Baby was my Mom's dog for 12 glorious years. My mother lived in Ohio and Baby was a companion, beloved family member, early-warning system, and motivational coach all rolled up into a beautiful 35-pound package. In 2015, when my mother was unable to care for her any more, she came to live with us in Iowa. We are very glad she did. Particularly after my Mom passed on.
They say that dogs take on the appearance of their owners or vice-versa and that is true. There are times when Baby looks at me, I see my elderly Mom staring back at me--kind of eerie, if I am honest. However, she also took on the same role she had in Ohio with Betsy and me. She is our companion too and anyone who has been around our house knows she is a great early warning system, and, as much as our cat Duncan will allow, she is a beloved member of our family. She, Betsy and I go on walks together, she will play with her toy "Queaker" (actually, it is a bunch of toys, but she chooses the one that she wants to play with on any given day) until the cows come home, and nobody likes a ride in the "Car Car" as much as she does.
I refer to her as our "Huppy Puppy" and I am her "Happy Pappy". This brown and black ottoman-sized mutt of a dog exudes spectacular joy. Mere eye contact will get her tail wagging so hard that you could generate enough wind energy to power a house (believe me, I am trying to figure out how to harness it). Her barks are a greeting to anyone that is nearby. She loves people, but not without some discernment.
Betsy and I learned that she might have been in a home before my Mom's where people were abusive to each other. She is very disturbed by voices being raised and when I hug or dance with Betsy, she barks and tries to put herself between us. At first, we thought it was jealousy on her part, but one time, when Betsy and I were arguing, she intervened and we could see that she was very distressed. It is uncanny how she senses hostility and how much she wants to mediate.
Baby is a remarkable dog. We love her dearly and she has made us better people. We have learned to lower our voices and communicate when we are upset with each other. She has made it possible for us to choose to be less disagreeable or to let things slide when it really doesn't matter how things happen. That is not a trait she got from my Mom, by the way.
This Huppy Puppy of ours may not have always had the best life a dog can have, but each day she is with us, we feel really happy that she is a part of our life. And, as an added bonus, she is a deep connection to my Mom which is a double blessing for me.
They say that dogs take on the appearance of their owners or vice-versa and that is true. There are times when Baby looks at me, I see my elderly Mom staring back at me--kind of eerie, if I am honest. However, she also took on the same role she had in Ohio with Betsy and me. She is our companion too and anyone who has been around our house knows she is a great early warning system, and, as much as our cat Duncan will allow, she is a beloved member of our family. She, Betsy and I go on walks together, she will play with her toy "Queaker" (actually, it is a bunch of toys, but she chooses the one that she wants to play with on any given day) until the cows come home, and nobody likes a ride in the "Car Car" as much as she does.
I refer to her as our "Huppy Puppy" and I am her "Happy Pappy". This brown and black ottoman-sized mutt of a dog exudes spectacular joy. Mere eye contact will get her tail wagging so hard that you could generate enough wind energy to power a house (believe me, I am trying to figure out how to harness it). Her barks are a greeting to anyone that is nearby. She loves people, but not without some discernment.
Betsy and I learned that she might have been in a home before my Mom's where people were abusive to each other. She is very disturbed by voices being raised and when I hug or dance with Betsy, she barks and tries to put herself between us. At first, we thought it was jealousy on her part, but one time, when Betsy and I were arguing, she intervened and we could see that she was very distressed. It is uncanny how she senses hostility and how much she wants to mediate.
Baby is a remarkable dog. We love her dearly and she has made us better people. We have learned to lower our voices and communicate when we are upset with each other. She has made it possible for us to choose to be less disagreeable or to let things slide when it really doesn't matter how things happen. That is not a trait she got from my Mom, by the way.
This Huppy Puppy of ours may not have always had the best life a dog can have, but each day she is with us, we feel really happy that she is a part of our life. And, as an added bonus, she is a deep connection to my Mom which is a double blessing for me.
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