For the Love of a Pup
It seems I have always had a dog – from Bumpy and Buttons when I was growing up to our current dogs, Jigsaw and Kathmandu. As you well know, dog stories abound with pet owners and as Kat munched my shoe, snuck into the cookies, and immediately moved into “Sit” position when I neared the pantry door where her treats are kept, I decided this week was a perfect time to talk about canines.
In high school, my sister Marilyn gave us Barney. From a litter for experimental science at her university, our dog and her mom, Silky, escaped to new homes. Actually, Barney went to another sister first, and when she and her husband abandoned hope of training him, he came to us.
A stunning Beagle, with long ears and a terrific bay, Barney proved to be a devoted runner. He raced in circles around our fenced backyard, tearing a path as he ripped out flowers and shrubs.
To slow him down, Dad constructed a heavy wooden dog house to which he attached a leash. Instead of staying put, Barney now pulled the entire hut around the yard, choking, stopping, then resuming his trek. Even after Dad added sled-like runners, Barney continued and so we chucked that idea.
As Barney aged, he became unstable. When another sister came home from college, he peed in her suitcase; when a friend stayed overnight, he literally ate her shoes; when confronted for behavioral issues, he tensed up, hair ruffled, and angry barks ensued.
One day, slipping out of our back gate, a car hit him. Although he did not die, the injury sent him into a fearful, glazed-eye state. He growled incessantly, only calming to my voice. Inbreeding took its mental tole and Barney met his demise. After that we primarily enjoyed the company of black cats. They are easier to care for, more independent, and all were friendly.
Lynn had owned black and tan coon hounds growing up so after our marriage, I carefully studied breeder possibilities eventually finding one on the California coast.
He worked nights so one evening when he left, my friend Gina and I hopped in our Toyota pickup and headed west. Freeway, then winding coastal roads, led us to the Pacific and the home of Moon. Envisioning a pristine kennel, we discovered a dog’s delight: black and tans and bloodhounds covered every ground surface. The home had a swinging entry door where the “Mamas and the Papas” could leap in and out and the pups could tuck underneath. Love abounded – between the hounds and their owners. I grabbed ours and back we drove with the birthday surprise.
Moon, actually Granny’s Merry Moonlight, displayed excellent traits – her beauty, her long ears that I tied on top of her head, her keen sense of smell, and her bay. Unfortunately, as she matured, she took to wandering; it was in her nature. I’d call for her, then I’d cry awhile, next I’d dial the dog catcher, and soon she’d come home. We decided farmlife might be better for her instincts so we took her to Antelope Valley prior to our own move there. She stayed close – most of the time -, but then came wandering cows. Of course, she’d stampede them making the cowboys angry. Her actions met with a bullet. Wounded she drug herself to our lawn to die. It broke my heart.
Now we have German shorthairs. I’d observed this breeds’ exploits: hyper, ill-mannered, slobbery, and overall nuts. But Lynn wanted a bird dog and thus Jigs became our companion.
Although he has to run like mad when set loose, after a sprint he quiets down and is loving. He has excellent hunting skills and rewards us with his bird prowess. Now 13, when TW’s Hazy had 9 pups, we inherited Kathmandu. With a white spot on her head and a black one on her rear, Lynn chose “Dot” as her name. Disappointed at the simplicity, I asked him to try again. This time he selected “Kat”. “But she’s a dog, I explained! Rethink this.” “Katfish” for her long whiskers? I devised Kathmandu for her exquisite coat and intriguing gaze.
A pleasant acquisition, Kat also exhibits puppy naughtiness. House training has been tricky and she bugs Jigsaw endlessly. Biting his ears, barking exuberantly, and forcing play, he usually goes along with her. She loves to munch on everything in sight and is particular fond of fruit – especially bananas. When exhausted she’s cuddly; when a strange noise draws her attention she protects us. Fun, but having a dog makes me both young and old.