How Pets Enrich our lives (part 2)

Last time I talked mostly about cats. I love cats, they are fun, intelligent and loving. They are a great pet. There are many other great pets out there. I thought I would share some of the expediences we have had with other pets as well today!

hairy When I was growing up my Brother, Bill, had a long haired Guinea pig. Bill named him Hairy! Hairy lived in Bill’s room in the basement. Every time he heard someone come down the stairs he would whistle. Hairy liked attention so he always called to us when we got close. Hairy made the scary basement not nearly so scary! Instead of thinking about what spiders might be lurking down there to get me, I would start thinking about going in to visit Hairy! haunted_house

Have you ever noticed that houses make wierd noises after it gets dark? I love having a pet in the house, so I can just blame any odd sound on them, then I feel less worried.

Did you ever feel like it is such a waste throwing out the peanut butter jar when you can’t get the last of it out. I do too. When I had Sam, my big black lab that wasn’t a problem. She loved Peanut Butter. I cannot tell you how exactly she did it, but she could get every teeny tiny bit of peanut butter out of the jar. I buy peanut butter at Costco so they were big jars. It was always so fun to give them to her because she got so excited. She would carry the jar off to some soft corner of the lawn, lay down and enjoy for an hour or so.

Dogs are always ready for helping us exercise. Whatever the exercise is. Do you want to go for a walk, a run, a bike ride? No matter what they are ready and willing or should I say enthusiastic to help you out.

Rocky was our full size rough coat Collie, (Think of Lassie) He was a blue merle color and beautifully marked. I am dismayed to find I rocky only have pictures of him with his coat shaved for summer! He was instinctively a herder and would “herd” the children if he thought they were getting too far from the house. He would walk near them and kind of lean on them so they would turn the way he wanted. I will always remember him with my granddaughter, Cassy, when she was very little. She loved him. She would go put her arm around his neck to hug him, she had to reach up to do so because he was a tall dog. Then they would walk around together with her arm around his neck and her head leaning on him. For his part, Rocky would be wearing that great big dog smile!

pool_in_fl Rocky was always ready to help out with that exercise I spoke of. We had a large swimming pool (That’s it) one side was all shallow and the other was shallow leading to the deep end with about a 6 foot connecting area. we loved to dive off the diving board and swim to the ladder and climb out and run to the diving board and do it again. Rocky created a game where he would stand to the left of the person on the board and wait till they jumped or dove in and start running around the pool trying to beat the person to the ladder. If he got to the ladder before you he won, If you got out first you won and he would chase you to the diving board. Sometimes he couldn’t help himself he would give little nips as he ran behind you. Just the Collie herding instinct. That was such a fun game, I will never forget his enthusiasm. It got to where I would get on the diving board and say “Are you ready Rocky?” That got his attention wherever he was. I would shout “Go” dive in the pool and he would start running!

Those two were wonderful companions to each other and to all of us. They were my walking partners every morning. Since they have both passed away now, I don’t find going for a walk half as much fun.

I’d love to hear about your pets. I’m considering putting together a book of pet stories, if you would like yours included just contact me!