I’ve always had a dog, except for the past ten years. Certainly, being dog-less has some advantages—no middle-of-the-night poop excursions, no vet bills, no worrying about who can watch the little canine when you’re gone. What’s missing is the companionship a mutt provides—those faithful looks, those warm and fuzzy nuzzles to your crotch, and those slobbery licks to the face—even the puddle of excited pee when you come back from a weekend away is a reward of sorts.
When our son and his family of five (three kids—six, eight, and eleven) decided they would consider getting a dog, Jennie and I offered to be Godparents, or is that Dogparents? A search ensued. After a few transactions fell through, a perfect rescue puppy was found. Her name was “Lark,” which was quickly changed to “Millie,” but also dubbed “Scruffles” by yours truly. She’s a strange mix (we were told) of Pomeranian, Corgi, and Golden Lab.
The little bundle of energy is as cute as a ladybug on a white dress. She reminds me of when I was seven years old and witnessed the birth of a litter of puppies in our barn. My brother and I named each one before we gave them away to neighboring ranch families, but for six weeks we played every day with the little mongrels. We’d do the same things I now see my grandkids doing—playing tug-of-war, fetching chew toys, and burying our faces against their soft, downy fur. There’s nothing like the earthy smell of a puppy.
I tell my grandkids that they need to be the “top dog” when they interact with Scruffles, especially if they want to teach her some tricks, but I think they just want to be part of the pack. After all, in the family power struggle, where kids are sometimes at odds with the parental units, it’s always good to have a strong, united front to state your grievances. The dog adds additional weight to such disagreements. Instead of three against two it’s four against two! A case in point about the puppy’s influence on family matters—my daughter-in-law insisted they get a female dog to balance out the male/female ratio in the household!
It’s great having a dog back after so many years. She’s going to become a wonderful companion for everybody. Scruffles are a bit nippy right now, but we’re attributing that to her teething phase. Can’t wait until she settles down some and we can start some form of training, even if it’s just shake, stay, sit, roll over, and the ever-important “come.” And as the great sage of my youth, Mr. Peabody, once said to Sherman, “Every dog deserves a Boy.” (Or girl!)