It's a Doggy World

Good morning everyone,

I decided to post a pic of our puppy, Poppie Yo Yo Neck. Ryan names the dogs and every one is "something" Yo Yo Neck. Don't ask. I just go with it. She looks pretty happy with him scratching her tummy.

She's twelve now but healthy as a horse. We had a bout with Lymes disease a few years ago that nearly killed her but she's fit as a fiddle now. She has a little more trouble seeing at night (as Dr. Flynn used to say ... "She's probably having a little trouble reading the paper these days." She's a good dog except for when company comes over ... then she's like, "Watch me do this flip off your chest!" or "I'm only 70 pounds, I can fit in your lap." I've read dog training book after dog training book ... apparently I need Cesar the Dog Whisperer. I gave up and now I just put her in my son's room if someone comes to the door.

Pets are such a huge part of our lives, aren't they? I get frustrated with the hair, the wet dog smell (which is non-stop lately, thank you) and the other little idiosyncrasies our dog has but we love her dearly and she makes us laugh, a lot. She's a perfect playmate for Ryan and she worships him. When he goes to his grandmother's for the day she's sad. She doesn't eat, barely drinks and lays around sighing. When he gets home she leaps up, grabs a toy and tears over to him, smiling (yes, she smiles) ready to play, love in her eyes.

A lady I knew bought her son with autism a dog and said that he was getting too familiar with the dog so they ended up getting rid of it. I don't know what that meant but I don't want to know either. They'd never had pets, however, so perhaps the amount of work involved was a factor. I don't know. I just think people should ALWAYS start with an older dog from the pound/humane association. Don't start with a puppy please. Puppies are a he**ish amount of work! Start with a dog about five years old and then make the second dog you get a puppy.

When this dog goes, we'll struggle to do without for a while, talking about the benefits of not having that kind of doggy committment and responsibility. About a year into life without a dog ... we'll get another one. I get sucked in by those big soulful eyes and Ryan is no better.

Poppie is a mutt. She's half golden retriever and half springer-cocker mix so she has that mutt longevity factor going. My brother had a pure breed, a Gordon Setter that was gorgeous. Jack had problems, however, that mutts typically don't have. One more argument for the human assn.

At any rate, the rainy day moves on and so must I.

Much love and joy,

Karen

Man's Best Friend

This is our pooch, Poppie Yo Yo Neck Rumpelstiltskin Mudge Pluto Goofy Olson. No, she's not a purebred, she's a mutt and Ryan named her. She's half Golden Retriever and half Springer/Cocker mix. We got her from the pound when she was a pup. She's just the sweetest thing! It wasn't always that way though!

When she was a puppy she was a handful, as most puppies are. She was adorable but tried our patience no end. She wanted to mouth everything, mainly us, in her soft retriever mouth. She had so much energy I could walk her for two miles and she was just warming up to play ball. She ate my houseplants, dragged pillows over to and slept on couches, watched TV upside down hanging off the couch and in general was all over the place. You couldn't hold her, she wouldn't stay still long enough. There were times when I just sat and cried. Other times I laughed so hard I nearly peed myself.

She's 11 now and some calmer, I don't think she was civil until she was seven! She has been an amazing friend to Ryan and a great source of entertainment for both of us. Make no mistake about it, however, dogs are work and they need their "pack" at home.

A friend of mine watched Ryan with his dog and decided to get her child with special needs a dog. She went out and purchased an expensive pure breed. Shocked at how much work and attention a dog needed she ended up taking him to the pound. A sad story, I think.

Make sure you know dogs before you get one. Dog sit for a while for someone. Investigate breeds that fit your family, not just those that "look cool" or "tough". A Chow is a cool looking dog but is also known as a "One-man" dog who is possessive and jealous. Not one you'd want around kids. Think hard. Are you home enough to train the dog, keep it company and pay attention to it? You need to be.

Poppie has been amazing for Ryan, mutts are usually pretty sweet tempered. I wrote an article on Pet Therapy once and believe me, the health benefits are there! Just make sure you get your pooch from the pound, there are so many that need homes!

See you tomorrow,

Much love and joy,

Karen