Our rat terrier, Lucky, has been a fixture in our household for 13 years. Although we purchased her as a couple, she is without question, my dog.
She never grew as large as we expected, so she doesn’t serve the protective purpose my husband had in mind. We never took the time to teach her tricks, so he believes she’s not very intelligent. And as the years pass, I know I spoil her more and more.
Her once large palomino spots have faded almost completely now, making it seem that she’s an entirely white dog. She has seizures now and then, which expose her fragile life, leaving her tired and wobbly afterward. She sleeps most of the time, and nearly hibernates in the winter, but she seems to come to life a bit at the cabin in the summer. She chases squirrels and barks at chipmunks, explores in the woods, and generally forgets she’s old.
There’s something about her – about every loved pet, I suppose. There’s something in her complete peace with life. She expects nothing from it, except whatever scraps of attention she can steal away from me. And when I sit with her, on the couch were my husband begrudgingly ignores her presence (dogs don’t belong on the couch), I’m at peace as well — a not-very-frequent occurrence in my busy life.
Perhaps this is her purpose. She is there to help me experience the now, love the moment, and stop thinking for a minute or two. Those precious pieces of time are so fleeting and seemingly unimportant. But I’m sure I’ll miss them when she’s gone.
Each weekend I share moments that help me journey toward occasional “presence” — explained in A New Earth
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12:24 pm
Awwwwww…what a cute critter! Thanks for sharing–BTW, don’t forget my Silly Sunday Sweepstakes tomorrow–I’ve got a pretty funny snap this week!
5:48 pm
OmiGAWD!! Do you mean she isn’t supposed to be in my BED either? You know, under the covers growling at MY Rat terrier while trying to be sure she has the very MIDDLE of the bed? Gee, I never knew that……..or should I say SHE never knew it!!
Mom & TAXI
9:00 pm
Perhaps because I love my own pup and kitty so much, I was warmed by this essay. Poignant and easy to relate to. It’s so trues, our lovies give so much without expectation, but then repay our small gestures with wagging tails and joy-filled eyes.
Lucky is lucky to be loved by you…and I think our husbands might have the same mindset when it comes to pets…
Sweet, sweet read
. Maybe I should check out Fussy and her happiness thing.
12:25 am
Your post title is perfect, and it is a pretty big thing, really. I’m so glad there’s a place where she can be the dog she wants to be. I met my first rat terrier on the Fourth, she had a whole repertroire of tricks.
9:45 am
May I borrow her to chase away our stray cat?
Dogs slow our heart rate and lower our blood pressure.
I have been dogless for several years – by choice —
when I put my precious huge lap dog (he thought he was a 120 lb lap dog) — I was quite inconsolable. My kids were grown and gone – the house was empty – and I kept imagining I heard his toenails clip clip clipping down the hall at bedtime.
Even now I tear up when I think of him. What a baby I am.
I stoop and love everyone elses dogs now. Snuggles for Lucky!!!
4:15 am
What a lucky dog !