My blog was planned as something totally different, but the sweetest moment I had a second ago changed my mind. Today was an excursion, but not Lady’s day. Lady is our 12 year old eskimo-chow and a big part of the family. My daughter calls her a sister, and she knows my hubby and I as mommy and daddy. What can I say? She’s a kid in a fur coat on all fours. Lady had never given kisses, but instead gives hugs. She will press her cheek against yours or the top of her against your leg or arm and, if she can reach, she’ll press the side of her face against your neck.
Anyway, I have a 10-15 shed that has acquired much of two of my little sisters belongings. All my junk can be compressed into a 5×5 shed. Anyway, I went through, rearranging, reorganizing and repacking most of it. A sudden yelp sent me leaping over piles of stuff and into the open yard. One of my sisters had been taking apart a metal crib and the headboard section fell and clipped the dog’s right rear area. My sister was practically in tears. I’m not sure if it was more fear of hurting the dog or what I would do to her for hurting the dog. I didn’t kill her, but I did tell her to be more careful. I rubbed Lady’s back leg and made sure there were no injuries. It didn’t take her long to back to playing with only a slight limp.
A few hours later, while in the house, my sister’s boyfriend had his work boot in his hand and pivoted. The strings just missed Lady’s face. She didn’t even realize it, but we made a big deal of babying her anyway. I just went into the living room a few moments before I started this and sat on the couch beside Lady. She raised her right front paw and started gently pawing at me. My daughter informed me that Logan, my nephew who lives with us, stepped on her foot. My daughter then informed me Lady was showing me her foot. Of course, I did what any mother would. I babied her, loved on her and kissed the top of her foot. Okay, I know, some of you are thinking you never would, but for every one of you that would not, there are many more who would Besides, her hug was worth it.
My dog thinks, no, she KNOWS, she’s one of the family. Knows me as mommy and my hubby as daddy. Someone once described her as a kid in a fur coat running around on all fours. And she really is a 40 pound lap baby. I love when the four legged babies are just as much involved in holiday grandeur as the human kids. Mine knows the holidays and always gets a chunk of ham or turkey leg (bone removed), depending on the holiday. She evens has few presents under the tree at Christmas and, just like other kids, sits eagerly with her ears forward and alert, watches and waits. She’s up on her feet when I say pick up a gift and say her name. Her tail goes ninety mph while my daughter helps her open it. And on Easter, she has her own basket filled with her favorite doggie treats. She hates dress up, but maybe one of these days she’ll let me take her trick-or-treating.
So, is your pet just a pet or are they as much a part of the family as the kids?