Friday, September 02, 2011

Dog Days

This was first summer in 14 years that I haven’t had a dog. It was a conscious choice. Before Mars I had another eight years with Sears. I’m pretty sure I didn’t miss a summer between those two. This time around I decided to take a break.

Actually we decided to take a break. Mama Wordbones has also decided not to bring another dog into our home, for the foreseeable future at least. She has a had a dog or dogs in her life for almost three decades. That’s a lot. Owning a dog is not easy, that’s why its done out of love. Unlike other family pets like cats or birds, dogs don’t do well when left alone for extended periods. When they’re young an extended period can be two hours. Labradors stay like that until they’re eight.

So it has been a bit freeing to not have that responsibility, though we still miss our dogs, very much at times.

Too assuage those feelings, we offered to dog sit for one of the remaining members of our old dogs club this summer. For Bailey, the fourteen year old golden retriever, it was like summer camp. She spent her days basking in the fenced backyard interspersed with regular walks up and down her familiar street. Once again we were saving leftovers and doggie bags with a real dog. She ate good. She ate real good.
I’m pretty sure she enjoyed her visit too. Her owners tell us she tugs at  her lease towards our house every time she passes by on her walk. 

I know its mostly because of the food but it that's okay too.
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