatever, that made communicating with this canine so easy?  We were able to teach the dogs some tricks.  But what stood out the most was their intelligence in knowing their name. 
     The dog did not become Man's best friend by not understanding him a bit.  I would love to have a dog now.  But with a house full of cats, I'm not sure it is a good idea right now.  But then, it is on the burner still to get one.  After all, I love dogs...

Look Alikes

     There must be some truth to the saying, "Dogs look like their owner."  As a wedding gift from my husband, I received a puppy.  We went to the dog pound and I picked her out.  I named her Zundel after a friend.  It was my friend's last name.
     The dog went everywhere with us.  She enjoyed the back window of the car as she poked out enjoying the wind.  When I, or my husband, went somewhere alone, she rode in the front passenger seat.  She was definitely part of the family.
     One day, my uncle said, "I thought that was you in the front seat of the car."  Was he being funny or did the dog really look like me?
     While sitting on my front porch, I saw a neighbor walking his dog.  The Pit Bull looked straight at me.  I was amazed at how much the dog reminded me of his owner.  I ask now the question.  When picking out our dog, do we unknowingly pick a dog that looks somewhat like us?  Maybe this story will leave you to wonder.  Or is the answer simply...the dog picks up on our behavior?  You be the judge.

Taking a Break

     It has been such a pleasure writing for this blog every month.  However, we are going to be taking a break for awhile and hope to be back and writing for 2019.


UPDATE:  We will begin new blog submissions on July 1, 2018!

Happy New Year!

Please enjoy this photo from my Christmas and may you and your dog (or dogs) have a warm, merry, and bright New Year!

Thankfulness

     The Thanksgiving Holiday has come and gone, but with its passing, the Christmas Holiday Season is upon us. Thankfulness isn't meant to be honored on only one day in November every year.   Let us not forget to remain thankful throughout the season, and every single day as well. 

 

Here is a photo of a well-fed, well-spoiled, and assuredly thankful dog!

When is the Right Time?

     When is the right time to replace an old dog that has passed away with a new one?  I was pondering this question when one of my neighbors had to say goodbye to her 13 year old Boston terrier.  It was a sad time.  It's been a whole year since I said goodbye to my 12 year old Labrador.  I told my neighbor that she may not want to hear it, but from my experience, having a new puppy come in to my home a mere two weeks after my dog passed truly helped me heal.  She waited two weeks and now has had a new tiny Boston terrier for 2 days. It's nice to see her smiling again.
     Sometimes if I dwell on a thought long enough, I might take a poll on social media.  In this instance, I posed my question on Facebook.  And this is what happened...

 IF you have had a dog that was an important part of the family, and it died ...how long did you wait to get another dog? What do you feel is an appropriate amount of time to wait? There is no right or wrong answer.

Top of Form

Comments

MFS The sooner the better

October 10 at 1:18pm

ME: I don't think I could have gotten another dog after Abby died last year. I would have kept coming up with excuses not to. Thankfully, Steve brought me Lewis. It was only 2 weeks after she died, but I wouldn't trade my Lewis for anything in the world.

 October 10 at 1:22pm

NBD: You can not replace the old dog but you can love a new one at any time.

October 10 at 1:25pm

JC: Immediately

October 10 at 1:30pm

BH: We have almost always had at least two dogs, it makes it a little easier but it can be hard on the surviving dog. Then you have to get another one to help that one!😊
October 10 at 1:46pm

RA: We knew that Sebastian was getting old, so we got another dog before he passed away. He helped train her to be a better dog. When he passed away, she comforted us and we comforted her. I think it helped us heal to be able to pet and love on her. Hope all that makes sense.

October 10 at 2:50pm

AH: I've never had a dog die on me yet, but I had to give one up. It was difficult, but I know I wanted another dog immediately, not to replace, but I love most dogs, so I wanted another one. I think I will feel similarly, when the time comes.

October 10 at 4:41pm

LKC: I think it depends on the person. I think you know when the time is right for you. Mamba has been gone three years and, while we still have Tessie, I couldn't bear the thought of getting another dog. I'm sure I'll feel the same when Tessie is gone. Not saying I would never have another one, but just not ready.

October 10 at 6:33pm

HSST: Everyone is different But as long as I am alive and able to care for them i will always have a critter of some sort. Death is a part of life and its hard ...very hard when you loose a pet. But my heart is big enough to give another animal a home. Even if I have one to die I can still turn around and get another to love and give a good home too.

October 10 at 6:58pm

CC: Sooner the better! I can't replace my old love but I can love another and the void wouldn't be as big! I would go crazy without a dog in my home!

CM: ASAP

October 10 at 11:29pm

ME; Thank you for your responses

     This is a real question I asked (you see at the top) and these are real responses.  I was actually surprised by how many said to get a new pup right away!  Of course, every person is different.  Every dog is different.  

(This was written by my daughter, Karen.)