I got to put my head out the window today.

I got to put my head out the window today.  Not too far, thanks to those safety windows that seem to be standard in all cars these days.  You wouldn’t think I know too much about cars, but I do.  See, when I am sitting in my lawn and cars go screaming by, I see the back seat with the kids screaming and the lucky dogs hanging their heads up. It seems 13 years ago when I saw those dogs; they were hanging out a little more than today. Anyway, today I got to put my head out the window and it was heaven.

I knew when we pulled into the parking lot that it was going to be one of THOSE visits.  There may be a butt to smell or a kitty to make fun of in their crates being carried by their human.  But no amount of butts would be enough to make me forget where we were.  This is the place they stick their fingers in my booty and make liquid come out.  It HURTS.  I will say it does feel better after it is done, but just thinking about it makes me back my booty into a corner.  The smells are a bit of heaven and hell.  I can smell all those other dogs that were here.  I can smell their sickness.  I can smell their anxiety.  There always seems to be a twinge of human anxiety too.  Not sure what they are worked up about, it is us that get the fingers in the booty. 

Todays visit was different from the beginning.  Mom was eager to get me out of the backseat, yet I could smell fear on her.  I didn’t want to get out of the car because of that fear. What did she know?  I wanted NO part of it.  She actually scooped me up and put me down on the parking lot.  Wow mom, I didn’t think you had it in you. 

I will say, I like this new human that seems to always be here when I am.  She looks at me with the kindest eyes and lets me sniff her and lick her a bit.  She tastes good. A little like all the other dogs, but overall I can taste the niceness.  She makes me feel better about being here.  She wants to see in my mouth.  I cant stand anyone looking in my mouth.  I don’t let her.  I hope she isn’t mad.  She doesn’t smell mad, she seems to have a little of that fear smell my mom does today.  Another human comes into the room.  I know what this means. This is the ultimate tag team. I know I can’t win against both of these humans, so I finally just let them look.  Why is she shining that light in my mouth.  WOW, it is so bright and warm.  She must like what she sees because she asks MY human to look too.  I feel like a Picasso on a wall.  Everyone wants to look at me.  Fabulous. Wait.  Fear.  Sadness.  What is wrong with my momma human.  She is almost frozen with her fear.  I was good, momma, I swear.  I didn’t do anything wrong.  Maybe she knows about the cat toy I found and attacked.  That toy had it coming, it was all smelly like dirt.  Not sure why that kitten gets all glassy eyed with that toy, it isn’t normal.  So, I helped out and took care of that toy, it will never be seen again.  I helped!

My mom is leaving me here.  Why?  A field trip without momma tagging along?  She is sad.  I need to be near her, she is sad.  But instead I go along with this new human, to a room with so many kennels.  Why are the other bootys and kitties in these cages.  They don’t smell good.  Sickness.   I don’t like it here.  I want to go back home to my comfy beds and that human that is always smiling at me.  I don’t seem to hear her anymore, she really should talk louder.  But I smell her.  I feel her always touching me.  She massages my neck and back all the time.  Oh how I wish I was with her right now.  I am sleepy now. 

Cold.  I am so cold.  I can barely open my eyes.  Lifting up up up.  Wait, why are they lifting me up.  I would like to just sleep here.  Ah, my Humans!  Why do they look so sad?  If I get to go back home with them, I will go along with this, I will even try to stand up.  I can’t really feel my legs though.  Urgh, did THAT just happen?  My poo just fell out, I think.  I am so embarrassed.  I purposely don’t do that near my humans.  I even try to use the neighbor’s yard when I do have to go, just so it isn’t near us.  It can stay here, with the sickness, I don’t even care at this point.  I just want to go home.  Still so sleepy.

Here we are, all comfy on my bed.  I still can’t get up though.  My mouth, dang, that hurts. What did that sickness place do to me as I slept?  It hurts to breathe.  Thank you human for putting a little water in my mouth, that is nice.  But it hurts.  A lot.  My legs, I can’t move them.  Actually, I can’t really move anything other than my head a little. My humans keep looking at me with sadness.   I wish they could make this pain go away.  My human is so sad.  She keeps leaking from her eyes.  I would usually lick them for her but I can’t move.  Come on other human, help her.  I can’t, so you should! Ah my young human is here.  I would like to lay next to him and cuddle.  He has grown so much.  There was a time I could outrun him, now look at him.  This is nice; he is curled next to me and sharing my bed. I see his mouth moving.  He is another one that really needs to speak up. I miss his smell and his smiles.  I am happy.  He isn’t happy though.  More sadness.  All these humans are so sad. 

 I must have fallen asleep there for a minute. I swear I just saw that cat that used to live in our house a few years ago.  Why was he calling me? My strong human was carrying me to the car and I just fell asleep for a minute.  He has dropped to his knees, don’t drop me!   OK, back to the house we go.  Look at this, my breathing slowed down a bit.  I feel all tingly.  Oh momma human, she is curled up next to me. I like this.  Maybe she won’t be as sad anymore if we keep cuddling.  There is that cat again, he keeps calling me.  I have a bone to pick with him anyway. He had that sickness smell for a long time then he just left and didn’t come home.  He made my momma human cry, A LOT.  She wouldn’t stop for days.  I am going to tell him how unbearable it was for the rest of us.  I need to tell him how a new kitty came to live at our house.  This little grey thing is a pistol.  She is always chasing my tail or running up to me and patting her paws at me.  Super annoying.  Yeah, I think I need to tell that old cat what he did here. 

Back to my humans.  They are so sad.  I think it is probably best if I just hold my breath a little bit and maybe I can fall asleep again.  Let’s try it.  BOOM.  Oh no, I just made momma human really upset.  I want to lick her but I can’t move.  I am getting pretty sleepy though. I may not even have to hold my breath, I can just fall asleep.  Yeah, I am tired; I think it is time to sleep.  When I wake up I hope my humans are happy again and I can move.  Maybe I can put my head out the car window again!

Loyal Creatures

Very recently, my close friend adopted a dog that within 2 months was diagnosed with some serious medical conditions. She made the comment that when she got home that day, the dog was so happy to see her, despite probably feeling so ill. She referred to dogs as “such loyal creatures”. She was so spot on.


Growing up as an alcoholics 4th child, there was only one constant and that was change. By the time I entered high school, I had gone to 7 schools. I had numerous bedrooms, sleeping arrangements and school orientations in my short lifetime. Through all those years, we had a Miniature Schnauzer that moved right along with me. He was my “Sam”. He didn’t like men, so he bit at their ankles. He ran away every chance he could get which meant the only way I could catch him was that he stopped at EVERY tree on the street. But he was always there for me. At one point, my mom had a 2nd shift for a job and I went to AM kindergarten. Mom recalled years later that she knew she had to get a different job because she would watch me come home from school, get my own snack and go to the TV without asking her for any assistance. All of this was done while I told Sam about my day, what was on TV and anything else a 6 year old though was important to tell their friend.

Today, the first thing I say when I walk into the door at home is “Hello baby girl” to my Ziggi (6 year old Springer Spaniel). I then look up to see if Maddie (11 year old tuxedo cat) in near by (which is almost always is) and I give him a cheek rub and remind him how handsome he is. The last thing I say as I walk out of the house is to Ziggi and Maddie that I love them and to be GOOD. By just saying the words, I have a warmed heart.
 I have always said that I cannot trust people who choose not to have kids or animals (except due to medical or housing issues). This is because I don’t think they truly understand “unconditional love”. Animals have one of the best qualities, and that is they are UNABLE TO LIE. No wonder we find them as such LOYAL companions, because they can’t, won’t and don’t hurt us emotionally. Instead, they give us an outlet to say what we want, with no chance of repeating. We cry near them and they usually snuggle closer to us, because they understand whimpering as a sign of hurt. They know how to nurture – thinking back to when we first got Ziggi and she had a “False Pregnancy” where she was actually lactating. She would get all the stuffed animals from the kids rooms and hoard and lick them, but she never chewed or hurt them. It broke my heart to see she just THOUGHT she was pregnant and these natural instincts were displayed.


After mom passed away and we were living in Iowa, away from family, we got a kitten. This was my first cat; I had always grown up with dogs. Maddie (named after Madison) was my baby, my best friend and confidant. Many times I would cry myself to sleep and he was always there for me. He would actually lick my tears. To this day, if I am upset and crying he will come find me and just be hear me. That is loyalty.


I have wanted to add another dog to our family, but have feared that Ziggi and Maddie would feel somehow cheapened, so I have shied away. Thinking back to when Noah was born, I made sure Maddie was held almost as much as the baby, so he wouldn’t get resentful. Most photos have me holding both of them.


Recently, Scott told me he has always wanted an English Bulldog. Being a salesperson, I have seen this a HUGE opportunity to get my 2nd dog in the house. I have read as much research as possible, talked to Veterinarians, others that have them and decided that we could easily add one to our family with little turmoil. My extra time has been dedicated to this search. Wanting to give an animal a 2nd chance, I have been contacting all rescue organizations in the area. The first one that we seemed to be interested in had a donation fee of $600. Is this REALLY rescuing a dog? Needless to say, we had to look for additional possibilities. What has me worried is that my husband has seemed to catch COLD FEET. He is thinking of the expense (probably 1/50th of what he spent on golf this year). He wonders how we will travel (the whopping 3 weekends a year we go to Sparta) and he has tried to serve me a huge “Poo Poo Platter”. I am heartbroken. But being a salesperson, I will not give up!


I have been accused to like animals than most people on earth. If it were up to me, I would have a boarding service and spend my workdays with animals instead of people. That isn’t going to happen anytime soon (hello WI lotto), so I will continue to say hello and goodbye to my Loyal Creatures everyday, and always tell them what they mean to me. After all, they show me every day.