Well Chris, Bentley and I were almost home from a glorious walk that included several sprinklers (the Lady girl had her walk earlier, so don't feel like she got short-changed) when we saw a small chihuahua barreling towards us from across the road. It was like time slowed down and I had an out-of-body experience.
I just knew that dog was not going to stop when she hit the road, and there were cars and motorcycles. I saw the car coming too fast, and Chris went to run out, holding up his hands for the car to stop, and the car came in between me and the dog and I couldn't see her and I just knew she'd gotten hit and I screamed and covered my face. In retrospect I am very impressed with how Bentley handled himself when he saw me lose control like that. He must've just stood there because I don't even remember him pulling. Either that or the adrenaline that was overhauling my body cancelled out any pressure I was feeling from the leash, kind of like when people lift cars off of people, and I had super-human strength.
I was sure she was hit, but thank God the dog stopped in time, or the car stopped in time, and the motorcycles coming from the other way stopped in time. We effectively had a road block. The guy was calling to his dog and apologizing to all of the drivers and I was just beside myself. I see off leash dogs all the time and I HATE it. I don't care how well trained you think your dog is, or whether it has off leash training or not, there is a LEASH LAW in Mount Pleasant, and you need to abide by it! Yeah, your dog may be friendly, but guess what? Other dogs aren't, so why aren't you worried about the other dogs? And there are cars, and rabbits, and busy roads, and big trucks, and other dogs walking on the other side of the road minding their own business.
So finally the guy got to his dog and picked her up (she'd run from Chris' efforts to catch her) and that's when I really lost it. "PUT YOUR DOG ON A LEASH!" I screamed across at him. I think Chris thought I was going to go postal on the guy, he tried to get me to turn and head the other way, toward the apartment. The idiot looked relieved and ashamed, and I hope to God he learned his lesson. I hope to God. He said something to the effect of, "I didn't know she'd come after you're dog, I'm sorry," and I was like, "Well, now you know! Put her on a leash!!" He turned to walk the other way and I realized I'd really been screaming at him like a derranged lunatic because my heart was pounding, and adrenaline was still rushing through my body. "I'm glad she's okay," I yelled across the street in a more human-sounding voice.
And then I started to crash from the adrenaline. And then I decided to write about it cathartically. So there you go. PUT YOUR DOGS ON LEASHES, YOU MORONS! FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS GOOD IN THE WORLD. I WILL FIND YOU.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Witnesses
As I lay here in bed, trying to think about going to sleep and getting enough of it for my six o'clock wake up call in the morning for work, Bentley is sprawled out at the foot, and Lady is curled up next to me. I try to fight the thick stone of guilt I feel at leaving them tomorrow, as I start another semester. Lady is used to this, after eight years of me being home for summer then away for school, then home on weekends, and away for weekdays. I don't know exactly why I feel bad for having to leave them again and divide my time, and spend what little of it I will have this semester cuddling with them on the couch and giving them short walks rather than taking them for long afternoon adventures up to the country or out to the park. I don't feel bad because they have to live in an apartment. They sleep all the time anyway, big ole couch potatoes. Don't get me wrong, we both welcome our daily jaunts into the great beyond outside the walls of the apartment, but truth be told these two Labbies are just as happy snuggled up on the couch or gnawing on a Nylabone as they are out on a walk.
I love having dogs. I love living with dogs. And it wasn't until tonight that I tried to pinpoint just why it is that I enjoy their company so much. I could use timeless sayings, talk about how they are constant, unjudging companions who have unconditional love and are an oasis of forgiveness for when I feel judged, unloved, or guilty.
Instead, tonight, I caught them watching me. Both of them. Just watching with half-lidded eyes. Now, it could be that in the backs of their brains that there is a small hope still alive that at this time of night I will decide it is time to get up and feed them a fourth meal, but I like to think, have decided in fact, that these two mean so much to me, and that their existence in accordance to mine means so much because they are my witnesses. They witness my life. Lady has been with me since I was thirteen. Back when I wore glasses in seventh grade to now. In a serious relationship, in my own apartment, out on my own and in college. Making my own meals, working a job, and taking care of myself, her, her little brother, and Chris. She has witnessed so much in those eight years. Probably the most important eight years of my life so far. It is hard to think that when Chris and I started dating she was only three.
Bentley is a Momma's boy. As one trainer put it from an obedience class we were taking from her, "You are his world, aren't you?" That's it. I am it. I am not only the center of his world, I am his world. His every movement waits on me, he is constantly watching me, and if he is sleeping, a part of his body is usually touching me, if he isn't in my lap already.
I was once asked by a dear friend what my definition of the role of a spouse was. I answered, "To be a witness." Witnessing the mundane activities of life. Making folding laundry significant. We need someone to acknowledge every thing that we do in our lives. Without that acknowledgement what we have is insignificant. Meaningless. Someone has to watch, to give us confidence. What does every child ask of their parents? "Watch me!" That is what these dogs have done for me. They have witnessed my life. And as long as they are here to watch, I have a reason to continue, a reason to keep on going.
So as I embark on another sixteen-week long semester into hell, I don't feel bad about leaving them to go back to classes, or that I won't be able to spend as much time doing things with them. Because they are here to watch, and they will be just as happy laying on the couch with me as I do homework, night after night, as they would be out at the park.
I love having dogs. I love living with dogs. And it wasn't until tonight that I tried to pinpoint just why it is that I enjoy their company so much. I could use timeless sayings, talk about how they are constant, unjudging companions who have unconditional love and are an oasis of forgiveness for when I feel judged, unloved, or guilty.
Instead, tonight, I caught them watching me. Both of them. Just watching with half-lidded eyes. Now, it could be that in the backs of their brains that there is a small hope still alive that at this time of night I will decide it is time to get up and feed them a fourth meal, but I like to think, have decided in fact, that these two mean so much to me, and that their existence in accordance to mine means so much because they are my witnesses. They witness my life. Lady has been with me since I was thirteen. Back when I wore glasses in seventh grade to now. In a serious relationship, in my own apartment, out on my own and in college. Making my own meals, working a job, and taking care of myself, her, her little brother, and Chris. She has witnessed so much in those eight years. Probably the most important eight years of my life so far. It is hard to think that when Chris and I started dating she was only three.
Bentley is a Momma's boy. As one trainer put it from an obedience class we were taking from her, "You are his world, aren't you?" That's it. I am it. I am not only the center of his world, I am his world. His every movement waits on me, he is constantly watching me, and if he is sleeping, a part of his body is usually touching me, if he isn't in my lap already.
I was once asked by a dear friend what my definition of the role of a spouse was. I answered, "To be a witness." Witnessing the mundane activities of life. Making folding laundry significant. We need someone to acknowledge every thing that we do in our lives. Without that acknowledgement what we have is insignificant. Meaningless. Someone has to watch, to give us confidence. What does every child ask of their parents? "Watch me!" That is what these dogs have done for me. They have witnessed my life. And as long as they are here to watch, I have a reason to continue, a reason to keep on going.
So as I embark on another sixteen-week long semester into hell, I don't feel bad about leaving them to go back to classes, or that I won't be able to spend as much time doing things with them. Because they are here to watch, and they will be just as happy laying on the couch with me as I do homework, night after night, as they would be out at the park.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
They Teach Us
I hear people saying, "My kid's been pulling that puppy crap on me. There's no way she's getting a puppy. I'll end up doing everything. It will all get pushed onto me."
Really? I am so glad my parents didn't say that.
Don't they realize how much dogs can teach us?
I have learned more from my dogs, my best friends, than from anyone else.
Dogs teach us so many things.
They teach us how to love and they teach us how to live.
They teach us how to let go.
They teach us how to fight.
They teach us how to appreciate a sunny day.
They teach us that a sock is just as good as a fifteen dollar rope toy.
They teach us to appreciate the rain when they stand in it like they just don't care that they're getting wet.
They teach us how to be friends.
They teach us how to forgive.
They teach us how to learn.
Lady taught me responsibility and love. She gives me companionship and understanding.
She gives me loyalty and forgiveness.
Squeak taught me how to fight. She taught me how to fight very very hard for what you love.
She also taught me how to let go.
Bentley teaches me about simple things every day. Snapping at butterflies or tufts of hair floating in the wind.
Even on the coldest days in winter he brought me joy with his antics, rolling around in the snow making puppy angels.
He soaks in the sunlight.
He has the most contented sighs that I have ever heard.
To him, a quick pat on the head is just a great as a full-body rub-down.
Water becomes the best thing in the world.
Being with me is the best thing in the world.
Every day is filled with the best things in the world.
They have so much to teach us.
Let them.
Really? I am so glad my parents didn't say that.
Don't they realize how much dogs can teach us?
I have learned more from my dogs, my best friends, than from anyone else.
Dogs teach us so many things.
They teach us how to love and they teach us how to live.
They teach us how to let go.
They teach us how to fight.
They teach us how to appreciate a sunny day.
They teach us that a sock is just as good as a fifteen dollar rope toy.
They teach us to appreciate the rain when they stand in it like they just don't care that they're getting wet.
They teach us how to be friends.
They teach us how to forgive.
They teach us how to learn.
Lady taught me responsibility and love. She gives me companionship and understanding.
She gives me loyalty and forgiveness.
Squeak taught me how to fight. She taught me how to fight very very hard for what you love.
She also taught me how to let go.
Bentley teaches me about simple things every day. Snapping at butterflies or tufts of hair floating in the wind.
Even on the coldest days in winter he brought me joy with his antics, rolling around in the snow making puppy angels.
He soaks in the sunlight.
He has the most contented sighs that I have ever heard.
To him, a quick pat on the head is just a great as a full-body rub-down.
Water becomes the best thing in the world.
Being with me is the best thing in the world.
Every day is filled with the best things in the world.
They have so much to teach us.
Let them.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
The Dog Songs
BENTLEY
"Bentley the Yellow Lab"
He's Bentley the Yellow Lab
He's Bentley the Yellow Lab
He's the cutest puppy
Made of happies and fuzzies
He's Bentley the Yellow Lab
"My Buddy's Name is Bentley"
My buddy's name is Bentley
He has a yellow tail
He plays with lots of toys
He can have fun anywhere
I like to take him everywhere
It's very fun you see
To have my buddy Bentley
Go everywhere with me
He's filled with lots of happies
And he's covered with fuzz
He likes to cuddle with you
and he snores, yes he does!
LADY
"Lady's a Good Girl"
Lady's a good girl
The bestest girl in the world
She loves to eat
She loves to sleep
She walks all day on her fuzzy feet
Oh, Lady's a good girl
The bestest girl in the world!
Lady's a good girl
The bestest girl in the world
It's rise and shine
Off she goes
What she does
No one knows
Oh, Lady's a good girl
The bestest girl in the world!
"Bentley the Yellow Lab"
He's Bentley the Yellow Lab
He's Bentley the Yellow Lab
He's the cutest puppy
Made of happies and fuzzies
He's Bentley the Yellow Lab
"My Buddy's Name is Bentley"
My buddy's name is Bentley
He has a yellow tail
He plays with lots of toys
He can have fun anywhere
I like to take him everywhere
It's very fun you see
To have my buddy Bentley
Go everywhere with me
He's filled with lots of happies
And he's covered with fuzz
He likes to cuddle with you
and he snores, yes he does!
LADY
"Lady's a Good Girl"
Lady's a good girl
The bestest girl in the world
She loves to eat
She loves to sleep
She walks all day on her fuzzy feet
Oh, Lady's a good girl
The bestest girl in the world!
Lady's a good girl
The bestest girl in the world
It's rise and shine
Off she goes
What she does
No one knows
Oh, Lady's a good girl
The bestest girl in the world!
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
So The Walk Got Cut Short By A Dog Attack....
So I haven't posted since the first of the year. Today I was wondering what I could post since nothing has really happened. I wished I had something to post about. I shouldn't have. I should have just been grateful for the uneventful new year.
On our walk tonight around a neighboring suburb I spotted an off-leash husky type dog. And as soon as it saw me spot it, it 'went low' into an aggressive, lethal crouch on the sidewalk across the road. I said, "Oh shit." Chris turned and saw, too. I was scared. I've seen this intense focus, and it is never, never good.
Lady spotted her, too. Her hair went up, but her tail was wagging in a sort of 'new friend!' excitement. She was getting very excited. I was trying to contain her, get her back to calm and non-instigative. When I turned back the dog was crouched about twenty feet in front of us in the road. Now I was really freaking out.
I heard a whistle and a high school girl came out of a house up the road, calling the dog's name. She seemed just as scared as I was. Nervous. She should have had control over her dog. She didn't.
The dog, Tessa, came closer, right up to Lady. I was trying to pull Lady back. Usually when stupid off-leash dogs come up to us on walks the first thing I do is grab the dog's collar so that they can't jump on Lady (who is still in rehabilitation from her surgery in August), run off, or into the road as the owner approaches. This dog was different.
In a flash the dog was biting Lady, trying to jump on her, there was growling and barking and yowling and I was just screaming "NO! NO! NO! BAD DOG!" I was not going to let this happen. The girl started running towards us.
Tessa broke away as the girl approached and tried to reach for her. Tessa snapped at her, tried to bite her.
I was glad I had not tried to grab her collar.
The girl said, "This is bad. She is not a good dog." Oh great. An aggressive dog. This has happened before and they've done nothing. They let her off-leash, somehow. How much more irresponsible can you get?
Then Tessa turned on Bentley. For whatever reason, maybe becasue he's young, or male, she did not try to attack him, thank God, but she got pretty close. I probably would have done something I would regret for a very long time if that tog had even touched my baby with aggression. I was still reeling from the attack on Lady. I saw no blood on the snow and took it as a good sign.
The dog took off, the owner chased it. Chris and I stayed where we were, hoping not to lure the dog away from the owner. She just kept saying "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. Tessa! Tessa!" Every time she'd get near her the dog would take off.
Eventually the dog ran the other way, away from us and not in circles around us. Chris and I slowly walked back the way we'd come, looking over our shoulders the whole way. About four blocks past where we'd been I stopped and checked Lady more thoroughly. Not a mark on her. Adrenaline and rage are still coursing through me.
If anything had happened that resulted in injury to one of my dogs I would have taken all of the legal steps I could. I am so sick of these irresponsible people and their dogs. The ones who don't pick up after their dogs. The ones who let their dogs off-leash. The ones who do not respect my wishes when I ask them not to approach with their dog. I hat living in the city where there are so many dogs. Now I feel like I can't walk my dogs anywhere. I can't walk them around my complex becasue of all the dogs here, and now I can't walk them through that suburb because I don't believe in getting burned twice.
Don't get me wrong. I love dogs. I love them. There is no such thing as a bad dog, just a bad owner. But there is a line, and that dog crossed it tonight.
Those people are so damn lucky that neither one of my dogs got hurt.
And so am I.
On our walk tonight around a neighboring suburb I spotted an off-leash husky type dog. And as soon as it saw me spot it, it 'went low' into an aggressive, lethal crouch on the sidewalk across the road. I said, "Oh shit." Chris turned and saw, too. I was scared. I've seen this intense focus, and it is never, never good.
Lady spotted her, too. Her hair went up, but her tail was wagging in a sort of 'new friend!' excitement. She was getting very excited. I was trying to contain her, get her back to calm and non-instigative. When I turned back the dog was crouched about twenty feet in front of us in the road. Now I was really freaking out.
I heard a whistle and a high school girl came out of a house up the road, calling the dog's name. She seemed just as scared as I was. Nervous. She should have had control over her dog. She didn't.
The dog, Tessa, came closer, right up to Lady. I was trying to pull Lady back. Usually when stupid off-leash dogs come up to us on walks the first thing I do is grab the dog's collar so that they can't jump on Lady (who is still in rehabilitation from her surgery in August), run off, or into the road as the owner approaches. This dog was different.
In a flash the dog was biting Lady, trying to jump on her, there was growling and barking and yowling and I was just screaming "NO! NO! NO! BAD DOG!" I was not going to let this happen. The girl started running towards us.
Tessa broke away as the girl approached and tried to reach for her. Tessa snapped at her, tried to bite her.
I was glad I had not tried to grab her collar.
The girl said, "This is bad. She is not a good dog." Oh great. An aggressive dog. This has happened before and they've done nothing. They let her off-leash, somehow. How much more irresponsible can you get?
Then Tessa turned on Bentley. For whatever reason, maybe becasue he's young, or male, she did not try to attack him, thank God, but she got pretty close. I probably would have done something I would regret for a very long time if that tog had even touched my baby with aggression. I was still reeling from the attack on Lady. I saw no blood on the snow and took it as a good sign.
The dog took off, the owner chased it. Chris and I stayed where we were, hoping not to lure the dog away from the owner. She just kept saying "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. Tessa! Tessa!" Every time she'd get near her the dog would take off.
Eventually the dog ran the other way, away from us and not in circles around us. Chris and I slowly walked back the way we'd come, looking over our shoulders the whole way. About four blocks past where we'd been I stopped and checked Lady more thoroughly. Not a mark on her. Adrenaline and rage are still coursing through me.
If anything had happened that resulted in injury to one of my dogs I would have taken all of the legal steps I could. I am so sick of these irresponsible people and their dogs. The ones who don't pick up after their dogs. The ones who let their dogs off-leash. The ones who do not respect my wishes when I ask them not to approach with their dog. I hat living in the city where there are so many dogs. Now I feel like I can't walk my dogs anywhere. I can't walk them around my complex becasue of all the dogs here, and now I can't walk them through that suburb because I don't believe in getting burned twice.
Don't get me wrong. I love dogs. I love them. There is no such thing as a bad dog, just a bad owner. But there is a line, and that dog crossed it tonight.
Those people are so damn lucky that neither one of my dogs got hurt.
And so am I.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Oh Happy Day!
Today is 1/1/11.
That hasn't happened in 100 years! I think this may be the first time that there is no snow on the ground for the first day of the New Year in Michigan!
It's a new year! Gyms all across the country are going to be packed to the max today!
Turn the page on the calendar! No, scratch that! Throw out the calendar and put the new pretty shiny one up!
Bentley is being a good little New Year's puppy. He is entering the second year of his being! He has only ever experienced 2010, but now, there are new things to experience in 2011!
But, of course, he doesn't care.
As long as he still gets to keep all of his Christmas toys.
That hasn't happened in 100 years! I think this may be the first time that there is no snow on the ground for the first day of the New Year in Michigan!
It's a new year! Gyms all across the country are going to be packed to the max today!
Turn the page on the calendar! No, scratch that! Throw out the calendar and put the new pretty shiny one up!
Bentley is being a good little New Year's puppy. He is entering the second year of his being! He has only ever experienced 2010, but now, there are new things to experience in 2011!
But, of course, he doesn't care.
As long as he still gets to keep all of his Christmas toys.
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