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 There
he stood, on his hind legs, ears dangling, tail wagging, and with his
tongue hanging out, giving him sort of a smile, greeting as long time
friends a couple of folks he had never laid eyes on. OK, so that’s
typical, you say, when people like us are searching for a new dog and
suddenly “connect”.
The scene was inside our Grand Prairie, Texas animal shelter more than
five years ago. This shelter was the predecessor to Prairie Paws, our
state-of-the-art new one. So there you have our Buddy (part of his registered
name), a black, tan, blue tick, red tick beagle, as described on his
AKC credentials. At age 1-1/2 he had been left for adoption. His card
noted the reason for his being brought in as “Owner’s wife
said he barked too much.” Really now! A beagle? Barking? Had any
prospective owner done a whit of research on the various breeds “barking” would
have been more than just suggested for beagles; it would have shouted
out!
In selecting a dog, one must be ever so careful – like we were.
Let me first ask you a few questions. Would you want a dog that, when
called, comes not on command, but when he is dog gone good and ready?
Would you want one that just loves to bark? How about one that might
suddenly leap onto the lap of your unsuspecting house guest? Or one
that strikes a trail of an intruder in his yard, his territory, and
runs about coursing, at full throttle and full bay, breaking the silence
of late night or early morn? Or a hound that considers the smells of
his trail as being more important than anything else, even his waiting
meal, even your plaintive call? Is there any possible use for a dog
that just for the sport of it runs through a group of white-winged
doves congregating beneath your bird feeders? Would you consider one
that runs full bore in tight circles through your house and around
your furniture, with any of a myriad of stuffed toys in tow? How about
one that grabs the newest slipper of the lady of the house and retreats
with it to a haven beneath the dining room table while contemplating
the type of damage to be wrought? Or one that eats the insole lining
out of a good pair of men’s house slippers? Perhaps a dog that
shows up, uninvited, transferring from his bed to yours at some time
during the night? What would you think of discovering a wet, slimy
piece of rawhide hidden behind your mattress or beneath your pillow
as you turn down your covers at bedtime? Or that same rawhide nudging
your rear as you settle into your favorite recliner? How about claw
marks in a corner of your carpet, a ritual they perform that simulates
burying or hiding a piece of rawhide? Would you want a doggie that
randomly grabs and plays keep-away with an article of lingerie, barks
at distant sounds and sights in the neighborhood and chases squirrels
just for the fun of it?
Do these bother us? Sometimes. But what we have in exchange for occasional
annoyances is the most loveable, affectionate, loyal pet that either
of us septuagenarians has ever owned. I write a monthly column for
a national bird publication. Buddy has been a player, a “walk
on”, in several of my articles and has become known to our readership.
He will assume his gentle persona from time to time, and when invited,
act his very best and pose for a holiday photo-op. That’s our
Buddy. He has been labeled “so precious” by my editor.
Pssst! The foregoing is just between us. When you’re looking
for a dog, keep in mind that there’s more than just what you
see – even after you suddenly “connect”.
Side note from the editors — Buddy was
also recently featured as the Labor Day special photo in the national
publication, "Nature Society News".
He is quite the celebrity these days!
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