Every dog has its day

There are two dogs in our house and they have their day nearly every day from the standpoint of being spoiled. Before my move to Wisconsin, I managed a small pet store part time for a number of years. My biggest hobby in those days was anything to do with pets. I've had multiple fish tanks; I've always had cats and multiple other animals as well. However, it wasn't until just a bit more than five years ago that I got my first dog, a golden retriever we named Tucker.

Let's say Tucker was a handful for Jenny and me. We did everything a dog owner "should," do including dog training classes, but Tucker just wasn't that dog. Although Tucker wasn't ever going to be trained to perfection, he had his own quirky personality that made him so loveable.

Owning a dog gave me a new appreciation for the outdoors. Walking with Tucker through the woods and seeing how much he enjoys just being outside is refreshing to say the least. As long as there is no fireworks going off, thunder storms, or loud trucks, Tucker would rather be outside. Tucker is a bit gun shy to say the least. We decided about three months ago to get Tucker a playmate. At first I thought it was a good idea, but then hesitated once we made the decision to get another dog. Remembering the hard time we had training Tucker and the additional vet visits that resulted from it would be enough to give anyone a pause. Nonetheless, Tucker has rewarded us with lots of love, laughs, and days outdoors that would otherwise be spent inside. Besides, why shouldn't Tucker have a buddy?

Along came Murphy. Murphy and Tucker are like ying and yang, night and day, and any other terms to describe opposites. Murphy is fearless to a fault. In addition, Murphy knows what NO means. A bomb could go off and Murphy would want to investigate. Murphy is definitely a dog that could be trained with the best of them. Murphy has helped Tucker feel a bit more at ease during walks. In turn, Tucker has shown Murphy how to steal the remote, eat the mulch, and how to properly beg at the table. However, Tucker has a certain dignity about him, where he becomes the elder statesmen at times, showing Murphy how to do the right thing and when not to also.

During one of our walks we ran across a pit bull crossing paths on the sidewalk. I worried for Murphy, because he's fearless and I knew he'd approach the pit bull. Granted the dogs were on leashes, but Murphy wasn't yet wise enough to know what he was up against. As we passed by, as I expected, Murphy darted towards the pit bull and as expected the pit bull made it known that he wasn't in the mood for a playful puppy a roared with a growl that said "I'll eat you for lunch" and Murphy backed away. Nothing seemed out of the norm until Tucker nearly ripped the leash out of my hand and growled, snarled, and heaved toward the pit bull as if he was going to rip him to shreds and they came nose to nose. Both dogs could have taken a chunk out of one another and neither owner had much control. I guess it was Tuckers way of saying "Murphy is part of my family and if you touch him I'll eat you for lunch." The once timid Tucker and fearless Murphy switched places for just a minute. In most circumstances I'd bet money on a pit bull, but on this day Tucker would have given his life if that is what it would have taken. Seeing and sensing this, the once angry pit bull backed away.

What makes these two dogs so great are their differences and how they complement each other. What makes dogs great in general is their unconditional love and loyalty. What makes having pets so great is the ability for humans to interact and coexists with different animals and learn from them. What I learned from Tucker is that we don't have to be fearless or brave every moment of our lives only those moments when it matters most. I now better understand the term "every dog has its day," because that day with the pit bull was Tuckers day. As it stormed the other night Murphy ran to the door and barked. I got a bit of a laugh out of Murphy and then, as usual, Tucker scurried next to me shaking. I tapped him on the head and gave him a "that a boy," because I know that behind that fear is a brave dog that would do anything for his family.
www.communitydiner.com