My daughter thinks that our dog is a lot smarter than he really is…there’s no way he could be pulling off these well executed ploys. Yet he somehow does!
She claims he purposely pretended something was in the backyard the other day to lure the other 2 dogs out onto the lanai. While they ran out of the french doors, ears flapping wildly and howls sounding as menacing as possible, Wally was lurking behind the wall, simply waiting to run back indoors and perform his best Hoover impression; inhaling their half eaten dinners.
On one hand, I’m sort of proud. Really? He planned that? Well, thata boy, Wally Dog!
On the other hand, this is a dog who routinely chokes while eating like it’s his very last meal on earth. I kid you not~ we could substitute rabbit pellets for gourmet dog food and this dog would never bat an eye! He will sit in the living room~in the dark, all night,completely alone~unless someone reminds him to go to his bed in our room. He will get in trouble every single day for barking at “Bagel-the-Beagle-next-door”, while looking at me like he had no idea that behavior wasn’t adorable. He’s kinda dumb….
but, then again, he can hunt down candy like Sherlock Holmes. That candy can be 4 feet higher than his short little body and he somehow constructs ladders when I’m not looking. He apprehended and devoured…. DE-voured….2 pies left on our dining room table last year on Thanksgiving.
This little stray who wandered to our front door several years ago brings me joy…whether he’s the master plotter or the chunky half breed, he’s our Wally Dog. With several of our friends having lost their beloved pets in recent days (Steve and Lauren, Enid, Herb and Kris), I am thankful to still have this little monster around. Yes, he racial profiles (no, seriously…he has a thing against a certain ethnic origin that makes NO sense). Yes, he’s got bad manners (gobbling, choking, burping and the occasional passing of gas). Yes, his breath could be better. So what…. one look at his baby browns and you forget what a nuisance he can be.
So to all pets who have passed in the last few weeks, missing from families who loved you, know this. You were loved and you always will be.
Hug a 4 legged buddy today.
Blessings,
Amy
I finally got to it – rather made time to read this posting. Knowing how it would probably end up, I avoided it at all cost today. But OK my friend……..You did it! I ‘laughed’ (because I’ve seen Wally Dog in action) and ‘cried’ because I do truly miss my beautiful Sonoma.
From letting my 9 month old yank a whisker from her face as she just sat there tearing up…..to never peeping a word (i.e. bark) (unless she was sleeping and chasing another dog in her dreams) she couldn’t possibly be a better dog. She lay by my side and strategically placed her face on my knee at the most opportune time…..just when I was hurting and losing faith in humanity, she came to my rescue. And for what? A pat on her head, kiss or hug?
Now I know how my mom felt after my childhood pet, Clifford II, died. I got him at age 6 (as a “replacement” for Clifford the First) and he saw me through my teens and when I was married and off to start a new life. He passed away at age 17 when I was 24 and a new mom. I had my own baby girl and couldn’t really understand why my mom was so sad. Aren’t children more special than DOGS? They’re only ‘animals’ right? NO! They are SO much more that we give them credit for. They are there when our husbands are on business trips and our children are on dates. When the house is so quiet that the only sound you hear is him drinking water from the bowl that hasn’t been washed in days. And just when you think you’re all alone, they show up……dropping their favorite toy at your feet, scratching at the door, or just sitting there, starring. Just when you need them. They are kind and loving, non-confrontational, loyal, respectful of boundaries and property (ok, maybe not ALL of them), fun when you want them to be and quiet when you need them to be. I hope everyone..once in their lifetime…has the same opportunity I had. I was blessed to have her.
It warms my heart to think of Sonoma running around like a puppy and no longer struggling to stand on a tile floor. I smile just thinking of her listening to the smallest sounds instead of not hearing anything at all. I hope she’s playing with Clifford and resting peacefully at the end of every day!