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| Not Tugboat. A facsimile |
I did not want my current dog. I only ever owned one dog in my life, a Shepard/ Lab mix,( mostly Shepard except for his Lab ears,) prior to this current dog, a yellow Lab, Tugboat.
When that first dog, Bugs, got suddenly ill and could not stand up, it was the day we we driving up to New Hampshire to start our new life, and we had to detour to the vet to have him killed.
A bad experience.
The vet said, "Bugs has always trusted you to do the right thing for him. You have to do it now."
I had never hurt that dog, never so much as hit him. He wasn't a very demonstrative dog, but I think he trusted me.
So I watched while they overdosed him with some opiate and he stopped breathing.
Never again, I vowed.
"Sure," my wife said, , "Right. " And a year later we had the new dog.
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| That would be the actual dog |
He gets me up every morning at 4:30 AM (5:30 Daylight Savings Time) and demands his routine: outside to pee, poop (which I have to bag, such fun), inside to eat and after I do my treadmill, he wants his 20 minute walk. Then he's set until I get home.
My wife and I travel more now, and every time we do, we have to get the dog a place in a dog hotel. One of these is the Taj Mahal of dog hotels and has a twenty yard swimming pool, which, as a Lab, he particularly appreciates.
Weekend mornings, we go to the beach. Plaice Cove beach does not exist at high tide but at low tide it is wide open and he gets to chase a rubber ball which can be flung thirty yards with the spear chucker thing. The day is planned around the tides. Whatever errands I have for Saturday or Sunday, they have to be done between high and half tide. Low tide is for the dog.
The dog rules my schedule and my life.
On the other hand, he is a very friendly dog and I have met many people on the beach, as I ran up to tear him away from beach walkers.
If I had only known, when I was young and riding the testosterone wave, how many women one meets with a dog, I would have owned dogs then.
But now, not so much.
Bugs, the first dog, saw a beach only once in his life, but he did run along the river and the Cabin John Creek (his favorite outing) and he tangled with the local fauna, which included muskrats and deer. There were lots of beavers, but beavers are very tough on dogs and I had to get him back on leash, whenever there were beavers around.
The Shepard was an intimidating dog, and I did not meet many women with him, but I did meet a lot of muskrats, which are almost as good.
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| Muskrat |
Muskrats, it turns out, will stand their ground against even a big, eighty pound Shepard, and they are very spunky and inspiring. Bugs threw one up in the air, and it did two back flips before landing on its hind feet and it raised its paws and its chin and looked at the two of us, "You want a piece of me? Well, here I am." I dragged the dog away, who was only too happy to be dragged away.
I don't know why I'm talking about dogs today.
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| Downy Woodpecker, Resident of Hampton, NH |
Oh, wait. I remember. We saw a Downy Woodpecker on our morning walk; that's why. I would never have seen this wonderful bird if I had not been out at sunrise dragged along by Tugboat, who ignored him, too busy sniffing the almost Spring, half melted ground.
The woodpecker flew right by my face, and landed on a branch and looked around and then flew off.
But he made my morning and I owe Tugboat that.
Phantom,
ReplyDeleteAgreed-dogs are one of life's great gifts..Folks I know who don't have a dog-and don't want one-see the mess, the work, the time, the expense of dog ownership. But they are missing the special bond, the unconditional love, loyalty and companionship a dog provides. There's a reason why dog ownership in many instances is good for your health...and as you know-dogs are funny, entertaining characters..I've had six over my lifetime-each with their own distinct and unique personality. As Lord Byron said about the dog "Courage without ferocity, and all the virtues of Man without his Vices"..This line is from his beautiful and moving poem "Epitaph to a Dog" which as a dedicated dog owner, you must read if you haven't already. Byron wrote it in honor of his Newfoundland, a breed I've always been particularly fond of and had it inscribed on the dog's gravestone. By the way, the dog's name was Boatswain-like you he favored a nautical theme when naming his pup...Byron may be known for his affection for women, however after reading this poem one wonders if he didn't in fact like dogs even better..
I too saw a pair of woodpeckers during one of my walks this week with my own canine companion..They appeared smaller than a Pileated, but larger than a Downy-is there something in between? I wish I knew-some day I intend to become an official bird watcher-join a bird watching group, so I can answer my own questions knowledgeably. I thought it would be nice fit with my egg collecting.. Birds are fascinating( although I like them outside-inside I'll take the dog thank you)..Anyway, one of the woodpeckers started to drill a tree above my head and it was so forceful and loud it didn't seem possible that a small creature and not a machine could produce such a sound..amazing..but then look at the delicate, fragile appearing hummingbird which looks like it could barely make it to the town line, yet migrates south hundreds of miles every year..Which speaking of migration, have you noticed all the robins-they apparently did not migrate this year (don't they usually?) they instead remained here during the winter-how is that possible-the poor sweet robins up shivering in their nests..Do you notice how they now travel in a large group these days-growing up you'd see them alone or as a pair-never a flock. I spoke to a woman in a bird feed store about this and she agreed their modus operandi now is different than in the past, but she didn't know why..Maybe now that they winter here it's an example of "misery loves company"..I was in this bird supply store with a friend who wanted to buy a special bluebird house. I've never seen a bluebird, so I thought that I might buy a little homestead as well..come to find out, bluebirds only like to reside by a clearing or field and since my friend and I have wooded yards, no bluebird house for us..Okay, enough about birds...
Last night I accidentally happened upon the first episode of a new show "The Catch"..I only kept it on because it stars the female lead from "The Killing".. She's more gussied up for this role, but I recognized her right away. It also stars Peter Krause from "Six Feet Under"-it was pretty good for a network show and I'll watch it again...
Maud
Maud,
ReplyDeleteHave not seen "The Catch" but intended to watch it because she was so great in "The Killing."
Not sure if I've seen a bluebird but definitely have never seen a bald head eagle or a hummingbird in the wild.
Yes, I have seen the flocks of robins which also struck me as unusual.
Of course, they are not as eye catching as the twenty odd wild turkeys who have been strutting around Hampton, through Glen Hill and all over that side of Rte 27. They are not at all intimidated by cars, but dogs on leashes lunging at them do get their attention.
I had no idea Lord Byron was a dog person. I will look up "Epitaph on a Dog." You are very erudite, Ms. Maud. Very impressive. I have seen George Carlin on dogs--his Carnegie Hall riff is especially apt, but of course, not exactly Lord Byron.
You seem to be something of a student of Lord Byron. I'll have to Wikipedia him.
You hang out in a bird feed store? We are warned in NH not to put out feed because the bears are coming out of hibernation early this year and they are hungry and attracted to bird feeders.
Of course, in your case, they would have to fight off the coyotes.
You once mentioned you had dreams of running an animal farm sanctuary, if I recall correctly. But bears would be a handful.
Speaking of your inclinations--saw a guy sing "Don't think twice" on the Voice last night--the best rendition I'd ever heard...until I went on itunes to get it and heard another from a Bonnie Raitt like singer singing at the Austin festival which is also amazing.
So, there we have it: dogs, birds, Dylan, Byron, Carlin, Newfies (rather large breed) and "The Killing."
Oh, and there is also "Longmire" which I did not expect to like and is not "Justified" but has some great characters. And HOC is back. Not always moving in the right direction but does keep one watching.
Phantom
Yes, Erudite-why that was my nickname in grade school...
ReplyDeleteMaud
Maud,
ReplyDeleteI like it.
Nice name for a child. Pronounced "Air-Ree-O-DIE-Tee" that would give any daughter a head start.
Phantom