THING: A DOGS LIFE

When it comes to our dog, I am reminded of something my Grandfather Troy shared with me at a young age. “Wives. Sometimes it’s hard to live with them and sometimes it’s harder to live without them”. This moment of philosophy came after my Grandmother Mary ran Troy out of the house for coming home under the strong influence of moonshine. Back to a dogs life.

The majority of our family and friends have at least one four legged family member, and at times as many as three. Dogs are much like our children, sometimes they mind, sometimes they don’t. Our four legged child came into our lives seventeen years ago. Yes, I said seventeen. In those seventeen years the dog has yet to respond to my command, Kemper, ” Are you talking to me”? He is the only thing in our home older than me. Even the staff at the vets. office refer to him as the “wonder dog”.

My wife and I are of average weight and height ( me, one hundred and eighty four pounds of muscle—-for those who know me, please stop laughing). My point is a ten pound ball of fur rules the roost. He pretty much sleeps when and where is most comfortable to him, eats when he wants, barks when he shouldn’t, and has taken over my favorite chair in the den. Oh! for the record his vet. and grooming cost are as much as our medical visits.

Do not get me started on dog psychology. Our dog is better than Dr. Phil when it comes to getting his way, can I get an amen? Only dogs and children can push parents to the brink of insanity, and to top if off we usually apoligize for yelling at them. ” Oh, just look at those big sad eyes, how sweet, here baby have a treat”. Yes, dogs can think, they just think like dogs.

I love dogs, maybe to the extreme. Would I trade the hills and valleys this ten pound dynamo has put us through for seventeen years, NEVER.

Be safe.