I can’t remember a year when it has been so grey. Normally, we would be shivering in the winter frosts while enjoying the bright blue sky and cool sunshine.
Truth be told, I’m in a bit of a girn and it is dog-related. Or more correctly Dandie Dinmont Terrier related.
After being a lover of giant dogs in particular Irish Wolfhounds we became owners of a wee dug. A very wee dug with a big or more correctly rather daft personality. My lovely wolfhounds loved cuddles. They would come up and place their heads on my lap and snuggle in.
If I was standing they would expect to come underneath me and I would bend down and hug around their chest. Ok, they lay around a lot and I regarded them as the laziness dogs you would ever find but you couldn’t fault their love.
My cross breeds were full of life and mischief. They followed me around all over the place. I was continually tripping over them. For one it wasn’t really his fault he was an Old English sheepdog and Labrador cross. Herding was in his nature. Once more a lover of hugs and whichever room you were in he would be too.
All my dogs be they crossbreds or pure breed loved company especially ours. Laying on your feet or sneaking up on the couch, as if you wouldn’t notice a huge beast lumbering up, was an everyday part of living with them.
When we felt it was time to buy a new dog for the family it generally went something like this
“We need a dog”
“Ok”
“There are puppies in the paper/our community”
“Ok”
“We’ll just go and take a look, no commitment”
“Ok”
You can see how hard I had to battle. Of course, we always brought home a puppy. There is no way I would do that now given puppy farms and unscrupulous dealers.
By the time I had been talked into getting a small dog, it was completely different. She was researched, considered, debated, and pondered upon. Never have I given so much thought to one dog. After a particularly dark evening, I contacted the puppy co-coordinator for the breed.
We had to wait patiently for our pup. In the meantime, I was assured they’d make the perfect pets. According to lovers of the breed, they enjoyed cuddles, were loyal lapdogs, and were willing to take as such or as little exercise as their owners gave them. Being terriers they have certain traits but essentially they are lovely wee dugs with big personalities. More importantly, their big eyes, tufted heads, and long bodies couldn’t fail to make you smile
Only, something has gone wrong with Bosie. Yes, she is full of love, is loyal, and even enjoys her walks, well as long as you can get her out the door if it is raining! However, her loyalty is not to us. Her love and loyalty are strictly related to how much comfort she may be in.
Evening time when I am are looking for my lap dog where is she? Upstairs if she has managed to by past the stair gate unnoticed and can be found laying stretched out on my bed. When I look around the room during the day for my wee companion where is she then but snuggled up on the couch next door, her nice comfy dog bed totally abandoned.
Does she help around the house by clearing up dropped food? Nope, unless it is something she regards as tasty which isn’t much.
As for walking, a normal walk through the woods results in her underbelly acting like Velcro as it sweeps up everything it possibly can. Leaves, sticks, and mud especially the kind that sinks the place down left entangled in her undercoat. It is not her coat itself that is difficult to keep, it is her love of mucky places that is the challenge.
I see pictures of Dandies snuggling next to their owners and stare across the room at Bosie who is snoring so loudly I can’t hear the television. She is happily slumbering under the cushions and throws that she has pushed and thrown around to ensure her comfort is complete.
I wonder where we have gone wrong. She lifts her head, topknot completely scruffy and standing on end, blinks her big brown round eyes, half lifts her tail in a lazy attempt to let us know that she is happy we are there, and flops down to sleep again.
My hearts bursts, I smile, she’s got me again.
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