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We need our dogs. I wonder if as humans we need to be needed. If we choose, we can learn a lot and gain a purpose outside of ourselves.
I knew that my dog needed me, but what I didn’t consider was how much her needing me was a part of my every day existence. She needed extra time for eating and she required a lot of special attention. I guess I was limited at times because of her. In those moments, I didn’t see it quite like that. She needed me.
She never complained. Dogs don’t. She never apologized either. She needed me. I would have chosen nothing else.
Until. . .I couldn’t help her any more. I couldn’t be happy enough to make her happy. I couldn’t empathize enough to heal her. I couldn’t get rid of the pain that was deep inside her.
I could let her need me for something far grander. A selfless gift of freedom from the fear that she carried in her. She needed me to give her wings. To free her from the physical realm to a place of peace. She would never be afraid again. She needed me now more than ever.
Today, I can sense her peace. I miss her needing me. I miss everything about her. Now, she needs me again. She needs me to celebrate the life we shared and to know that she is free. . .
Our dogs do have something to say! This video has been around for years and it always makes me smile. Something to share on a Holiday that will make you smile.
My name is Olive. I’m a Staffordshire Bull Terrier. You can see how nice I look. I’m even smiling in this picture. It wasn’t always this way. I was part of a Pit Bull fighting ring. Here’s how my life started. . .
They took me from my Mom too young. I was scared. Then, I got pregnant. I can still hear the men’s voices and they are yelling. The other dogs around me are filled with fear that turns to rage. They are fighting again. I’m glad that this time they “used” another dog to get them stirred up.
On a good day, I’m left in this tiny pen listening to dogs fighting and men yelling. I let the fear fill me and I sit and shake. Why me?
On a bad day? I hear someone say, get her. She’ll get the other dogs to fight. They toss me into the pen. The first dog seems to really hate me. I have to defend myself, and as much as it makes me uncomfortable, it’s instinct. I need to protect my unborn pups. I don’t know if I’m relieved or scared even more when the other dog held to the side is released. It means that now I’ll get removed until next time.
Finally, I was able to escape, and I ran away. I wanted to run and to keep running to get away from how I felt. On one paw, I wanted to keep running so that I could feel safe, and yet I was too scared to be alone. I didn’t know what to do. I met some nice people who took me into their home. I was beat up and covered in sores from mange. I listen for the yelling and the other dogs fighting, but so far that hasn’t happened. Yet. I will always wonder if it’ll happen again.
That was seven years ago. Since then, I’ve been living in a love-filled home with other nice dogs. Without words, I can only show what I’m feeling. Even after all these years, I have moments where I panic. I want to run and run just to get away from the feeling that is buried deep inside me. It’s buried in the place that makes my tail wag – or in this case, not wag.
There are a lot of moments where I forget what happened. I’m joyful and my tail can’t stop from moving. Other days, I sit and stare and want to hide. I hear my “Mom” talking with people about me. She has loved me and kept me safe but she knows. She knows and can see that some times I’m lost.
The abuse I experienced from the dog fights will not leave me. I have new memories to put in their place, but some days that’s not so easy. I remember. It’s not a memory in my mind. It’s a memory in my soul. It’s consuming.
I hope that there are big people who can stop dog fighting. Perhaps Oprah can do a show to bring more awareness to how horrible it is for us. Maybe some day the people who think that this is a sport, will be able to feel in their hearts what I feel. If they do, they will never forget it. Nor will I.
I find dog names interesting. Some fit the dogs perfectly and some – not so much. Some are named after their appearance as in Scruffy. Some are named after their coloring as in Taffy or after their markings as in Spot.
Some have names that are always followed by an inquisitive “oh, that’s an interesting name. What does it mean?” It could mean “I needed something clever so that my dog would know it’s greatness.” Or, sometimes it is something of interest but certainly not to the dog. =)
Some are named based on their stature or physical size like Goliath. Some for the personality that their people hope they have as in Zorro or Zena. Some are given human names like Mikey or Sam. You’ll have to ask them about that.
I don’t think the name is all that important because let’s face it, we could call them anything and given enough repetition they’d respond. It often seems that the name isn’t as significant as the tone used when saying it. It’s important to remember that. (Tone will be a topic for another post.)
The truth is, I think we pick names for our dogs because we don’t think we can consistently spell or say mujulickylululoveypuppy. That’s their “real” name.
I am often asked what I think that dogs do when people are away from the home. That’s usually based on their sense of guilt in leaving their dog. I assure them that dogs do what dogs do. They run and play and rest. They don’t have the same awareness of time as we do.
I decided that in order to better answer this question, I would install a videocam to catch the dogs in action while I was away. I installed the camera in the living room and went to work.
I returned in the afternoon and the dogs greeted me outside as usual. I didn’t anticipate that the video would contain any new revelations into dog behavior.
Unfortunately, 171,229 dogs are feeling and living the impact of that statement and that’s just on http://Petfinder.org.
I know that they’re “just words.” Just words. . .”get rid of”. . .I think that there are a lot of things we can all get rid of and none of them would even closely resemble a dog. I’d like someone to be able to look in the eyes of their dog and explain exactly what “getting rid” of them means.
There may be a lot of reasons that a dog should be re-homed or helped in other ways due to a consideration that is in the best interest of the dog. I am very grateful that I have my dogs, and while I’ll have them with me for the remainder of their lives, I’m not their first home.
It’s not that there can’t be some synchronicity at play that brings the right dog to us but that’s a completely different story than a dog that someone chooses to get rid of out of an inconvenience. Some dogs are fortunate to have been loved by several families and have always known a loving environment. Some haven’t. Someone got rid of them.
Maybe you or I will be lucky enough to be loved by one of these dogs.
Oh how I wish I could answer that. We observe, we study, we listen, we assume, and sometimes we cry or laugh until tears are running down our cheeks.
I was training a black lab, Maxi-B, who was having issues with being timid. She seemed to be hardwired this way. She was adopted as a pup and had no known traumas. She was in a very playful mood this particular day and heeling nicely but with a bit of a spring in her four-pawed step.
The visual I’d like you to get is that there was nothing smooth or simultaneous about her gait. I think that goofy is a good word for her enthusiasm.
I was thrilled because she seemed to be making progress with briefly letting go of her timid nature. If a dog can express being pleased with herself – she was pleased.
Labs in particular are good at maintaining a semblance of control and somehow staying in a perfect heel while their body wiggles with motion (and perhaps emotion).
I stopped and she sat but with a bit of an extra twist of the hips. Then, I said “down” and she looked up at me and began to move and wiggle like she was dying to let me in on some secret but wasn’t supposed to say anything!
Have you ever told a child to do something and they know they are supposed to do it and will do it but they say “okay, but I want to show you something first?” It’s an obvious diversion for a child.
Could that be the case for a dog? I think so. I think that she was feeling so good and so confident that the girl would rather just have danced a bit. So, I let her and then like a good trainer made sure that she followed through with the command.
She made me laugh, and I think that on this particular day, Maxi-B laughed too.
This post is to honor a breed of dogs that have been so misunderstood. I’m grateful that more and more healthy families are adopting Pit Bulls as family members .
I am, however, very frustrated with the legislation in some States, Cities, and Counties that punish the breed and potential homes by threatening to cancel homeowner’s insurance policies if there is an animal in the home that even remotely resembles a Pit Bull.
I realize there are other breeds that are discriminated against, but my love is for the Pit Bulls that I have had the pleasure of knowing.
It’s so easy to ignore any form of prejudice or personal discomfort when fear (false evidence appearing real) is allowed to dominate our thoughts. I used to watch as people crossed the street to avoid approaching me and my tail-waggin’, body-wigglin’, floppy-eared Pit. I don’t know that she cared. I did.
I used to say that her chest was so large because it was designed to house her loving heart. And, love she did. Every moment and always! She’s no longer here in the physical sense, but anyone who has experienced the passing of their beloved pet, knows that they are never really gone.
Always take the time to experience the wonder of the beautiful (and not so beautiful) creatures we have the privilege of living with on this earth. We never know what we might learn from them.
Here’s to my girl. . .
From Chapin, a stray and badly abused Pit Bull with an unknown past I learned:
Anything large enough to lie on is a potential bed
When someone is reaching toward you, be sure of their intention
Love is simple and available every moment
Greet friends or a new experience with wild abandon (don’t be too shy to tuck your rear and run!)
When people don’t trust you because they don’t know you, love them anyway
Snoring is not nearly as annoying if you’re really cute
It’s OK to need someone in your life
Never be too lazy for a hug
It’s good to see things for the first time again and again
No matter how hurried those are around you, rise slowly and always take the time to stretch
Unconditional love is just that – unconditional¬
To learn about what’s happening with the rescued Vick Pit Bulls: http://www.bestfriends.org/vickdogs/
I’d like to introduce you to the newest member of my family. Zoe is her name. She is a Labradoodle. That is a Labrador mixed with a Poodle. They are very popular and if lucky, you can get one that has inherited Poodle hair rather than the shedding version.
Zoe is definitely more Poodle than Lab, so maybe she’d be more of a Poodlabrador? It’s all so confusing. To complicate things, Zoe’s Dad is a Rottweiler. So, I’m left deciding on an appropriate breed name.
I could call her a Rottilabradoodle or a Rottioodlab or even a Labradoodlweiler. I know that she doesn’t care, but I know what it’s like growing up with an unidentifiable heritage.
Come to think of it, her brother (not genetically) is a Yorkie/Maltese/Shitzu blend. hmmm. . . I definitely live in a multicultural or maybe that’s multibreedural environment.
