Her name is Scout, this little Beagle pup, and she is four months young. What a doll she is! I have met Scout a few times on the neighbor’s farm and she is always happy, and so excited to see me. But I imagine like most puppies, she is excited to see everybody. She belongs with the family of Lindsey and Kyle, and their six children, Noah, Isaac, Evie, Millie, Silas, and Chloe. I have seen her wriggling with unbridled joy as one of them will hold her in their arms and she will stretch out her furry white snout, trying to touch Reddogg’s black nose. And Reddogg will wag his tail and touch her with that black nose, curious I think, and perhaps not quite sure what to do with this pup that thinks he is so exciting.
Reddogg is fifteen years young, a long way off from four months. I adopted him when he was six years young, back in the spring of 2015. You soon will see, Dear Reader, my website changing with a new look, which contains a picture of Reddogg and a brief biography of his life. I often wonder what Reddogg looked like as a young puppy. I am sure he, too, was a doll, and full of energy. He has retained his joy for whenever he meets a person, whether that is in Our Treehouse, or outside on my prayer walks and someone will stop to pet his broad forehead. His tail will wag so very fast, like windshield wipers set at high speed while driving a car in the rain. Reddogg believes everyone is a VIP, a Very Important Person. Sometimes when he looks at me, his eyes, brown like the color of a malted milk ball, are filled with so much gratitude and love that they look like two liquid pools of a melted chocolate bar. Such unconditional love.
The difference between a young puppy and an elderly dog is huge. Anyone who has ever had a new puppy to take care of understands how much time and energy this endeavor entails. Someone has to teach these four legged friends many things: to relieve themselves outside, not to potty in the house, to only bark when it is appropriate, to be kind to new people in the home, and not to jump on them with their front paws, to walk with a leash, to sit and stay, to allow someone to brush their coat and trim their nails, and how to behave at the veterinarian office. The professional dog trainers advise us humans to plan on walking our dogs every day, because the house or yard is simply a small box and canines become bored and frustrated if they do not have enough activity in their daily routines. They advise us to research the type of dog that would fit into our own schedules, and match up with our personalities.
Reddogg requires very little one-on-one attention, and sleeps most of the day and night. Of course he loves his walks and most of the time he is not ready to return to the house. But he doesn’t understand it requires just as much energy to walk back home as it does to walk away from it. He weighs in at sixty-three pounds, so carrying him is not an option for me! And like all dogs he loves to be petted and praised. Unfortunately he is fairly deaf now, which is sad for me, but I talk to him anyway. He is one of my boys.
I am not sure if I will choose to have another dog in the future. If I do I would consider rescuing an older dog. I have been told they are harder to place in a home and I would like to help out the elderly dog population. Besides, they are usually just so much more mellow than a puppy. But I could be a sucker for a puppy. Those adorable eyes, that puppy breath, those tiny, sharp teeth that love to chew on doggie toys, the stubby legs running hard and long and then suddenly puppy collapses, falling fast asleep on the nearest blanket, shoe, or chair.
Hmmm. I definitely need to think about all that before I ever decide to get a baby canine. All that energy! I would probably need a power nap myself, need to cuddle up with that puppy on that blanket, shoe, or chair…
c Love, Joan