Fur-apeutic . . .

I have a definate love/hate relationship with my 2 dogs.  Hate may be too strong of a word but definately a love-annoyance thing going on.  Ryley, the big black one is a BABY, through and through.  Always looks pathetic and guilty and is constantly attempting to climb on your bed and the couch, thinking he's a stealthy ninja and noone can see him.  Like the other morning i am up early for a pee and typically dont turn the lights on - when i was finished and climbed into my black sheets, there was a far more hairier than Michael creature in my spot.  I seriously had to SHOVE him off as he was NOT going anywhere.  If he could talk i think he would have said "snooze you lose" . . . !  Ryley has a problem with barking at the door - at every little sound he hears and it drives us all completely CRAZY.  I have watched the "dog whisperer" and "end of my leash" and attempted all things that seem to work for the "experts" in under 20 minutes.  Spray bottle, interupting, crating, making chhhhhh sounds, remaining calm, screaming to shut up (that was my own personal technique), and all attempts have come up with nothing but a loud, terrifying to anyone entering, BARK!!!

Then there is Tilly, Till Bill or Tils as we like to call her, she is our little one year old shitty-poo.  She wiggles and wags her tail all day long.  She is a bit shy and OF COURSE she BARKS incesantly whenever Ryley barks, not on her own but only when he does, so we get double the trouble - and I am at the end of MY leash with the two of them on this issue.  Anyways, Tilly is cute and a bit shy but also VERY spicy and keeps Ryley in check - she may be an 1/8 of his weight but that is not a concern for her or Ryley.  If Ryley would even attempt to come within 20 feet of her food dish, you will have a storm of black and white fur hanging off the lip of poor Ryley looking as though "what, what did i do, i was just walking by".  He listens to her, like any good male and pretty much does what he is told.  The funny thing is, they love each other.  The first time Tilly went to dog daycare (Ryley had been going there weekly for a year already), we asked the workers how Tilly did her first day.  They indicated "great! but Ryley stood outside the small dogs kennel crying for his sister until they let him in to play"... big baby.

Like all of us who own pets, we cant help but find the stupid little things they do so cute and we fall in love with these hairy creatures ... me included.  At one moment I am a raging lunatic saying that they are GONE, GONE TOMORROW and then the next minute I am out buying them new toys or up at 3am taking Ryley out with the runs after he ate an entire box of gingerbread cookies . . . and felt bad for him and his tummyache, all the while saying "stupid dog".  On the days that I have had ENOUGH of the 2 dogs, 2 cats (and five children :-), I am reminded of this . . .

Several years ago, before mike and I were married, our children attended "divorcecare for kids".  At the end of the year they brough home their little workbooks of all the "feelings" activities, etc that they participated in throughout the term.  Mike's daughter had hers at her house and mine had their books at our house.  NONE of the 4 children were in the same small group, all had independant leaders.  As I was reading through their duotangs I came accross a page that said, "List the people in your life that you could tell ANYTHING to."  All three of my children, as well as mike's daughter, along with the names of their mom, dad, etc etc, listed the names of their pets.  It makes me teary to think that these fury beasts have brought such private comfort to all of our kids during some of the toughest times in their lives.  So i look at Ryley's "puppy dog" eyes, and Tilly's wiggly backside and can't help but smile and be thankful  . . .